Page 97 of A Conduit of Light
“Howdid you knowIwas here?”
“BaronHeimlenis very astute, dear.Aftera short rest, he realized that you would not have come to check on him.Notafter the conversation you had weeks ago about his gloves.Andhe knew well enough from me that you had tried to break your way into his study.Hehas always been very clever.But, so have you,Karus.Iwould never have guessed your suspicion of his gloves.Whenhe first wore them at all times, no one batted an eye.Notone single person noticed, though he was so worried they would.Andonce all the new channelers arrived, we became busy again, and no one stopped to think about anything else.”
“Hehas manipulated you,Sylva.Youand everyone else here.”
“Isit really manipulation ifIfell into it willingly?”Shegestured to her portrait above the fireplace. “Wewere once great lovers, theBaronandI.Thelove of his life,I’dsay.ButaBarondoes not have time to settle down into companionship.Sure, there were others, but you can see where my portrait hangs compared to theirs.”
Karusspoke softly, realizing with every second thatSylvawas beyond repair, “Whatare the tally marks,Sylva?Whatdoes he do to you?”
Sheturned toKarusin surprise. “Oh, you littlesneak.Youfound my own journals, didn’t you?That’show you got in here.Isee we’ve underestimated your willingness to be disloyal.”
“Whatare the tally marks,Sylva?”
Shecocked her head and smirked. “Thoseare the times thatBaronHeimlenhas taken my life and used it for his own.He’dbe dead by now if it wasn’t for me.”
“Buthow?Howcan he take life from you?”
“There’san enhancement spell.Akiss.Ittakes some of my own life magic and gives it to him.Itis how he stays alive, andIam happy to do it, no matter how much of mine is drained in the process.”
“You’resick,Sylva.Youneed help.”
“WhatIneed, girl, is for you to do what you came here to do and destroy that blight.Then,BaronHeimlenis free to leave this world and let his legacy live as theSaviorofHyrithiaandFelgren.”Hereyes glazed over, and she smiled in her insanity.
Karusturned to leave having heard enough.
“Whereare you going?”
“I’mgoing to findRevich.I’mgoing to tell him everything.”
“Didyou really believe me?Ofcourse, he won’t believe you without proof.BaronHeimlenhas been a father to him, and you?Youhave been a distraction.Hewill see the truth of that someday.”
“You’rewrong.He’llbelieve me because he loves me.Hewill listen and hear the truth.We’renot like you andHeimlen,Sylva.Weare more than you ever were.MorethanHeimlenever let you become.”
Chapter44
Rev
Revichpresseda warm cloth toBaronHeimlen’shead, blotting it around his face as theBaronturned in a fit of weary sleep.
Theyhad worked too hard.Hewas fading too fast.
Notfor the first time,Revichwished he could take on the role ofBaronbeforeBaronHeimlenpassed.
Butthe magic didn’t work that way.
TheBaronofFelgrenwas just one.Onesole person controlled the power that was given to him.
Hedidn’t know if there really was a way to ever share it withKarus, but he was resolute in figuring that out someday.
Surely, he could at least controlCosensianMagicwell enough to use it against theBlight.Theyhad the spell.Theyhad the power.Theywere so close.Buthe wasn’t sure anymore thatBaronHeimlencould survive it.
Whyhad theBaronrefused to practiceCosensianMagicnear theBlight?Atfirst,Revichthought he was protectingKarus, but now?Nowhe wasn’t as sure.TheBaronandKarus’srelationship was strained.Theyspoke few words together, and his suspicion was, it had to do with those stupid fucking gloves.
Shewas obsessed with them.Allof their arguments circled around the same conversation, the same ridiculous theory she held about the origins of theBlackFeverand theBaron’ssupposed role.
Shedidn’t know him like he did.
Andthat was what he chose to tell himself as she continued to disbelieve him.
