Page 124 of A Blightress of Wrath
Ishrugged, laughing, “Idon’t mind it so much.Ilike her.”
Ishifted on my feet, a sharp pain lancing through the arch of my right foot.Thevinglanced down, then back to my face with one brow raised.Withouta word, he knelt, swiftly pulling back the hem of my gown to unbuckle my left shoe around my ankle.Mycheeks grew hot and asIreached out to his shoulder for support,Ifelt his fingers next at my right.Helifted one ankle, sliding the high-heel from my foot, then did the same for the other.
“Better?” he asked, rising from the ground.
“Much,”Imanaged to say, taking the shoes from his hands and holding them to my chest.
Iwiggled my toes and he said, “Comein.You’llget filthy out here.”
Heopened the flap of his tent, andIjumped toward it, skipping over the ashes and onto a purple rug that looked far past its prime.
Hepoured something into a mug and handed it to me.Itook it, sipping gingerly and finding weak but warm chamomile tea. “Howare things?”Ibegan, sitting on his cot and patting the space beside me.
Hesighed and joined me, taking the mug asIoffered the rest to him. “Asgood as we could expect.”Hedowned the rest and set it back on the small table. “TheRunnersare celebrating the win tonight with bad ale and high spirits.”
“Youdidn’t want to join them?”
“Notthis time.”Herubbed his face andIresisted the urge to push back the curls that fell into it.Heleaned his head on his fist, looking at me. “Areyou sure about this whole ‘use me as bait’ thing?”
Imirrored his pose. “Yes,I’msure.”
“I’mnot.”
“Why?”
“Because,Sae, you’re offering yourself up to theBlightresswithout really understanding the risks.”
“Maybeit doesn’t matter whatIunderstand.Maybewhat really matters is that this is the best plan we’ve got, andI’mready to be a part of this end.”
“I’mnot ready to offer you up on a silver platter.”
“Youdon’t get to decide what platterIlay upon.”
“MaybeIshould.”
“Maybeyou’re afraid of the possible outcomes, and your fear is talking.”
“Maybeone of us should listen to their fear a little more.”
“Maybe—”
Theragged snarl of a creature raged outside of the tent.Thevinwas on his feet in an instant, reaching for his sword by the opening. “Stayhere!” he called and left, racing barefoot into the night.
Iopened the flaps and gulped down a blood-curdling scream as a stream of undead muri crawled their way out from under the city walls.Therewere at least two dozen of them ravaging their way across the line of tents, some still pulling themselves out from the earth caved in under the stone.
Amob ofRunnersfought, their swords swinging through the air, cutting them down one by one.Thesound of battle filled my ears, andIcovered them, screaming into the chaos, “Revertaydenen tepiore!”
“TheRunnersare celebrating the win tonight with bad ale and high spirits.”
IheardThevin’svoice and inhaled sharply, grabbing my head and gritting my teeth at finding myself back in his tent, sitting on his cot.Ididn’t hesitate, though, rushing to the tent flap and screaming into the night. “Blightedmuri!They’recoming from there!”
Atmy scream, several more flaps opened and the guards at theBlightLinerushed forward as the undead beasts began their crawl from under the stones.Thevinpushed me behind him, sword already in hand as he ran forward, slashing through the head of the first one out of the ditch.
“Ineed aWieldwrynnow!” he shouted, and the call fell down the line, echoing fromRunnertoRunneruntilIsaw the flash of red skirts from an agricola conduit flying out of a tent and coming to our aid.
Istepped back, wondering ifI’dgiven them enough warning, wondering ifIcould somehow push myself to go back even further.
TheWieldwrynarrived, just as two more beasts flew through the air, jumping at an impossible distance, but pierced through mid leap by a wall of green vines that sprouted from the earth.TheWieldwrynenclosed the hole beneath the stone wall with more of her brambles, cutting off the path for the rest of them. “SimulairSolum!” she screamed, erecting a ball of yellow light and forcing it into the hole.Ashfell all around us as she destroyed the rest of the beasts, cutting the fight short before it had really begun.
