Page 87 of Charmed

“Did you have fun?” I asked him.

“I did, but we didn’t finish our game; there’s one more spell I need to cast: you’ve forgotten to perform magic for yourself.”

My breath caught as I stilled. “I don’t need any magic, Corbin.”

“Everyone needs magic.” He wriggled about in an attempt to scramble off my back until I set him down. He walked around me and lifted his wand. In the fading light I could barely make out the determination scrunching his brow. “I want to perform my firstrealspell for you.”

I frowned. “But you’ve already performed plenty of real spells for the villagers.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m seven years old, Mae, much too old forthattrick. That wasyourmagic, and since you won’t use it for yourself, I want to use my powers for you.”

My heart pounded wildly in my chest. Had my brother seen every weary emotion I’d fought to keep from him? I stroked his hair. “I love you, Corbin. It’s a pleasure to help you.”

He smiled. “I know. We serve those we love, which is why it’s my turn to help you.”

“You don’t need to repay me—” I began, but he’d already tapped his wand against my heart.

“What wish can I grant you?”

The deepest wish of my heart had shifted away from my brother to my own selfish whims, too precious to share, so instead I wrapped him in a tender embrace. “I want you to be able to live the fullest life possible, Corbin.”

He beamed. “That’s an easy one, for I’m already living it.” A rare shadow clouded his features. “I want that for you too, Mae.”

His words reached inside me to reignite the flame that I’d allowed to grow dormant in the years I’d lost myself, allowing the unique magic that could only come from him to seep over me and work on my stubborn heart.

Emotion swelled. I scooped him into my arms for a suffocating embrace. “Thank you, Corbin.”

Perhaps my brother had magic after all, for like I’d wanted to transform Alden’s discouraged heart, I felt as if Corbin had helped pull me from the melancholy blotting out my own happiness, dispelling it just enough to transform mine.

CHAPTER27

The worry cinching my chest eased when I rested the back of my hand against Corbin’s damp yet cooling brow; thank goodness his fever brought by our recent exertion to the village was finally going down. Yet my anxiety lingered, keeping me riveted to his side, even as I was at a loss as to what to do in order to help him.

The familiar suffocating helplessness that I’d experienced far too often during his short life pressed around me, impossible to escape. With my brief brush with magic during my apprenticeship I felt I should be able to dosomething, even if I didn’t have the healing elixir I’d hoped to gain during Alden’s competition.

Upon my return, for the sake of protecting my heart I’d spoken little about Alden or my apprenticeship to my family beyond the fact that it hadn’t worked out, but my omission did little to prevent the subject from weighing heavily upon my heart.

I gave my head a rigid shake, frustrated that I could think of him at a time like this, even as my thoughts had repeatedly drifted towards him ever since my return home, far more than they ought. Mybrother, not the prince, needed my love and attention. Yet though my devotion in serving him remained firm, I couldn’t help but reflect on the words Alden had once shared with me:you are more than your brother’s sister.

I summoned my magic and tried to form it into a simple cooling spell, one of the many I’d studied in my obsessive research in the healing arts during my sojourn as an apprentice. At first it appeared nothing had happened, but gradually Corbin’s tense body relaxed against my touch and he released a pent-up sigh before his eyes fluttered open.

He blinked blearily up at me before smiling with his usual sweet cheerfulness. “Mae?” His weary voice was weak but stronger than it’d been upon my return last night.

“It’s alright, I’m here.”

I moved my touch from his brow to run my fingers through his hair in the soothing way he enjoyed…only for my thoughts to betray me as I remembered the feel of being nestled in Alden’s hair when I’d been a frog and idly wondering what it’d be like to run my fingers through his soft, brown hair.

Suddenly the distance separating us felt endless, impossible to bridge now that the contract that had once bound us had dissolved after he’d chosen his future…one apart from me. Pain far more acute than any of the worry I’d ever felt for my brother wrenched my heart, making it difficult to breathe.

“What’s wrong, Maeve?” Corbin’s soft concern returned my focus to where it never should have strayed. He struggled to a sitting position and I helped him lean comfortably against his fluffed up pillows.

“Nothing, I’m just worried.” I tried to offer my usual reassuring smile but it felt tight and insincere on my lips.

His brow furrowed as he tilted his head to study me with his usual perception. “You seem sad.”

Guilt squeezed my heart that he’d noticed my distraction; I never wanted him to feel I was anything less than honored to care for him. “I have no reason to be sad when I’m with you.” Though the words were as true as they always were, for some reason they no longer felt sincere; my guilt sharpened that my heart had wavered from the brother who needed me, even for a moment.

His face scrunched as he studied me with childlike solemness. “Your eyes are faraway.” He traced around them with his finger, his touch cold. “Are you thinking about your wizard?” At the mention of the prince, Mother looked up from where she’d been sitting in the corner with her mending.

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