Page 130 of A Blightress of Wrath
Theyall looked at me knowingly.Saeeven put her hands on her hips.
Ifinally shrugged. “Itsounds to me like this place is a bit hazardous for despicable men.”
“Clairannia,”Saehuffed, “remind me of the spell to heal a split lip.”
“Sarchio,”she laughed.
Saeturned back to me, andIdid little to suppress my grin, seeing her irritation at whatI’dobviously done.Ibent forward to murmur, “Isthis part of the quarter of the time, then?”
Shelifted her finger across my lip, reciting the spell and healing over my skin with her white light. “I’mso glad you can identify these times yourself, soIwon’t have to point them out to you.”
“Oh,I’dstill like you to point them out to me.Ifonly to see this look on your face.”
“Thereyou go again,” she retorted, butIsaw the hint of amusement tugging on her mouth.
Ihummed low. “I’mstarting to wonder if your estimate of only a quarter of the time wasn’t?—”
“Doyou two need a minute or something?”Lannaasked, lying back on her cot whileClairannia’seyes darted between us, her fist at her mouth to stifle her laughter.
“Sarchio,”Saefinished over my hands, healing my knuckles back to their tanned coloring.
Beforeshe could pull them away,Itook her hands in mine and brought them to my lips, leaving a light kiss on her own knuckles. “Ithink we’ve worn out our welcome.”Ikept my gaze on her, my eyes flickering from hers of deep blue to her parted lips.
“No,”Saestarted, “Ithink it’s just obvious we do need a minute.”
Lannaroared in laughter, calling, “Itreally is about damn time.”
Clairanniarose from the cot, shooing us out of the tent.Hand-in-hand we sprinted back to my own tent where, as soon as the flap was closed,Ihad my lips on hers.Sheran her fingers behind my neck, and up through my hair asIkissed her gently, avoiding falling into the passion we’d shared kissing outside of her rooms the night before.Wehad neither the time, nor place for anything else.
Idelighted in the new sounds she made.Lightmoans of her breath caught in her throat asIwrapped my arms around her back and along her sides, pulling her up to me.
“Mymother is waiting for me to return for training,” she mumbled, breathless between bouts of her bottom lip pulling at mine.
“Ishould already be back on the field inLanna’splace,”Imentioned casually, nipping at her chin in return.
“Thenit’s best we spend our day as we must.”Shetilted her head back to look me in the eyes. “ButIpromise, you will see me again at the end of this day.Forall your days.”
Ichuckled, pulling her in to kiss one more time. “Thatis a promiseIinsist you keep.”
Chapter55
Saelyn
Mymother stoodin the field of fresh green grass to the west of the castle, andIknew she’d grown it.Icould tell it was her work that covered what was once theBlightLinebecause of the yellow buttercups that bloomed all around, mimicking whatIknew was her favorite field of wild flowers inFelgren.
Herback was to me with white hair messily strung into a single braid, playing with the wind.Shewore her usualBaron’sblack skirts and vest with a loose white top.Bythe deep wrinkles in the fabric,Iknew she’d slept in it.
Isat myself in the tall grass, pulling at the base of a blade in search of one wide enough to whistle through.Ikept my eye on my mother, training with fiveWieldwryns—channelers she’d been working with back home.Shehad them take turns lighting a bundle of charred sticks on fire, shaped to represent aBlightbeast.Theflames would ignite for a moment and then the channeler would call the wind to extinguish or spread them to the next dummy, based on theirBaron’sinstructions.
Ihad seen her train before, though it wasn’t somethingIwas invited to, but rather snuck closer to watch.WiththeBlightressable to feel large eruptions of my power,Iunderstood more of why she wouldn’t let me train inFelgren.Afterall, theBlightressknew whereIwas kept, but if she didn’t know the extent of my abilities, she’d still be in the dark about whoIwas.
Butit was all a farce.
TheBlightressdid know whatIcould do.Unlikeanyone elseI’dever encountered, she did not forget whenIturned back time.Shecould recall every single one of my uses of that power, andIfeared what that meant between us.PerhapstheBlightresswas more than just a dark entity on the isle who wanted my power, but a distant part of meIcould not escape.
Thewind picked up, blowing my hair across my face, andIwatched my mother turn to the east at its origin, closing her eyes in a peaceful smile.Ilistened for my name on the wind asIwatched her, but no whisper came as it had done so many times throughout my life.
“Saelyn!” my mother called, realizingIhad come to join her.
