Page 56 of When Wishes Bleed

“A kiss,” he whispered, eyes glittering. “I think I deserve it after you made me the laughing stock of the Kingdom.” He wasn’t angry, but he wanted his payment.

“I’ll repay you. I swear it,” I told him, deftly spinning out of his grip. Those were the same words he’d spoken as he ran away from my House the night we met. I could see he remembered.

He grinned playfully. “I’ll see that you do. With interest.”

John yelled, “Cut!” and ran to Tauren to remove his microphone. As the three of us stood in a circle, a familiar sound cut through the commotion – the sound of an arrow’s point and shaft splitting the air. I turned to see a sharp, deadly tip spiraling toward Tauren.

Shoving him out of the way, I stepped in front of the arrow and held a palm out, shouting a spell to stop it. The tip bit into my palm, then the arrow fell harmlessly to the grass at my feet. I clenched my hand into a ball, concealing the stinging wound left by the arrow’s tip. My heart pounded as I searched for the person who’d shot at the Prince.

“Sable!” he shouted, leaping to his feet. “You could’ve been killed.”

I closed my eyes and listened. Footfalls. In the woods. “That way,” I pointed. His guards were already running. They shifted to the direction I’d shouted in pursuit of the would-be murderer.

“I can find him,” I said, closing my eyes and focusing on their every sound. All of a sudden, I was the forest. I felt him trample me. I heard his harsh breath and tasted his fear.

“NO!” Brecan screamed. “Sable, don’t!”

Tauren’s hand found mine. It was shaking. “Sable,” he said quietly. “Please, don’t. My men will find him.” My eyes snapped open, only to be met with molten gold ones. The Prince was frightened. His hands shook as he clasped my upper arms. “You’re okay,” he said.

I wasn’t sure if he was speaking to himself or to me. I was terrified. For a split-second, I’d worried I was too late to get him out of harm’s way.

Tauren looked above us where dark, low-flying clouds raced across the sky, then he glanced back at me with bright eyes. I made the change. I’d called on a darker magic and he knew it.

“Your men won’t find him,” I rasped. “He’s already gone.”

I eased my hand out of Tauren’s and ignored the frightened stares and worried whispers of the tele-crew.

I unclipped the box from my waistband and was searching for a way to turn the device off when it was torn away, the microphone’s clip snapping from my vest.

Brecan took the device and threw it at John. “We should be going,” he angrily announced. “The Prince is busy the rest of the day with other invitees.”

Tauren shouted for us to wait, but Brecan whispered a spell and spirited us away. We reappeared in his room. “Dark magic? What if they caught it on telecast, Sable?” he shouted, raking his hands through his hair.

“They didn’t. The cameras were off,” I answered feebly.

“What about the telecast itself?” he demanded. “The Circle saw you promise him a kiss.”

Clothes were strewn about his room like he’d created a twister and thrown them into the core of it. “No,” I argued. “They saw me win a bet using a small amount of magic, thereby evading a kiss. You were the one who suggested I use magic in the first place.”

“To give yourself an advantage, not to flirt with him! Have you lost your mind? How do you think Ela and Wayra will respond to this? They’ll call for you to come home.” He threw his hands in the air before continuing, “Maybe that’s for the best. You’re obviously getting too close to him.”

I’m not nearly close enough! I wanted to shout. “I’m not arguing with you about this right now. I was just having fun, Brecan.”

“It was reckless! Your silly crush almost got you killed. Someone shot an arrow at your heads.” Brecan grabbed my arm, his fingers leaving indentions in my skin.

“Take your hand off me now,” I warned, the taste of smoke filling my lungs.

“Or what?”

“Or I will send you back to The Gallows.”

“You can’t send me away.”

My eyes glittered. “I can. And I can bind you from returning.”

A fire blazed in his eyes, and for a moment, I wondered if he’d developed a new affinity. A knock at the door interrupted us. “Come in!” I yelled, wrenching my arm away from Brecan.

“Oh…my…goddess!” Mira squealed. “That was amazing, Sable. Bay is pleased.”

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