Page 134 of A Baron of Bonds
“I think I just woke him. Let’s go.”
We rushed down the staircases and through the courtyard of new grass and blooms of lilac and lavender.
Viridis was beautiful. And it was ours to cherish and love once again.
And as Karus stepped through the portal at the top of the marble stairs, I paused to look once more at our sanctuary, still healing, but renewed all the same.
I liked this new beginning.
We enteredthe kitchens and stopped short.
Lia was fussing over Pompeii, a bowl of soup in front of him at the small table, a sizable mound of crusty bread on the side.
“In all my years, I’ve never seen such a fuss over soup,” she huffed, her black hair pulled back with wisps flying around her face.
“Pompeii?” Karus rushed to his side, sitting in the chair next to him, feeling his forehead, asking, “How are you feeling? Wedestroyed the Blight in Viridis.” An enormous grin lit her face. “It’s back.”
He turned to look at me over his shoulder. Color had returned to his face, though his cheeks were still gaunt—nothing Lia’s cooking couldn’t settle.
“I am feeling on the mend, Karus. I’m sure I have you to thank for that.” He patted her hand and took another spoonful of soup.
I sat on the chair to the other side of him. “It is good to see you up, old friend.” I pointed to the book Karus had taken out of Viridis. “We were looking for this to help you, but when Karus destroyed the trees your illness came from, it seems the cure was already made. Though…” I trailed off, catching Karus’s eye. “There’s more time for that theory later. It is good to see you up again.”
He thanked us both, taking a piece of bread and dipping it into the golden broth. “This is delicious. I’m told one of your new channelers made it specially for me?”
“Yes. Mychael. You’ll meet him in time and you can thank him yourself. For now, I think it’s best you take the time to rest.”
“I will do just that. I feel as if I could sleep for days. My chest is…” He opened the front of his robe to reveal the black bruising that was still marring his skin.
I leaned closer, analyzing the discoloration.
Just as the Black Fever still marked its victims, it seemed the Black Lung had done the same.
Lia rushed back to the table, spoon in hand and silently pulled three sand-colored stones from the bottom of the bowl, sitting them on the bread plate.
Each of us watched her in confusion.
She shrugged. “Sorry, love, I forgot to take these out.”
“What are they for?” Karus asked.
“I use them to keep the soup warm after it’s made.” She left the table, returning to her chopping.
Pompeii cleared his throat and continued eating. “I’m glad to hear this did not infect anyone else in the Fortress. When I took the towels from your laboratorium, I thought nothing of the black liquid covering them. I became ill the following evening. I am sorry to say, I was not a good keeper of your channelers.”
I laid a hand on his shoulder. “That is no fault of yours. I’ll fill you in this evening after you’ve had more rest. There are many things to tell you.”
“There always seems to be when you two are together.” He winked at me, and I laughed.
Karus sat back, crossing her arms, exhaustion coming from her with or without our tether.
I rose from my chair. “I need to inform the staff and the channelers. You,” I said, nodding toward Karus, “need to rest. And you,” I patted Pompeii’s back, “need to finish eating first, then go rest.”
“And when do I get a rest, Baron?” Lia questioned boldly from the long counter where she chopped peeled potatoes into perfect cubes over a stone slab.
“As soon as you’re done with those, Lia.” I shrugged. “Take the rest of the day off. We can fend for ourselves for one evening.”
She frowned, likely about to tell me off, but before she could, I kissed the top of Karus’s head and headed to the servant’s corridor to begin to right everything.
