Page 52 of A Conduit of Light
“Letus begin then.”
Irritationsettled into her chest.Wasit a slight on her to suggest that she somehow planned to keepRevichfrom his duties?Wasthat what he thought of her—a distraction against what needed to be done?
Angryand averse to letting him dismiss her as a tool to be used, she held out her hand as if ready to begin theirCosensianMagictraining.
Hesmiled and clasped her arm in his gloved hand, closing his eyes to begin their connection.
Butshe was unwilling.Theirmagic did not flow together as they had practiced before, connecting and entwining with energy of silver and green before bundling intoBaronHeimlento use as he would.
Becauseshe wasn’t going to allow it until heunderstood.
Shewas loved.
Shewas accepted as a whole—by her friends, by her lover, and by herself.Andmaybe that was all anyone really needed.Shehad understood herself better in the last twelve hours than she had her entire life and she wasn’t going to stand idly by, her role in people’s lives here dismissed by its current reigningBaron, even if he had been theSaviorofHyrithia.Evenif he had been the one to bring her.
Instead, she willed the earth to move, pushing her anger not aside as she had been taught on many occasions, but using it to fuel her power.
Themossy ground beneath them rumbled, andBaronHeimlenopened his eyes, confusion littering his face as she stared back at him, silent, displaying her power.
Theearth broke, a long crack running through it as a stem rose from the ground, small and thin at first, but quickly growing into the trunk of a tree.Itssolid, woody mass grew rapidly around their clasped hands and upward still, leaving a hole in the trunk where she held onto him, her eyes never leaving his face.
“Whatare you…” theBarontrailed off as he watched the tree bud, then leaves unfurled themselves in a rich dance of spring green before its clumped flowers bloomed in brilliant white.
Thebuzzing of bees harmonized around them as a full swarm flew to the blossoms, bouncing to each one, drinking their fill on the sweet nectar and flashing away in one loud flurry moments later.
Shekept her eyes on him still while he watched in revelation as the tiny blossoms lost their petals, falling to the ground in one last chance to frolic in the shining sun.Abud of fruit began to form at the end of the flower stems—green, to yellow, then to a climax, as red, ripened cherries hung full and heavy.
Ashpicked one, excitement running through her veins, as she admired the beauty of the fruit she had willed the forest to produce in her power—in her acceptance of who and what she was.Shemight not yet have a name for it, but there she stood all the same, loved.
Shewas truly loved for the first time in her life because she had allowed it.Andno one was going to deny it from her.
BaronHeimlenheld strong to her arm, his eyes on her face, unreadable and dark. “Isee you now,Ash’Arah.Isee you now, my dear.”
Smiling, he picked a cherry, red as blood, popping it into his mouth, relishing in the fruit of her labors.
Ashbraced herself to begin.
Chapter23
Ash
ImpatiencerosethroughAshwhile she stood on the third floor ofViridis.Shehad spent the last precious hour of her free time searching the shelves for more books on theBlightressor the firstBaron.
Shehadn’t forgotten about the book she had read the day before, nor had she forgotten her theory on theBlight’sorigins.Theyweren’t well received by her friends or theBarons, but something was…off.Shecouldn’t put a finger on what, and she couldn’t get over the mention of a heart.
Withoutfear, her heart is fleeting.
Itwasn’t much to go on, she understood that, but it didn’t feel like nothing either.
BaronHeimlenwas proud of his protege.Shecould see it in his face this morning as they trained, his eyes never leaving hers, as her magic tangled with his over and over in practice.Buthe looked tired, and understandably so, as she felt the pangs of needing rest as well.
Ashhad lunch withClairanniaandFiguerahin their usual glen and her exhaustion led way to good stories of their childhoods and quiphit watching—the animals abundant this time of year.
Shehad been given two hours in the afternoon to herself before another three hours of training withBaronHeimlenbefore dinner.Hehad explained to her thatRevichwould be joining them.Hehad been sure she was ready forCosensianMagicwith a third.
Herfingers traced over the books, gently brushing the vines that hung from this section, tangled together in knots and dropping all the way to the floor.
Exasperationcontinually growing in her disappointment, she decided to spend her last hour in her favorite hallway instead.
