Page 44 of When Wishes Bleed

I blew out a frustrated sigh. “Why not?”

“Because… it’s beautiful and all, but you need to look like one of the invitees. Each of you will be filmed today. So, may I fix it?”

I nodded reluctantly. “You may.”

She squealed and ran to my side, pulling me into the bathroom and assaulting my hair with dryers, hot irons that left curls in it, and spritzes and sprays that made my hair shine like silk, but not budge an inch.

“That’s enough!” I coughed, waving the lingering sprays of hair product out of my face.

She smiled. “Perfect. I’ll leave you to get dressed, and meet you in the hallway. Breakfast is a buffet and will be served in the north dining room,” she announced. “Wherever that is.”

Exactly, wherever that was.

Brecan stepped out of his room the same moment I did. We locked our doors and turned to face one another, me still holding my room key, belatedly realizing I had no pockets. He held out his palm. “I’ll hold it for you.”

“Thanks.” I gave him my key.

He straightened his back and cleared his throat. “You look beautiful, Sable.”

“And you look handsome,” I complimented honestly. He did. Wearing dark jeans and a matching t-shirt, in one way, he looked like he fit in here. Yet in another… he didn’t. His blonde hair lay arrow-straight over his shoulders, and his lavender eyes clung to mine a beat too long before sliding away.

“Mira said we’re scheduled to have breakfast with the others, but then the rest of our day is free,” he said. “Tauren is spending an hour with seven of the invitees today, but you have no scheduled time with him.”

It stung, to be honest, but it was for the best. The more time we spent together, the more I craved. And the more, it seemed, he wanted with me.

He had to choose a wife from this group of women, and that required getting to know them and spending ample time with each to make an informed decision. The time we shared would be focused on finding the one who wanted him dead, of course.

“What is there to do?” I asked.

Brecan smiled. “We’ll have to explore and find out, but first… breakfast.”

Just then, Mira walked out of her room. “Ready?”

“You’ll have to spell the room to check his food,” Brecan warned. “Is Fate still telling you he’ll be poisoned?”

“Yes,” I lied.

I tasted nothing bitter, but couldn’t rule it out. Fate had given me the taste of poison just yesterday. My stomach still felt sour from it. Yet, today the bitterness was gone. It seemed as if the person who wanted Tauren dead hadn’t quite made up their mind on how to go about it. Though they’d almost managed it last night.

With the staff’s direction, we found the north dining hall, already filled with pastel-clothed young women and their escorts. Neither Rose nor Leah would even look in my direction. Such well-mannered young women – but only in Tauren’s presence.

He stepped in moments after we did. “Will you check my meal?” he bent to whisper in my ear. His warm breath slid over the shell of my ear, making me shiver.

I nodded.

Brecan, Mira, and I sat at a table with four chairs while Tauren sat with two women I hadn’t formally met. A girl from Nine and one from Eleven, per their tee shirts. Perhaps the shirts did help the viewers identify them more easily at first. They certainly helped me, as I only knew two of the ladies’ names. Nine had olive skin, shiny, medium-brown hair, and a pretty smile. Eleven was the most muscular of the women in the room, but not overly so.

I watched as Brecan smiled and chatted with them. When platters of food were placed in front of them, I spelled the room and stood up from my seat, watching for anyone unaffected. Mira and Brecan were still. Brecan’s mouth was open, stuck in the middle of guessing who’d been Elevated in the House of Air. Apparently, he was about to remark on one who had an unusual talent with water.

I removed the silver lid that covered Tauren’s plate and inhaled the aromas stuck in the air. There was no poison. Even the odorless ones left the slightest flavor on the tongue. His water and orange juice were also untainted.

His food was fine. Fate confirmed it with a satisfied, full feeling in my belly. I replaced the lid, but couldn’t resist dragging a knuckle down Tauren’s cheek before walking away. I took my seat again and lifted the spell.

Brecan continued his story. Mira listened intently.

Tauren’s eyes caught mine. He ran his fingers over his cheek, over the trail I’d left, and one side of his lips curled up. Is it okay? he mouthed.

I nodded once.

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