Chapter 11

Sorrow of a Cousin

Mirabel was still reeling the moment her oldest sister stepped out of the nursery.

It had happened so fast she'd barely managed to register everything. Isabela had lashed out, and strong vines had hurled the windows open before curling around her wrists and waist, pinning her to the wall behind. She'd thrashed to escape, horrified at the sight of her sister's utter wrath, but thorns had dug into her skin and flesh.

Now, red and bumpy welts, cuts and bruises marred her wrists. A line of them marked her waistline, too.

Mirabel knew she was not blameless, but what her own sister had done to her… Isabela must have been out of her mind with rage. Had Isa been entirely aware of herself and her gift when she'd exploded? What was she hiding? And that crown of thorns… What on earth had that been?

Regret broke through. She should not have said all those things, should not have provoked Isa. No matter how badly she wanted to make peace with her oldest sister after years of resentment, lashing out at her was not the solution. Never would it be. All Isa had wanted was to try to listen and help her. Where that genuine desire had sprouted from, Mirabel was unsure.

It was only a matter of time until the family would know of their argument, but she didn't dwell too long on that. She needed her mother's food to patch herself up.

A knock rang on her door. "Mirabel? May I come in?"

Isabela.

Fear, deep and raw, settled in.

Three other knocks. More urgent this time.

"I'm sorry, I really am! Can we talk, please?"

An apology from Isabela. Directed at her, at Mirabel. She almost whistled in wonder.

"No."

Silence, but then, "I'd like to speak with you. Whenever you feel ready."

Isa's voice was calm. Too calm. Did she not know what she had done to her? The wounds she'd inflicted?

Did she not care?

Isa would care, a voice in her mind assured her, one that, despite the hand fate had dealt her, had rarely gone dormant.

As steps echoed down the hallway, Mirabel plopped down on her bed. Isa was the last person she'd expected to pick up on the small signs she had unwittingly let slip since she'd started dating Carlos.

After years of craving Isabela's love and acceptance, when the long-awaited moment had finally come, she'd been afraid to trust her instincts, to listen, to have faith that Isa had changed. Truly changed this time.

She'd driven her own sister away.

This was not the type of person she wished to be. She should not have–

Another knock. "Mirabel?"

Camilo.

"Just a minute!" she called loudly, jolting off the bed.

From the other side of the door, she heard, "One. Two. Three. Four…"

Rolling her eyes, she dashed to her still-open dresser and selected a long-sleeved shirt to conceal her wrist marks, donning it in a hurry after tossing the one on her aside. Despite what Isabela had done to her, she did not want any weird looks or scoldings to befall her sister. If she could keep her wounds a secret until she had the chance to eat some of Julieta's food. When Camilo was at thirty-two, she swung open the door.

"Why did you lock it?" her primo said by way of greeting. There was an edge to his voice, but his eyes were bright as usual.

She shrugged. "I'm allowed to have privacy."

"Fair enough." He motioned towards the room. "Can I?"

"Please." She stepped aside to let him enter. He closed the door behind him, and strode to the window. "What have you been up to lately?"

She squinted at his back. Would this go in the same direction as it had with Isa? Because if it was…

What exactly had Camilo heard? And how much?

She finished folding the clothes in her wardrobe. "The usual. You know, sewing, practising my accordion, the piano a little bit, too."

He hummed, turning to her. "I saw you spending time in town longer than before. Any new friends, companions, whatever you wanna call them?"

Oh yes. She knew where this was heading.

What were the odds that two members of her family figured out or stumbled upon her secret on the same day?

"I've grown quite attached to the children at the orphanage."

It was no lie.

His gaze intensified. "Mhm. And… What about other friends? Perhaps someone else has caught your eye?" A knowing smile appeared, one that made her heart race.

How did he know? How much information had he gleaned? Had he been spying on her, or simply paid closer attention to the subtle hints she had never intended to lay, like Isa?

Had Dolores' tongue slipped?

No. Lola had promised her–

She scoffed, leaning against the closet doors, her eyelids half-dropped. The picture of nonchalance. "And by that you mean…?"

His smirk grew. "Oh, I don't know. Some guy who's set his sights on you? One you swept off his feet with your wonderfulness?"

She laughed. "Pfft, shut up, Cami! What do you know about attraction?"

"Hey! I'm not totally inexperienced in this field, okay? You'll find my experience to be very useful."

" 'Experience' in the way that means getting your face pie-slapped by that girl who got annoyed by your excessive flirting?"

He rolled his eyes, but was unable to contain his grin at the memory, despite the mortification that he'd taken weeks to recover from. "That's right!" He walked to the chair she'd discarded her shirt on, which lay rumpled on the backrest. When he sat down, the garment fell onto his lap, and he made to place it back carefully, but what peeked from its front pocket stopped him.

Mirabel's heart skipped a beat. She sprang, a plea on her tongue, but it died into a gasp when he drew out the photo of her and Carlos kissing.

All amusement vanished from Camilo's face as he took in the image. She was frozen, she could do nothing as his eyes scanned the whole picture, a frown creasing his forehead.

Her secret was out. It was out, it was out, out–

"Please. Don't tell anybody," she rasped, slowly prying the photo from his fingers.

He raised an eyebrow. "Carlos Serrano? Mariano's cousin?" His voice was so serious compared to his normally cheerful one. Getting up, his arms crossed. He was barely taller than her, but she did not sag under his hard gaze. "When were you going to tell us? Tell your parents?"

Her palms sweated, and she placed the photo in a pocket of her skirt. Sighing, she fixed her glasses. Breathed in. "Carlos and I agreed to this, but we always had the intention to tell our families. We weren't sure when to do it though. Still aren't."

He opened his mouth, but she cut him off, "Isabela already told me to be careful, and Dolores does so every week. Please, Cami, don't fuss over me. Carlos is a great guy."

Camilo sighed from the bottom of his heart. He had already met Carlos, but they'd never conversed more than necessary, which was never much. "You could have told me, too, you know. I would have liked to know, to be there for you. Maybe I could have helped you somehow, even if I've never had a girlfriend."

Her heart cracked at his disappointment. Camilo had never minded her not bearing any magic. Had always treated her the same as he had before her ceremony: his younger sister - twin during their childhood thanks to the few months separating them - and partner in crime.

He deserved to know, indeed.

Seeing the way his shoulders sagged beneath the weight of her lack of trust in him, she wrapped her arms around his frame. "I'm sorry, primo. I truly am. Forgive me?"

He returned the hug, albeit a moment later than he typically did. "I'll work on it. But I want to talk to Carlos, and you won't stop me."

"I know I'd never be able to, anyway."

He squeezed her tighter. "Mira, I'm your older cousin and I worry, just like your sister. Isabela may be a show-off and an insufferable person sometimes, but I know she's concerned, too. She deserves to know it's Carlos."

She pulled away. "No! She'll tell everyone!"

"So what? How much longer do you wish to hide?"

How much longer do you wish to lie? was the actual question.

"I don't wish for it, but I didn't feel ready to speak about it. And I still don't."

Camilo stared at her, reading her eyes. "You are afraid, aren't you?"

She nodded heavily. "Every day, I longed to tell you all, debated the pros and cons, but always held myself back."

"I still think you should try to tell the others. And Carlos should tell his family, too."

"I'll see. We'll see. But I ask you to keep what you know to yourself, primo. This is my story to tell."

"I know it is. Even so, this won't be easy for me."

She punched his shoulder. "Dolores has been doing it. You can, too."

"I doubt she never tried changing your mind."

She pursed her lips. He grinned. "I'm right, then."

She rolled her eyes, but still said, "Thank you."

"Thank me if I'm successful in this mission, Mira." He added solemnly, "But you have to be honest with me about one thing."

Her eyes widened, her only sign for him to proceed, even if her heartbeat accelerated.

In an instant, Camilo shifted, then Carlos was smirking down at her. She started, heat rushing through her body.

"Was that kiss good?" Camilo crooned in her boyfriend's smooth voice, a grin spreading across Carlos' handsome face, his brows wiggling.

She closed her eyes, unable to suppress a smile.

"Ah, she blushes. How adorable!"

Mirabel slapped his arm. "Stop it, Cami!"

"Her love must run deep."

She giggled. "I said stop!"

Four knocks suddenly sounded outside, and Camilo shifted back into himself.

"Yes?" Mirabel called.

The door opened, revealing Dolores with a knowing look on her face.

She'd been listening. Mirabel rubbed her forehead. Of course, she had! Heaven give her patience, Lola had heard their every word!

Camilo shared a smirk with his sister. Dolores then beckoned them out. "Come downstairs, you two. We have guests."

Mirabel and Camilo eyed each other. He seemed to remember at the same time as her.

A visit had been planned for days now. An eagerly-awaited visit.

Lola's smile widened, her teeth shining. "Someone's very keen to see you, Mira."

Heart hammering, Mirabel joined her cousins down the flight of Casita's stairs. She nearly stopped in her tracks when she beheld the cluster of people in the inner courtyard.

Julieta, Alma, Pepa were already there with…

The Guzmáns.

And the Serranos.

As if being attuned to her presence, Carlos turned in her direction, stilling as their eyes met across the expanse of the hacienda. He smiled - that soft, disarming smile that still made her heart beat faster and her soul leap in exhilaration.

Rafael rushed into her arms before she set foot on the floor, almost knocking her off-balance, and it was only thanks to Casita that they didn't topple over.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Rafi," she laughed into his hair before the young boy ran to hug Antonio, who was equally thrilled to see the friend he'd made in the last few months (the two spent hours playing every week, which made Mirabel's heart swell to see her beloved little cousin get out of his shell).

Señora Guzmán greeted her with twin kisses on her cheeks, just as she did with Dolores and Camilo. Mariano nodded to her and Lola, and shook Camilo's hand, asking how they all were. Dolores' eyes lingered on him with a barely hidden fondness, and Mira wondered how no one had picked up on her feelings for Mariano.

But then, after a polite set of greetings and a scrutinizing look from Camilo, Carlos gently seized her hand, holding her gaze while he brought it to his lips. It took all of her self-control to keep a straight face. Her hands tingled where his warm lips made contact with her skin.

You're being too obvious, she silently scolded, but the upward quirk of her lips betrayed her.

He smiled furtively. Am I now?

This would not be easy. Pretending that she and Carlos were mere acquaintances with the Madrigals and the Guzmáns watching. With Isabela already in on half of her secret.

Speaking of whom, Isa reached their group, alongside Agustín, Félix, and Luisa, the latter hurrying to transport a long wooden table to the centre of the hacienda. Without a crown of thorns or a collar around her neck, Isabela glanced at Mirabel with sorrow before rushing to aid Pepa with the setting of the table. Mirabel finally found her legs, and joined her mother's side in the deliciously smelling kitchen, where Camilo was already tasting some of the freshly prepared food, earning gentle reprimands from Julieta.

"We will be dining in the courtyard," Alma announced. "The evening is beautiful, and the sky is clear."

"Alma, there is no need for a grand dinner. You know our visits are born from love," Helena Guzmán said.

"¡Por supuesto! But there is nothing better than a dinner to celebrate the bonds between our families, is it?"