Page 164 of A Baron of Bonds
Chapter 70
Rev
THE LAPIS TRIAL
That wasquickwas my first thought, followed closely by a fierce sense of pride.
I wasn’t surprised she got through the caygon and her kittens, but she was the first channeler I’d trained to pass the lapis trial. Hopefully, she wasn’t the last.
Poor Clairannia had sat at that water’s edge for ages, sifting through the thousands of ruby and diamond rings, looking for her exact one which she could not realize was still on her finger. She’d finally tapped one of them three times, sending her back to me where I assured her, she would pass the next trial. Figuerah had given in almost immediately, not caring about passing what she didn’t want to follow anyway.
I wanted to see Karus, but then again, I didn’t.
It would mean she had failed one of the trials, and I so badly wanted her to pass them all.
Two down.
Three to go.
Chapter 71
Karus
THE MEDICUS TRIAL
My head smackedinto a wooden surface at the same time I plopped ungraciously into a hard chair.
I rubbed my nose, running a finger under to check for blood.
I glanced around, finding myself in a small room, a single lantern lit on the desk where I sat, my right hand, palm down, pinned to the wood.
Pinned.
Not only that, my skin on the back of my hand was flayed wide, drawn back across my hand with precise cuts, each side also pinned to the table with tiny, sharp needles not unlike the ones from Lia’s embroidery kit.
“You have got to be joking,” I said in dismay as a pile of bones fell out of empty space onto the table. I assumed they were the exact ones missing from my flayed hand.
At least it didn’t hurt. My knee was more painful than the absolute insanity of this trial.
The Blightress stood in front of the desk and gave an interested hum, tilting her head to study the white bones in front of me.
“I do hope you paid attention to those medicus books in Viridis, Karus.”
“A hand puzzle? Really, Revich?” I muttered, picking up one of the bones with my free hand and studying it closely.
I tried to wiggle the fingers of my right hand, but of course, couldn’t. The bones of them were not connected to the ones that should have been fit in the back of my hand because they were lying in a pile on the table.
Mybones.
I blew air out of my lips, wanting to smack my head against the table again, this time of my own accord.
I stared down at my open skin, convinced I would never choose to be a medicus conduit.
I knew how Clairannia passed this trial. She’d probably gotten straight to work, fitting each of the thirteen bones on the desk perfectly the first time.
But what had Figuerah done?
She hated medicus magic, and honestly, was terrible at it.
