Page 29 of A Conduit of Light
“I—Isuspect it was the little winged creatureIfound along the path to the den.”
Ashcursed at her nervousness.Herheart was beating wildly and something familiar was tugging at her belly as she watched him peel his wet tunic off his torso, the muscle on his stomach defined before cutting into a deepVthat fell somewhere below the line of his pants.Hequickly replaced his tunic with the dry one he pulled from a sack on the shoreline.
Hadshe really never noticed?
Ofcourse she had.Howcould anyone miss how attractive he was?Butshe had stayed stubborn, even to herself, not willing to admit any kind of attraction to theBaronshe found most irritating.
Butnow?Nowher body refused to deny what seemed so obvious.
Hechuckled, rolling up his sleeves. “Letme guess—you metMoira.”
Shenodded, not trusting herself to speak, feeling warm, the palms of her hands sweaty in her pockets.Shetook them out and wiped them on her dirty skirt as he pulled his legs out of the water, coming up to the shore beside her.
“She’sa fae by the way, if you didn’t know.Apixie, faerie, they have lots of names.But,” he went on, sighing, placing his hands on his hips, cocking to one side, confidence gracing his face, “whatever they’re called, they are known for mischief.”Helooked her up and down, smirking, his lips pulling to one side. “Isee you escaped unharmed.Yourhair’s intact and your boots are still on the right feet.”Hewiped his brow. “Sheonce told me that ifIdidn’t hop on one foot and clap my hands, she would curse me to never again be able to have happy dreams.Shesaid all of them would be nightmares, andIwould never sleep well untilIdied—only then wouldIhave peace.”
Ashraised her eyebrows and laughed. “Andwhat did you do?”
“Ihopped on one foot and clapped, of course.I’mnot going to riskthatcurse.”
Hissmile reached his eyes every single time.Howdoes he do that?she wondered, turning away from the ocean hue of them, reminding her of the shores nearHyrithiaon a calm summer day.Againher throat swelled and heat poured through her.
Maybeshe was just tired.Or, maybe she was missing something she’d not had in what felt like averylong time.
Eitherway, she felt ridiculous.
Theystood together along the silty shore in silence, the giant fish no longer flapping in protest of giving its life, its copper scales gleaming in the sun.
“So…you like to fish?”Thewords escaped her lips without her permission and no consciousness of them ever even forming in her mind.
“It’scalled mudfishing.Thatis a mudcopper fish.Wheneaten, it can calm the swelling of limbs.”Henodded off to the forest trees. “Iwas good at it growing up.Wehad mudcoppers in theHallowMarshes, but not like this.Theygrow enormous here and are very difficult to catch.”Helooked back to her, a small smile on his lips. “I’vebeen finding them forBaronHeimlen.Hislegs ache at night and the fish seems to help.”Hewalked over to the massive mud beast and hauled it into his sack, the fishy tail sticking out of the material as he slung it one-handed over his back.
“Youtwo are…close?BaronHeimlen,Imean, not the fish.”
Helaughed, tilting his head back in doing so andAshnoticed the dark stubble beginning to show on the underside of his chin and down his neck, his throat bobbing in the sound of his hearty bellow.
“Well…yes.Idon’t know what he’s told you, but he found me in theHallowMarshesyears ago and eventually brought me here to succeed him asBaron—as you do know.”Sighing, he nodded forAshto follow him back down the small path. “Ido whatIcan.Themagic ofFelgrenis leaving him, and so, his spirit is leaving his body, too.”Helooked back to me, cloaked in seriousness. “Iknow you’ve resisted it,Ash, andIunderstand why, butIhope you really do see why you’re needed here.”
Theyreached the dirt path, much wider than the last andAshmoved beside him. “Doyou believeI’mthe one he’s been looking for?Thepowerful conduit,Imean.Theone that…well,youdiscovered, actually.”Shecrossed her arms at her chest, thankful for the cool breeze that swept lazily their way, toying with her hair.
“Idon’t know, honestly.”Hestared down at her, though his full height barely rivaled hers. “That’sreally up to you to figure out.Itdoesn’t matter whatIorBaronHeimlenthinks—we needed the most powerful conduit we could find, and this little beauty,” he said before pulling a rhyzolm from his pocket, “led me to you.Evenas hidden as you were.”Hewinked then, tossing the stone into the air and catching it with ease before shoving it back down into his wet pants, his tall black boots dripping muddy water.
“Idon’t know ifI’mthe right one either.But,IpromiseI’lltry.I’ve…fallen in love withFelgrenandIdon’t want to see its death.Thetrees, the creatures that make their homes here—the essence ofFelgrenfeels like—like my home now.”Shehuffed and shook her head. “It’slike—like thinking you knew what nurtured your soul until you find the real thing, you know?Likewaking up from a disappointing dream, to discover you’re safe and sound in your own bed.”Shelaughed, pulling her bronzed hair out of her face and to one side. “Doesthat make any sense?”
Realizingshe had taken a few steps without him, she looked back only to see that same look she could not place pronounced on his face.Itwas the one from their first breakfast together, the one he gave her on the stairs ofViridisbefore she was taken to theBlight.Shenarrowed her eyes in confusion and cocked her head to the side, biting her lower lip, wondering what he was thinking.
“CanI—”Hehesitated, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. “I’dlike to show you something.Ifyou want,Imean.ButI’dhave to show you at night—it only happens then.”
Sheraised one eyebrow and looked at him, a half smile on her face, her green eyes alight in humor. “Oh, really?Idon’t think ithasto happen at night.Somejust prefer it that way.”Shewinked back at him hardly containing the laughter in her chest at the sight of his embarrassment, evident in his red cheeks and shake of his head.
“No,Imean—Ithink you’d seeFelgrenin a different way.Ijust—”
“Yes.I’llcome see it, whatever it is.Thankyou.”Shefound herself in front of him and touched his arm briefly. “I’msorry,Ijust couldn’t help myself.Youset yourself up for that one.”
Hepaused, swallowing hard. “Yeah,IthinkIdid.Thelumen den is down this path.”Hepointed to the right at the fork in the forest.
Ashnodded, turning to leave, unsure if she really wanted to.
“AndAsh,” he called to her as she walked away. “I’llpick you up around ten—if you’re not asleep by then.”
