Page 151 of A Blightress of Wrath
“Youare not my mother,”Ireplied softly, watching the woman who was as she told my past self that she already knew about the party.Ihad rushed to her from the desk, so grateful she wasn’t angry.
“Icould have been,” theBlightressreplied just as softly.
“Doyou know just how much you are loved?” my mother had asked me.
“Icould have beenhermother.Ishould have had her to hold like this.”Shegazed longingly as my mother andIembraced.Iremembered the moment as a happy one.
TheBlightressreached out her hand for me to take, butIwatched in the mirror, gazing upon my past self who rushed to the desk, excited to show off her colored banners.Shelooked up to see me in the mirror’s reflection.
Shelooked into my sorrowful face in the mirror.
Idid not think this was working.
Idid not see a change of heart from theBlightress.
Suddenly, theBlightresscame into focus in the mirror, taking my hand, and my past self startled before theBlightresscalled my name. “Saelyn.”
Chapter66
Saelyn
I WOULD BE SEVENTEEN IN TWO WEEKS, AND I WAS CONVINCED I WAS THE MOST HIDEOUS CREATURE ON THE ISLE
“Viridis,”theBlightresslilted, stepping away from me again, scanning the courtyard and halls of the garden library.
Mypast self mumbled her way through a thick book, searching for the spell she needed to rid her face of the bright red blemish on her chin, just hours away from seeingThevinagain.
“I’vealways loved it here,”Ireplied, joining her at the balcony. “Ifelt less alone in this place.Thetall trees, the books, the birds…”Wewatched as a dozen sky-blue birds flew across the great glass dome above. “Iused to sleep here.Onnights whenIwaited for my best friend to return in the summer,Ipushed these benches together to make a bed.”Iinhaled the familiar air. “Viridisnever let me down.Viridisnever looked away because of whoIlooked like.Viridisnever disappointed me or avoided looking in my eyes because my eyes were his.”
Sheturned her head to look.Thesmallest hint of an upturned tilt to her lips emerged as she replied, “Youmay have your father’s features, butIsee your mother in your spirit.”
Weheard my past self behind us in an excited squeal as the spell she’d found cleared her face.
“Whyher?”Iquestioned, reaching for her hand on the rail. “Whydid you chooseKarusto give your power to?”
Shestilled in her surveillance of the tops of the birch trees, dancing in their endless sway to a phantom breeze. “I…felt her.Whenshe was growing,IfeltKarusin her mother’s womb.JustasIhad felt my own daughter all those centuries before.”
Iswallowed my fear, asking quietly, “Youloved your daughter?”
Shesqueezed my hand, her black nails pressing into my skin hard enough to leave marks. “Iwould have done anything for my daughter.Itried to give my own life and cut her from my womb when it was clear one of us had to die.”
Mypast self rose to leaveViridisandIstated, “Youloved my mother, too.”
“Istill love your mother,Saelyn.”
Withthe whisper of my name, the light flashed and we left the day like any other, leaving myself behind, alone to my thoughts inViridis.
Chapter67
Saelyn
I WAS ALMOST SEVENTEEN, AND I LIVED FOR VIRIDIS
“You’relike a father to me,Pah-Pah.”
“TheOverseer?” theBlightressasked, raising a brow as we watched myself andPompeiifrom months ago eating apples and cheese in my favoriteViridishall.
Ilaughed, my eyes filling with tears upon seeing him again. “Yes.Imiss him.”
