Page 138 of A Baron of Bonds
“I’m sure better ones will come along,” I whispered into strands of white and chestnut hair.
“I mean it, Rev. You love and protect your channelers, your Overseer, and the people under your care better than any other Baron in the history of Barons. I know. I’ve read all about them. You’re doing it. You’re changing the Baronship for the better.”
“We.” I pulled her in front of me to smile at the glow still hovering over her. “Weare doing this. Together.”
She pressed her forehead to mine. “You breathe, I breathe.”
“You live, I live,” I promised.
Rauca greetedme with her usual nips on my arm. I inspected her for more evidence of what Karus had pointed out to me.
A new growth of vines wound under her belly, deep within the white fur. I glanced to Karus who inspected Parvus as well.
“Here,” she sighed, pointing to a spot behind his ears which was sprouting small brown thorns.
“On Rauca’s belly, too,” I remarked, patting her head in reassurance when she whined at me.
“When Figuerah arrives with Clairannia, we need to discuss this with her.” She laughed as Parvus jumped up, licking her face and almost knocking her to the ground. “At least their behavior hasn’t changed.”
Philius stood nearby, already saddling his own lumen, waiting in uncharacteristic patience.
I hopped on Rauca’s back, past the need for a saddle to keep myself on. “Let’s review this one more time. We ride to the edge of the Blight. We say nothing. We do nothing but observe. Save your questions for when we return, Philius. You do not touch the Blight, and neither does Karus. Agreed?”
“Yes, sir,” Karus called, while Philius nodded.
I loved when she did that.
I turned Rauca, whispering directions to her, and she took off, her massive paws bounding over brush and branches, leading the other two on the quickest path.
She howled into the afternoon air, the other two lumens returning her call in a cacophony of wolfish reports I couldn’t comprehend.
When we reached the edge of the Blight, my heart thudded in a heavy apprehension. The line of dull black had been forced back by Karus seven years ago and here we met the extent of what her power had destroyed. Very little of the Blight had grown since then, including this particular acreage.
I had not returned to this edge of dark mist with her at my side, but she squeezed my hand in assurance that she would heed my words.
Philius dismounted, his face an open book of disbelief.
The Blight was monstrous yet remarkable in its expanse of black vines that wove over the trunks of trees, curling around each one in the maze of dark, smothering the life and beauty of Felgren.
Philius glanced at us and took a breath to speak, but Karus shook her head, reminding him of his agreement.
Karus and I watched him walk to the line where abundant green clover met the sharp thorns of black, spongy wood. Hegazed out into the dark as if taking in what had inevitably been the beginning of all his life turned upside down.
He stood like that for some time, and I held Karus’s hand so tightly, she flexed her fingers in a silent plea to ease off.
Our lumens hovered behind us. Philius’s paced in obvious agitation while Rauca and Parvus rested nearby, drifting into a mid-day nap.
After giving him a few more minutes, I whistled and Philius looked back at us with an unreadable expression across his face. But rather than speaking his thoughts, he walked to his lumen to leave.
Karus and I headed to ours just as Parvus suddenly stood, alert, his snout sniffing toward the Blight, his ears swiveling in that direction.
Karus patted his head and moved to hop on his back when he bolted, bounding into the thick of the black trees and over thorns catching on his fur.
“Parvus!” Karus called, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth, running to the edge of the Blight.
I was not far behind, immediately wrapping my hand around her waist, not willing to risk her running after him.
She turned to me and shook her head, a silent promise she was not intending to follow.
