Page 5 of A Blightress of Wrath
Shepaused, holding back her spell, giving me a smirk. “Dissemulen,” she mumbled, andIfelt the same blur around me she’d projected before.Wehad used this spell countless times to get us out of theFortressundetected.She’dalso used it to get us back in before we were caught.Shehad explained it to me as a spell of non-detection.Unlesswe were being actively looked for, no one would really notice us.We’dblend into the bustle of theFortresswith ease.
Mymouth ticked up as she used the spell on herself.Herbody blurred like a faint smear of paint, but her face had always been clear to me each time.Sharper, if anything.
Ipulled the door open again—just enough so that we could both slip inside.Thetrick was to act like you belonged.Ihadn’t even the smallest lick of magic, butIhad cunning.DoingwhatIdid with my parents, it was a necessary skill.Ipicked up a tray of bite-sized squares ofSae’sfavorite cake and headed toward the door which led to the dining room.Iglanced behind me asSaegrabbed a pitcher of wine, following me out of the kitchens undetected.
Partyguests littered the dining hall.Theymingled and laughed, completely unaware that the daughter of theBaronslid past their smiles and chatter.Weentered the foyer to find it had been made into a dance floor.Dozensof people who had come from all overArcaynenmoved around the open room in twirls of elegant gowns and quick feet.
Ichecked onSaebehind me asIheaded towards her room.Icould see her face clearly in the crowd as she moved through it in a swift gait.Shekept her eyes down as much as possible, even though the party guests wouldn’t look her way unless they were lookingforher.
Iturned left at theBaron’sstudy and into the corridor that led to a few rooms on the first floor.Oneof them wasBaronKarus’sroom whereSaesometimes slept next to her mother.Anotherat the very end of the branching hall was the room my parents shared with me when we visited.Itwas a bit cramped, but we were used to occupying the same space on our assignments, so just having a roof over our heads was enough for the three of us.Atleast in theFortress,Igot to sleep on a couch instead of the hard ground.Everyother room in theFortresswas co-habited with channelers or conduits, and becauseIwas neither,Ididn’t get my own space.
Saemoved ahead of me in the quiet hall, standing before her door and whispering, “Redisynmi domen.”
Saelynwas a talented channeler.EvenIknew that.
She’dnever been allowed to train with the others, but she’d done what she could for herself anyway.I’dalways loved that about her.Shehad explained the spells she created like this: since she could derive magic fromFelgren, she could shape it herself.Shecould combine words from the magical language and use them to create something new.She’ddone this many times, including when she’d crafted a spell to unlock her door.Onethat meant,I’vereturned.Letme in.Iknew there were others, butIdidn’t know if she understood what that meant about her power.Idoubted she knew creating her own spells was aSaelynthing.Nota channeler thing.
Weslid into her room and took a breath.Sheset the pitcher of wine down on her desk and fell back onto her bed, letting go of the blend spell around us and covering her face with her hands.
Iset down my tray of strawberry cake and sat beside her, nudging her arm. “Hey.Scootover.”
Shewiggled to give me some room, andItook it, folding my hands at my chest.
Theceiling of her room had been painted to mimic the sky.Oneside was an ode to the blooming dawn with rays of golden yellow.Theother, a scene of the moon, full and silvery with speckled stars that seemed to glow if you stared at them too hard.
“Shesaid my father didn’t want me to know.”
Iturned my head to watch her.
Shewiped her eyes and continued. “Shesaid he wanted me to have a childhood without the burden of knowing he was out there alive somewhere.”Shewiped her nose with a humorless laugh, covering her face again.
Iitched to touch her.Instead,Icleared my throat. “Idon’t know a lot about your father, butIdo know a lot of what you’re about to see.Ifwe’re leaving for theSpiretomorrow,Idon’t want you to go not knowing what you’ll face.”
“Meeither.”
“Imean,I’llbe there to protect you, of course.Andyour mother can protect all of us, but…”
“Tellme,Thevin.”
“Areyou sure you don’t want some cake first?”
Shelaughed and sat up, pulling a blanket off the back of her desk chair and mumbling, “Incendo.”
Herfireplace burst into light, andIpicked my soaking wet self up off her bed to help her lay the blanket out flat by the fire.Withouta word, she retrieved a cup from her bedside table and poured some wine whileIbrought over the tray of cake.Eachlittle square had been topped with a brilliant red strawberry.
“We’llhave to share,” she said, taking one long gulp of wine before offering me the cup.
Ishook my head. “I’vehad enough for tonight.”
Sheheaved a sigh too heavy on the night she turned seventeen and pulled the cup close to her chest, staring into the fire.
Istole a moment and watched her face.IwishedIcould handle this better.Ididn’t regret telling her howIfelt about her—she should know the truth of my feelings.ButIdid regret not telling her sooner.IfIhad told her the momentIreturned toFelgrenthis summer with my parents, we’d be past this awkward stage after my confession, and it would be easier to to sit with her in the dancing firelight to discuss the war that coated the rest of the isle in a blanket of fear.
Ididn’t know exactly whyBaronKaruswaited seventeen years to tell her only child about her father’s true fate, butIcould guess at why she was takingSaelynwith us to theSpire.
“Hasyour mother ever spoken to you about training to become a conduit?”
Sae’seyes flicked back to my face, resting on my mouth before glancing up to my eyes. “No.Shesaid someday she’d be able to start my training, but that she was too busy now to do it.Istopped asking afterIturned fourteen.Why?”
