Page 49 of A Conduit of Light
“Ifigured you needed the morning off even if you didn’t fall to my schemes.”
Theylaughed together as two lovers do, bonded in bodies and spirit, tangled in limbs and sheets in the early hours of day, little care given to the world around them.
“YouknowIhave to leave this bed,BaronRevich.”
“Idon’t know that.”
“Youhave to leave it, too.”
“Youdon’t know that.”
Shesighed heavily, her head resting on his chest, unable to see his face, her hands tracing patterns across it. “Wouldn’tit be lovely if we had all the time we wanted?Ifyou andIcould stay?Whatif we didn’t have to save the world, just each other?”Sheturned her head to rest her chin on his chest. “Wouldn’tthat just be perfect?”
Hestroked her hair, the flickering light from the fireplace catching in his eyes. “Yes, yes, it would.”
Shereached up to touch the line of his jaw, hard and defined—such a beautiful feature. “Whata future we have together,Rev.I’lllet go if you let go.I’llopen my heart to you if you give me yours.”Shegrinned. “Aheart for a heart?”Shemet his lips again as he slid his hands to her neck, pulling her closer.
Apounding fist sounded at the door, and they both turned toward it, snickering.
“It’sbeen long enough,Ash.Ifyou’re in there, you’d better come out now and let us know you’re alright.”
Shetook his hand and kissed the inside of his wrist before hopping off the bed, looking for her long-forgotten dress.
“Bethere a minute!”
Shepulled it on quickly, fumbling with the ties behind her before she felt his hands pulling the strings, tightening the bodice with impressive competence.Heswept her hair to the side, kissed the back of her neck and whispered, “Aheart for a heart.”Sheturned and cupped the side of his face, smiling in the brilliance of someone falling without reservation.
For, she had none.Allof her hesitancy, all of her questioning what she should or should not accept left her thoughts hours ago with each of his kisses, each stroke of his fingertips across her back, each speck of midnight blue that lit his eyes as he made love to her.
Sheflew to the door, opening it a crack, looking upon two very angry women.
“Goodmorning,” she stated, realizing what a terrible friend she’d been and understanding all of their concern.Andshe was happy for it.Thiswas a different kind of love, and she welcomed it fully.
“Ash!Whathappenedyesterday?”Clairanniaspoke beforeFiguerah, who was pacing the corridor, about ready to burst.
“I’mso, so sorry.I’llexplain everything.Meetme inViridisin thirty minutes?”Shebit the bottom of her lip, raising her eyes in truce.
“Oh, what’sanotherthirty minutes tous,Ash?We’vejust been worried sick all night.AndthenPompeiithis morning casually drops that we don’t need to be because you’re withhim,”Figuerahscoffed, nodding at the inside of the room, hands on her hips. “Likethat’s going to fly.Sothen we spend our whole morning trying to find this stupid door because no one would tell us whereBaronRevich’srooms are, and then when we do find it, he has the gall to just summon his man servant to tell us to leave you two alone—and we were never going to do that—so, yes,Ash, you can haveanotherthirty minutes, but you have some explaining to do.”Sheturned in a huff whileClairanniasmothered a smile as she backed away from the door, eyes bright with the promise of a good story.
Ashsighed and closed the door, placing her forehead on the hard wood.Theyhad every right to be angry.Theyhad been afraid for her, and given all she had told them about her connection to theBlight, she wasn’t at all surprised at their worry.
“Thatbad, huh?”Revichwas out of the bed, pulling on his pants from the pile and buttoning the top.
“Idon’t thinkI’veever been so endeared asIam in this moment,” she laughed and turned around, looking up with her head against the door frame.
“Mmm.Iwould bet not.”
“Canyou really summonPompeiiwithout seeing him?Figuerahsaid you summoned him this morning, but we were together the whole time.”
“Ican.Baronshave a wordless connection to theirOverseers.It’ssomething we had to practice, but we have it down pretty well now.”
“Soyou can…speak to each other through your minds?”Shetilted her head, confused, as she watched him dress.Itwas almost as entertaining as the opposite.
“Sortof.It’snot so much words as feelings.Likea pull to do a specific task.Andyes,Iwas incredibly selfish this morning and had no desire to let go of you yet, soIjust called toPompeiito…give us a little more time.”
Hepulled on his second boot and walked to her, placing a hand against the door, leaning over her body, his confidence almost unbearable.Sheglanced to the bed she’d much rather be in.
Hefollowed her gaze, murmuring, “AndI’ddo it again, no matter how many doors were about to be broken down.”
