Page 107 of When Wishes Bleed

“The earth belongs to all of us. We’re a part of it; not just bodies dwelling on it.”

Farther down the shore, Estelle was gathering shells into a pile, chattering to Rose about grinding them for iridescent paint. Rose, ignoring the cheery words pouring from Estelle’s mouth, glared at Tauren and me.

Mira was waist deep in the water, staring into the surface and whispering spells in an attempt to connect with Bay. When we made eye contact, she shook her head. Brecan’s hair thrashed in the wind, but from the strained look on his face, he couldn’t reach Wayra, either.

I stared at the sand for a moment, noticing a nautilus shell lying only a few feet away, half buried in wet, smoothed sand. I was about to discreetly point it out when Tauren pulled me close so that I faced him. “Sable –” he began.

In that moment, the sun suddenly disappeared and dark clouds rolled over the sky. “What is this?” I blinked at the intrusion, confused by the sudden change in weather.

Searching the shore for Brecan, I found him running toward us, gesturing wildly. The wind gusted fiercely, lashing my hair across my face in painful welts. “Go! Sable, get back!” Brecan yelled.

I faced the sea, only to find that it had reared back and was charging toward us.

Rose and Estelle, Mira and Brecan, Tauren and I… we would be crushed by the wave. There was no time to spirit everyone away. Mira thrust her hands out, but she needed help.

“Go!” I screamed to Tauren, whispering a spell that dragged him far away from the shore. He kicked and fought the entire way, but I had to keep him safe. His guards, who’d been standing back a discrete distance, surrounded him in a flash.

Brecan whispered a similar spell for Rose and Estelle, but unlike the Prince, they went willingly. Working with Mira, he directed his wind to hold back the sea; instead of stopping its tumultuous force, it built higher and higher, frothing and churning, anxious to consume everything in its path.

“Recede,” I commanded.

The wave resisted. Something – or someone – was pushing it toward us.

Fate urged me toward the vertical wall of water, so I obeyed, taking careful steps toward it. Brecan growled as he poured more wind against the water. Mira’s face was strained. “We can’t keep this up, Sable. You need to go.”

I couldn’t run from danger. Not when Fate demanded I walk toward it.

“Sable, no!” Tauren screamed. Fighting against his guards, he somehow freed himself and raced toward me.

I thrust my hand into the ocean and all the water fell, crashing straight down instead of over our heads. Whatever force had been pushing it, suddenly let go. The force knocked me off my feet and soaked me from head to toe, but we were all alive. The Prince, the invitees, the camera crew, Mira, Brecan.

Brecan rushed to me. “Are you okay?”

Mira, visibly frightened, shook as she threw her arms around my neck.

Fate whispered one name… Cyril.

“Mira, send the gull to Thirteen. That was a message from my mother. Let’s send Bay one in return.”

“Are you sure? What if it upsets her?” she asked.

“Let her come for me.” I’ll be ready for her. I could feel Fate nearly purring at the thought. He would give me the strength I required. He would guide me and together, we would win.

Brecan and Mira stepped away as she called for a sea bird. One landed on her arm and she whispered to it, sending it wheeling toward Thirteen. The gull shrieked as it flew away from us, disappearing within seconds.

Tauren was livid. “You could’ve been killed!” he seethed.

“But I wasn’t,” I argued, turning my attention back to him.

“You shoved me away,” he accused, his voice rising with each word.

“Of course I did!”

“Why would you do that?”

“I had to protect you.”

“Why, Sable?” he angrily demanded.

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