Page 42 of A Blightress of Wrath
Istroked the wet strands of white from her cheeks. “Yes.Iremember her voice only through that song.She’dsing it to me when the night felt especially dark.She’dhear me cry out and slip into my bed, my head in her lap, and she’d sing it over and over untilIfell asleep.She’dstill be there in the morning, ensuringImade it through the night without being afraid.”
“That’sbeautiful.”
“WhenSaelyncomes,Iwant that to be the first song she hears.Agift from my mother.Ithink she would have liked that.”
“Rev,”Karusbroke, her voice still hoarse, barely audible as she met my lips with hers. “Shewould be so proud of you.”
Iswiped at another tear falling down her cheek. “Shewould have loved you.Idon’t remember a lot of her, butIknow that much.”
Wefell into silence.Herhead rested on my chest in the dark, the only source of light a few slivers of wood still burning in the fireplace.Iwatched the moon as it danced across the sky, feelingKarus’shead grow heavy as she gave way to her exhaustion.
Ireached down to cover the hand at her belly with my own, pouring love and hope into our child, ensuring myself that whatIhad repeated over and over in this room, and back in the snowy clearing, was true.Saelynwould not be taken from us.TheBlightresswould not have her.Ihad used hope as a weapon before.Iknew how to wield it once again.Iknew that a man with hope was still alive.
Chapter21
Karus
“Heis gone.”
Pompeii’svoice broke into my thoughts as we neared the boundaries ofFelgren.
Ididn’t want to lie.Ididn’t want to embellish what little hopeIhad that we’d returnMychaelandRellto this forest to train once more.
Ibreathed deep, squaring my shoulders on the back of my black horse, raising my chin with trembling lips.Pompeiicould not see me, butIneeded to pull myself together.Ihad learned by now that to beBaronwas to believe myself stronger thanIwas.
“Shetook him,”Ireplied in my mind. “Weare not giving up.Weare gathering ourselves, and then we will make an attempt at her heart and be able to look for him.Ipromise you, we are not giving up.”
Silence.
Mystomach churned, and for a moment,IthoughtI’dretch over the side of my horse.
Revich’shead swiveled to me as he reigned his horse closer. “Whatis it?”
“Pompeii.He…he knows.”
Revdrew his eyes back to the line of trees in the distance and pushed our party forward.
* * *
IsteppedintoFelgrenagain with a hesitancyIhadn’t felt sinceHeimlenhad brought me to the forest more than seven years past.
Thetrees fell to their own sorrow.Thewind felt weighted and mournful as the four of us returned without those who deserved to be there.
Onceagain, my heart raged, urging me to do whatIwould have done if not forSaelyn.Ifshe had not been at risk,Iwould have fought for our channelers with every inch of my life.Butit was not just my life at stake, not justRev’swhenIhad chosen not to follow.
Therewere three of us to consider now, andIwould not risk the safety of our daughter for anything or anyone.
Andit hurt.
Pompeiiwas there, just inside the tree line, dressed immaculately in his emerald livery.Theonly evidence of his pain was a difficult one to notice.Hehad not dressed his eyes in the black kohl he kept swept along his upper lids.
Revreached him first, pulling his old friend andOverseerinto an embrace.Thehug was short withPompeiipulling out of reach and addressing me as soon asIcaught up to them.
“BaronKarus,” he began, “there has been an incident, and you are needed back at theFortress.”
Hegestured behind him.Ablack lumen stepped up to his side, sniffing the air.Hewas massive, easily the largest lumenI’dever seen.Hiseyes were a silvery metallic, and he padded up to my side, his head bent to sniff my belly before he looked up to my face.Witha huff, he turned to offer his back.
“WhereareParvusandRauca?”Iasked, petting his dark fur.
