Page 110 of A Conduit of Light
“Idon’t need you to think.I’mdoing this.Pleasedo whatI’veasked, and getHeimlen’sbody back to theFortress.Iwon’t be far behind.”
Figuerahshook her head and bit her lips, her disagreement on his decision evident. “Ifyou’re not back within ten minutes of our arrival,I’msendingParvusafter you.”
Henodded and adjusted her body, beginning his long walk, stepping through what was once theBlight, now barren earth covered in a dusting of snow.
Hegrasped her tightly while she slept, telling her stories of how he had fallen for her, how he had known he would love her forever, ignoring still that buzzing question of power in his head.
Andsomehow, he knew.
Heknew this was him, holding her for the last time.
PartSeven
Chapter49
Rev
“Icarriedyou back to theFortress, the snow still falling.Winterhad begun.”
Karusstood there, just out of my reach through the entire retelling of events that tore through me like claws beneath my skin, leaving marks thatIcould not see.Shestared into my eyes, andIheld her gaze—even though it hurt.Myshame in my betrayal of her trust haunted me each day, butIwould not look away from her now.
“Wetried everything, love.Youcouldn’t remember and you’d panic, ending in a screaming rage before passing out again.”
Iglanced atFiguerahwho moved toKarus’sside, sliding her painted hand into hers just asIlonged to do.
Sheturned her head asClairanniaspoke next, andIsqueezed the rhyzolm in my pocket.
“Westayed as long as we could, longer than any conduit had before.Youjust never knew us.Andfinally, we left.Checkingin on you from time to time throughRev, occasionally staying at theFortressto see if you’d recognize us.”
Moirapiped in from the dresser, “Youseemed to know me best.Wedon’t know why, but you didn’t mind me hanging around so much, so…Itook care of you.Wemade new memories until you were able to hold onto them and live a normal life.Well, as normal as it gets in theFortress.”Moirafluttered in front of her face, grabbing her chin in her tiny hands as she always did, makingKaruslaugh. “Gladto do it, too.Youdid so much forFelgren…and me.”
Karusspoke finally, “But, theBlight.Itisn’t gone.I’veseen it, and it has poisonedViridis, but…worse.”
Figuerahsqueezed her hand tighter. “Asbest we can tell, what you did was push it back.Ithas struggled to grow as quickly since then.Ifyou had held the sun long enough…maybe it would be gone, maybe not, but you wouldn’t have survived.”Figuerahnodded toward me. “Hesaved you,Karus.”
Hergaze met mine again andIheld it, waiting.
Sevenyears.
Sevenyears,Iwaited to see recognition in those emerald eyes.AndIsmiled, my lips trembling.
Iknew she knew me.
“I’dlike to speak toRevich…alone, please.”
Westudied each other asImoved aside, the two women and the most vexing of faeries passing by me and out of the room.
“It’salmost dinner, so we’ll gather something to eat.Meetus in the dining hall when you’re done?”Clairanniapaused at the door, glancing between the both of us.
“Sure,”Iacknowledged, nodding once, unwilling to break my gaze.
Karuswaited until the footsteps faded, staring at me all the while, thoughts flickering across her face in flashes.
Shebit her lower lip.
Iclenched my jaw and swallowed.
Thiswasn’t going to be easy.
