Page 113 of A Blightress of Wrath
Wedid as our commander ordered,LannaandIrunning into the city to find it empty, the growth ofBlightreceding as we raced to the castle doors.
“She’spulling her forces back,”Ihuffed.
“Don’tlet your guard down.”
Inodded, flexing my left hand, tightening it into a fist to ease the pain of my wound.
“Weneed aWieldwryn,” she mumbled directly to me before amplifying her voice to reach through the city. “ThisisCommanderLanna.Ineed aWieldwrynCommanderat the castle doors.”
Icaught my breath, focusing on the formation ofRunnerswho stood in pairs around the black-stained stone, swords at the ready.
Aportal opened beside us andClairanniastepped out, already focusing her power to form a sun of her own over her palm.Itglowed a glittering crimson, the size of a dinner plate and nowhere near the enormity of the one that still hovered above us.
Clairanniastepped towardLanna, speaking low, “TheBaroncannot hold this and the shield much longer.”Shepointed above us to the flickering sun and glassy green dome. “I’vebeen ordered by theKingto empty the throne room first, and then we will send the rest of theWieldwrynforces inside to inspect the rest of the castle.”
Lannanodded, replying, “TheBlightressis pulling her forces back.We’vemet little opposition.”
Clairanniaglanced to me, andIgave her a short nod, lifting my sword again.Sheflicked her fingers, sending her simulated sun toward the castle doors.Thehinges groaned and flew open.Istepped in front ofClairanniaalongsideLanna, who gave a sharp whistle to the dozenRunnersnearby to follow.
Thecastle was empty.Thoughstains of black painted the once gray-blue stone walls and tables, there was little sign of theBlight.
Westalked quietly through the foyer, turning left down a long hall.Clairanniasent her glowing light through the broken doors of the throne room, illuminating the mosaic of thistle on the floor.Aspread ofBlightroots recessed immediately, disintegrating into ash and staining the floor in a spread of black lines.Theintricate tiles had been uprooted near the grand dais, now a gaping hole into the earth where theBlighthad sprouted from underneath the castle.
Istudied the domed glass ceiling, surveying for structural damage that could fall and kill us all. “Callfor theLapisWieldwryn,Ilyenna,”Iordered, turning toFlynn, aRunnerIrecognized and trusted.Henodded, sprinting back down the hall to give the order to the army catching up to us.
Clairanniapulled her sun back to her hands, instead sending a shield of red to encircle the domed ceiling to prevent any possible debris falling onto the soldiers arriving into the throne room.
“Thevin’swounded,”Lannanoted andClairannia, regaining her breath from the effort of holding the sun so long, reached out her hand to take mine.
“It’snothing,”Ireplied.Ipointed across the hall to theRunnerholding a torn shirt at her side, her head tucked between her legs as blood dripped to the floor. “She’sfirst.”
Clairannianodded, hurrying to the dais.
Isheathed my sword and ran my fingers through my hair. “Itwas too much for her,”Icommented, watching the throne room doors asLannadid. “TheBlightress’sfailed attack on theSpirewas a loss for her hold onHyrithiaas well.”
“Idon’t trust it,” she said, sheathing her own sword and crossing her arms. “Whywould she give upHyrithiaso easily when she used so much force to take it back only a few weeks ago?”
“Shewouldn’t be able to hold it.NotwithBaronKarusfighting now.”
Shelet out a weighing sigh. “Shejust backed off entirely.Nota single casualty or stolenWieldwrynon our side.Itwas too easy.”
Unsettledat her words,Ijust nodded, inspecting the gash on my palm.Itwasn’t looking good.
“Getto someone who can heal you,”Lannasaid, cringing at the open flesh, “That’san order.”
Chapter51
Saelyn
NothingThevinhad explainedto me in my room, safe and warm, could have prepared me for the fighting.ThemomentIarrived from the portal, spit out again into the tall grass like something discarded,Ipaled at the sound of war.Mymother had bloomed forth a sun, raging and hot into the clear summer sky.Atjust its presence alone, theBlightfaded away from the line of black that rooted to the earth, turning to little more than ashes.
Irose from the ground, searching forThevin, but unable to see anyoneIrecognized in the chaos.Screamsand orders emitted from the frontlines and a mass of theWieldwryns, dressed in varying colors of what their magic could produce, followed into the city.Castsof colorful magic glowed every which way, though it was hardly needed with the damage my mother had done.
Herdomed shield covered us all, descending on the city ruins which stretched as far as my eyes could see.Mymother ordered me to stay behind her, andIdid, following the trail of her black skirts as she raced across the tall grasses and into the black earth, a clear line of delineation of where this battle had been fought before.
Iwas thankfulIdidn’t have my usual skirts to hold, instead keeping up with the mass ofWieldwrynsin their sprint to the city gates.Ihesitated, my heart hurting asIlooked upon the destruction of the city my mother had come from.Widestreets and tall buildings were now little more than rubble inked in black stains across every inlaid stone, every storefront, and upturned carriage.
Thecity ofHyrithiahad been completely consumed, andIshuddered to think of what had happened to the people when theBlightress’sforces had taken hold.
