Page 93 of A Baron of Bonds
“It’s only been a few days since you’ve been missing. There hasn’t been a lot of time for anything exciting to happen.”
“We did read about the history of Barons, though,” Ilyenna spoke excitedly. “We went on a hunt through the Fortress, searching for each one’s portrait.” She paused and tilted herhead at me. “Yours is the only one we couldn’t find. Well, Heimlen’s was missing, but we understand why that is.”
Karus turned to me, wrapping her hand around my shoulder, no doubt trying to get me to relax a bit more. “You still don’t have a portrait hanging in the Fortress somewhere?” she scoffed. “We’ll have to remedy that the moment we return, Baron Revich.”
She leaned into me again. Her charm was working. I felt my shoulders drop under her touch.
“It wasn’t ever a priority,” I murmured.
She bit her bottom lip, her eyes flicking over my chest and arms, then back up to my face. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Well, we’ll have to make it one.”
I shifted in my seat, unsure why her words sounded so sultry or how she managed to distract me so swiftly, leaning her head to the side, exposing more of her creamy neck.
I took my plate in my hands, and she immediately did the same. We stood, both of us knowing exactly where we needed to be and it was not here in this crowded room.
“Talon, I’d like to speak to you alone.” I nodded toward the stairs, and he furrowed his brow.
“Ilyenna,” Karus spoke, “A moment, please?”
Talon rose from his seat and followed me toward the staircase. I balanced my plate of food in one hand and embraced him with the other. He patted my back and repeated, “I’m glad to see you both unharmed.”
I jostled his shoulder, speaking firmly, “I don’t think you should have done this. But I am happy for you both. Do you have styris tea?”
He nodded, looking down at his boots. “We got some today. I hope you’ll forgive us, Baron Revich.”
“I already have, Talon.” I patted his shoulder and glanced back to Karus, her own plate in her hand as she held Ilyennaclose. “I’ll meet you both here in the morning. I’d like to get home before sunset tomorrow.”
He nodded, watching Karus approach. She slipped her free hand in mine, and we left upstairs without a word, both of us eager to fall into bed, both of us needing to be close, both of us almost home.
Chapter 43
Karus
I wasfirst out of the carriage, first to the border of Felgren with Parvus and Rauca at my sides.
I stood at the edge of endless green. An unfathomable line of power, that I now recognized as part of me, raced along the ground. One side of this strip of land was dull—a dirty array of muddy grass that was mostly beige. The other line was filled with tall trees that reached up to the sky. I’d never see the tips unless I was back in my channeler room looking out the slanted window. Even then, I could never see the edge of the vast wilderness that lay across Arcaynen’s southeastern corner with acres upon acres of trees, and flowers, and fields.
The pull to enter the place that kept me alive was impossible to resist, so I stepped forward, my boots traveling from one edge of mucky brown patches to the blissful soft underbrush of Felgren Forest.
I’d never traveled through its barrier by foot. The sweet scent of newly budded golden daffodils and white apple blossoms filled my lungs as I took a heavy breath, renewing my soul with my home. Birdsong lifted through the air in a chorus of new life and the warm, sunny days to come.
Parvus and Rauca ran ahead, jumping up and into each other, just as relieved to be back in this place which fueled us all.
I bit back tears of relief, memories flooding within me of the rainy spring day I had followed the Blightress underground. But that field of clover was acres away, and I had changed since I had entered it.
Rev stood behind me, his small pack slung over one shoulder, the same sense of relief across his face that I knew was brandished on mine.
We grinned at each other in absolute joy, both of us laughing as we came together, wrapping our arms at each other’s waists.
“Let’s never leave again,” I declared, watching his black irises turn blue.
“Let’s never leave for at least a while.”
“Let’s never follow strange, ancient women underground.”
“Agreed. Let’s.”
I paused in my response, gritting my teeth in remembrance of what I had done, trying to make light of the choice I had made and failing. “I’m sorry, Revich,” I whispered, my breath heavy.
