Page 26 of A Conduit of Light
Heleaned forward more as if to catch me asItook a step back.Hisvoice was full of confident truth, as if saying it three more times would convince me to stay near.Theunfamiliarity of his words held me in a bind as seconds ticked past.Iwas rigid, caged in a cell of confusion and disbelief.
Ishoved my hand in my pocket, feeling for the stone.Pullingit out in front of him, some of my confusion turned to anger once again, but the cool, green surface still comforted me and steadied my heart.
“Whatis this?”
Shockand relief lit his face in quick succession as he took the stone from my hand and laughed, a single tear rolling down his cheek.Heshook his head again and looked into my eyes with an intense painIdid not understand. “Ithink you’re ready to hear what this is,Karus.”
Walkingaround his desk, he pulled the leather chair in front of it, patting at the pillow, eyeing my ruined dress for the first time, shrugging, and then offering me the blanket as well.Heheld the stone out for me to take, and then, in a few hurried steps, he went to the door and locked it using a black iron key from his pocket.
“You’dbetter sit down.We’llbe here a while.”
Irolled the stone across my fingers, feeling so small in this world.Heknew what it was, andIknew nothing.Heknew of my past, andIknewnothing.
Itwasn’t fair.
Hesaid he loved me, and thoughIhad no way of knowing if it was ever returned, it seemed as thoughheat least believed it was true.
Exhalingheavily, he fell into the chair behind his desk, rubbing a hand on his mouth, looking out the window to the sunlit forest.
“I’mnot sure where to—” he began, facing me again.
“Allof it.Tellme all of it,Revich.”Ipulled the blanket across my lap and sat back on the pillow, the stone held tightly in my hand. “Tellme my story.”
PartTwo
Chapter14
Ash
“Good,my child.Breathe.Channelyour magic from its source.Youare a conduit in all but name,Ash’Arah.Feelyour power reside inside of you.Gatherit and send it to me.”
Ashpeeked one eye open, her knees aching on the hard, wet earth.BaronHeimlenknelt in front of her, one black leather glove touching her shoulder, his other resting flat on the earthen floor.Hiseyes were closed as hers were supposed to be, so she took the opportunity to look down at their contact.
Beamsof silver and green light radiated around her shoulder and his arm, twirling in a sort of strange dance to music only the magic ofFelgrencould hear.Shelooked up to see the branches, newly green with the toddler leaves of spring swaying to the same rhythm, a recital few would likely ever see.
Shestifled a yawn, even in the beauty and boundless power ofFelgren, and admitted what she didn’t want to show.
Ashwas exhausted.
Herfirst night in theFortresswas now months past and still spring held on, no promise of summer yet on her cool breezes and rainy mornings.Buttime moved differently here inFelgrenasSylvahad mentioned that first night, andAshwondered how much time had passed outside of the forest border.
Anotherheavy sigh escapedBaronHeimlenas he let go of her and sat down on the earth himself, his gray eyes meeting hers in a sort of disappointment only a parental figure can give.
“Yourmind is wandering again, my dear.”Herubbed the bridge of his nose as he reprimanded her, looking worn himself.
Hewas a handsome man, andAshlooked him over quickly, thinking about his relationship withSylva.Hiswavy hair was cut to his shoulders, almost fully gray but hinting that it was once the color of summer sun.Hismustache and beard blended together well in grays and whites against his sun-kissed skin, his mouth set at a perpetual pout that must have been quite becoming and brooding in his younger years.Ashcould see howSylvamust have fallen for him easily decades ago when she first arrived at theFortress.Butwhat she thought was most endearing about his face was the way his eyes could look into yours with kindness, as if he understood your purpose and would share it with you if you’d only ask.
Weeksof training side-by-side had softened her view of him.Hehad a good reason to bring her here, even if it was without her agreement.Hereally did believe that she could help—that she was powerful enough to help him stop theBlight, and she was thankful for that purpose.
“I’msorry.It’sjust…ImissClairanniaandFiguerah.ImissHyrithiaandI-I’mjust so tired.”Sherubbed her eyes like a child stayed up too late to watch the stars appear.
Theirtime together was spent in the practice ofCosensianMagic.Shehad never heard of it andClairanniaandFiguerahhad not either when she had asked at dinner one night.
“It’sancient,”Ashhad told them, whispering, unsure of how much she was willing to say. “Thereis only one single book in all ofViridisabout how to use it and bits of it are hard to decipher.”
“Butwhat can it do?”Clairanniahad asked, leaning in closer, her whisper hardly one at all.
“Whatdoes the book look like?”Figuerahhad asked at the same time, a true whisper on her lips.
