Page 102 of A Blightress of Wrath
Yetanother pull raced through me, and asIcaught my breath,Ifinally admitted what would happen this night.Mybody was ready forSaelynto arrive, regardless of whereIwas or what creaturesIwas with.Ibreathed in through my nose and steady out of my mouth, just asClairanniahad shown me days before in preparation of bringingSaelyninto the world.Anotherpull, this time more like a vice across my belly, squeezing and yanking in a painIcould not escape.Icried out, the sound lost in the din of the celebration.
BOOM.
Ashattering explosion of black blocked out the last of the sun, the sound rippling through the puddles around the clearing.
Themusic stopped andIlooked up.
“No,”Igasped, my cry barely escaping my lips.
TheBlightresssauntered out from a portal of abyssal black, scanning the fae of her making with a few dozenBlightbeasts following behind her.
Myhands gripped the sides of the wood stump, and my breathing became erratic, filling my lungs with air, but not nearly enough.Thetallest fae warrior had risen in the arrival, her skin dark as night wrapped in vines the shade of green grass.Witha steady voice, she addressed theBlightress. “Youare not welcome here,Visalia,EndlessOne.”
TheBlightressstepped forward out of her portal. “Comenow,Nova,Ibid you no ill will on this evening of celebration.Icome only to claim what is mine.”Shepushed forward, ignoring theGrowersgathering behind her back.Herglowing eyes darted to me. “Andwhat is mine is about to enter this world.Isn’tthat right,LittleSprout?”
“Sheis our guest and a friend to one of us.”Thefae warrior,Nova, stepped forward, dismissing the menacing growls from theBlightress’sbeasts.
“Neitherof those things dissolves the truth that she is mine to take, and the time has come to leave.”Shereached out a hand in the waning light. “Igive you a last choice,BaronKarus.Comewith me now, or forfeit their lives, andItake you with me still,”—she paused as a crimson grin grew across her face—“just a bit more bloodily.”
Abattle cry rose from the five fae warriors as they drew swords of steel, running across the field toward the dark stain on the dusky sky.Iheard her laugh drawl through the clearing as another forceful pull shifted across my belly.Istumbled from the stump, keeping my shield steady, searching forRevich.Afist pounded at my power behind me, andIturned to see him there, pressing a hand on the glassy surface.Ispread the green light around us both and he took my hand, pulling me into the tree line away from the cries and roars behind us.
“Keepyour shield up and keep moving!” he shouted, calling toClairanniaandFiguerahalready in the trees.
Ishifted my light again, enclosing the four of us as we tumbled through the underbrush and into the growing dark.
Clairanniaheld my other hand, huffing, “IsSaelyncoming?”
Inodded, unable to speak through my timed breathing, gritting my teeth through the pain, slightly bent as we ran.
Alight beamed ahead, not the blue ofRev’s, but a hazy purple wrapped around wingsIknew like the back of my own hand.
“Throughhere!”Moirasaid in a harsh whisper, leading us onto a different path unburdened by bushes and fallen leaves.
Islowed, crying out in the swift pulse that shifted through my womb as if it were being torn out of my body.
Withoutmissing a step,Revichpulled my arm over his shoulder, baring more weight and guiding me down the path.Figuerahloomed behind me, screaming, “Fulgyren!”
Lightningstruck the ground behind us, andIturned to see the line ofBlightbeasts darting down the path.Thescent of burnedBlightfollowed us as we pushed forward,Clairanniajoining her in an attempt to keep the beasts at bay.
“Fallback with me,Clairannia!”Figuerahshouted, stepping out of the shield that flickered and bent to allow her leave.Clairanniapressed my hand to my belly, saying, “Keepgoing.We’llmeet you at theFortress.”
“No!”Ifought to keep her hand with mine, but she pulled from my grasp, leaving my protection to joinFiguerah.
Laughterfiltered through the dark, confirming whatIknew to be true.TheBlightresshad followed us out of that clearing and wasn’t far behind.Tears, hot and flowing, slid down my cheeks asItried to gauge where inFelgrenwe were.
“Thisway!”Moiracalled andRevichfollowed, pulling me with him though my legs shook profusely.Ifumbled, almost hitting the ground, but he was there, lifting me back on my feet, my sandal broken and useless on my foot.Ikicked it off, limping through the underbrush.
Clairannia’sscream pierced my thoughts somewhere behind us, andIcried, “Revich!Wecannot leave them!”
“Keepthat shield up!” he ordered, urging me forward to followMoira’sguiding light.
Abodiless voice of malice echoed around us. “Oh, howIdo wish you had come whenIcalled,LittleSprout.Youshould have taken my very first offer, and we could have brought the heroicBaronRevichwith us.”
Morescreams flew through the darkness, followed by distant shouts and the groaning of wood.Ifell to my knees, out ofRevich’sgrasp, heaving and covering my mouth to dampen the sound of my cries.Awarm stream of liquid trickled down my thighs in another signal from my body thatSaelynwas coming very soon.Idug my nails into the forest floor, my knees sunk into the earth asIlooked down at my belly, giving myself a moment to breathe.
“Karus.”Revichgrabbed my face, andIsaw him clearly for the first time.Histears had not come, only the anguish of his pain fell on his face in a resigned acceptance that radiated through our bond.
“Ijust…need…a minute.”Iheaved, gulping down air.
