Page 84 of A Baron of Bonds
He lifted his hands again to send another blow but before he could even try, he flew back, crashing into the wall and slumping to the floor. Green tendrils of power encased his hands at his side and Karus stood over him.
“You will not touch him again.” Her command came soft and powerful as her magic slipped over every inch of his body.
“He wanted me to—” he choked.
“I don’t care, Philius,” she interrupted. All I could see was her back to the rest of us in the room as she bent down closer to his body. “You will never seek violence against him again, do you understand?”
Chills flickered down my spine, and I tried to steady my heart beating furiously for her.
By the hands of the Spire.
Fuck, that was the worst one yet—probably because I was too focused on the woman defending me to be clever.
She turned quickly, her magic falling from his body as the Queen rushed to his side.
“Are you alright?” Karus brushed her fingers across my jaw, which I assumed would soon begin to bloom in purple.
“More than alright.” I grabbed her waist and pulled her against me. “I’d say both of those displays were worth it.”
She kept her back to the room and pressed her body to mine, her mouth on mine, her teeth scraping my bottom lip, pulling away from it slowly.
Ah, fuck.
“How did you remember who you were?” Lanna had slid off her mother’s lap, holding her hands in front of her dress, looking up at us with curiosity.
I’d forgotten she was there and straightened immediately, pulling my vest down and running a hand through my hair.
The Queen rose with her son from the floor and Karus continued her story as if nothing had happened.
“The rhyzolm. I found it one day in the forest. I had lost it there years ago, and when I held it, memories started to return.”
“So, you knew everything that had happened?” Lanna asked.
“Some of what had happened, yes. Some of it had to be explained to me. Like what happened after my memories had faded with the sun.”
“But how did a stone return your memories?”
The little girl was asking the real questions.
“Love, Lady Lanna,” Karus bent down to meet her eyes, holding out her hands for the little girl to take. “Love is the strongest power you can wield. Love can last through time, overcome pain and fear. Love was imbued into that stone and holding it, I remembered that I was loved.”
Chapter 40
Saelyn
I would beseventeen in two weeks, and I was convinced I was the most hideous creature on the isle.
One particular raging red blemish had refused to leave my chin for days anddays, and I would see Thevin again in just a few hours.
I knew I shouldn’t care. I knewhewouldn’t care…at least, I was trying to convince myself he wouldn’t.
But as I searched the many, many volumes of the Magical Language Hall of Viridis, I became more and more irritated that my stupid face was not cooperating with me.
I found myself rubbing my chin again and rolled my eyes. No wonder it was pocked.
Usually, I didn’t bat an eye at my appearance, choosing to let my long hair, long torso, and long legs fly free. The idea of prepping my appearance each day seemed like the biggest waste of time. But less than two-hundred minutes away from seeing Thevin again, I wondered if I should have taken the time to learn more about this.
My mother was of no use. She barely remembered to braid her hair each day, let alone line her eyes in kohl or add pink to her cheeks and lips. I had thought of asking Pah-Pah for help,since he always wore something lovely around his eyes, but I loathed the thought of more teasing.
