Page 85 of When Wishes Bleed

But Fate could intervene. He could take it all away and make her whole again.

I clasped both of her hands, lending Fate my lips. He whispered over her, an incantation as ancient as he and nearly as powerful. The ichor that had stained my hands seeped slowly into the girl, healing every raw wound. Every puckered inch of flesh became new. Where the hair had burned away, it grew in soft and fuzzy.

Fate used me, whispering over her until she looked perfect and not even a scar remained. She sacrificed herself to save her brother, and Fate rewarded valor.

He rewarded selflessness.

Her healing complete, Fate brought Belle out of the deep sleep in which she’d been entombed. The girl’s eyes blinked open drowsily. I smiled at her. “Hello, Belle. Please be calm.”

Doctor Kingston, her hands covering her mouth and her eyes swollen with tears, burst into action. She called for a team to help her, and they worked to remove the tube from Belle’s lungs.

Suddenly aware of the unnatural obstruction lodged within her throat, Belle began to panic.

I held tight to her hand, sending calming thoughts to her and settling her back into a light sleep. “She will wake in an hour,” I told the doctor.

“Thank you,” she cried, swiping tears from her cheeks.

I stepped away toward the door where Tauren waited, still as death.

“The magic in your skin was meant for her,” he marveled.

I nodded. That was how Fate worked sometimes. I’d learned not to question it. He always revealed himself in his time, not mine. Flexing my hands in front of me, I saw that all the ichor was gone.

Tauren took my hand in his. “Thank you, Sable.”

“It wasn’t me, but you would have done the same. You’d do the same for every child in this ward, if you could.”

“Can you?” he asked hopefully.

I shook my head. “Belle is who I was supposed to help. I can visit anyone you’d like, but…”

“You can’t heal them.”

“I didn’t heal Belle. Fate did. She’s going to do great things when she gets older.”

His brows furrowed. “You can see that?”

I nodded.

“We should tell Wes,” he breathed.

Doctor Kingston raised her head. “Tell him he’ll be able to visit within the next few hours. The two might be discharged together, after all.”

As another team of medics rushed into the room, Tauren and I slipped out into the hall. We walked slowly past the other doors. “How often do you visit here, Tauren?”

“At least weekly,” he answered.

“These children love you.”

“It took me weeks to get to know many of them, but when you walked in, they gravitated toward you. You’ll make a great mother one day, Sable.”

I swallowed. Thirteen wasn’t like the Lowers. Once a child was weaned, he or she was given to the House of their affinity to raise. Most never remembered their parents. My lineage was unique, because my mother was the Daughter of Fate before me. And also because her mother hated her for it, and was very vocal with her disdain.

Suddenly, remembering how standoffish he’d been since our encounter in the garden, the blood in my veins heated. He was angry with me? Fine. Now, I’m angry with him. I rushed away, but he caught my arm.

“What did I say?”

“You know what, Prince? You were right. Why don’t you focus on the other four women waiting in the room on the second floor?”

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