Page 89 of Fortune's Kiss
This felt good.She could have stayed until the dark sky brightened with dawn’s pinky-golden glow.She was at ease.She wore no mask.Felt no need to pretend she was anyone or anything other than what she was right at this moment.
Gently she wiped the blood from her skin.Tendrils of pink swirled around her, and the waters carried it away.
As soon as she was certain that every last bit of blood had washed off, she looked up and gasped.The room had completely changed.Warm candlelight bathed the space, and altars surrounded her.The waters had turned gold.Glittering.Perfect.
She couldn’t quite understand it, but in that moment something inside her had changed.She knew things she didn’t understand yet.
Everything felt right.
NINETEENMayté
Mayté and Alejandro didn’t stop running until they reached the library.Once inside, they worked together to push the plush chairs in front of the door.
Alejandro paced in front of the makeshift barricade like a caged animal.Every little crackle from the fireplace made him jump until he suddenly whirled around and grabbed her shoulders.“You need to return to your room.”
“No!”Mayté squirmed away.“He was going tokillyou, Alejandro.And I … I can’t live another second in here!”She blinked back angry tears.“I can’t let this place take any more people I care about.This is all wrong!”
“Mayté.”Alejandro’s voice hardened into a warning, yet his eyes spilled over with pain.
“I know,” she choked out.He didn’t have to tell her.
There wasn’t enough time to search the entire library.If they were going to find a way, they needed itnow.She gripped the edges of the bookshelf.“Please,” she whispered.“Please.I’m desperate.I’ll do anything.”A hot tear slipped down her cheek.“Show me the information I need to get out of this.”She grabbed a book and flipped it open.
A list of names.A record.Slowly she sank into the nearest chair.
“What is it?”Alejandro whispered.
Mayté couldn’t stop to answer.Her eyes scanned the page, trying to make sense of the names.“Winners,” she whispered to herself.Listed was every winner followed by the final card they had used.
El Beso de la Fortuna.
El Beso de la Fortuna.
El Beso de la Fortuna.
She already knew that.How was this supposed to help her?Still, something in her gut told her not to push this aside just yet.She flipped through a couple more pages and found another set of entries.Endless wealth.A lifetime of treasure.Wait.These were the wishes of those who had won.Mayté read faster.
Ruler of her family.
King of his nation.
Owner of all the properties in the city.
Every winner received a single wish.It was another fact she already knew.Free everyone.That didn’t feel like enough.Lo, Carlos, Dominic, and Mayté herself had reasons for coming here.Desperate dreams that only magic could solve.They would just be returning to Milagro, problems and all.
There had to be more to it.There was a reason the house had led her to choose this book.Then she saw it.A different kind of wish printed in glimmering gold letters.
Mayté gasped.
“What?What?”Alejandro asked.
“I know how we’re going to get everyone out!”She jumped from her seat and paced.“Even you!”
Alejandro looked baffled, but there was the slightest glimmer of hope in his hazel eyes.
Mayté could already imagine a future where everyone was free from this place.Lo, Carlos, Dominic … and Alejandro.
“I still don’t understand,” Alejandro said.“What did you read—”
