Page 24 of A Blightress of Wrath
“Ihave spent time at the bedsides of countless mothers since then to do whatIcould to make up for?—”
“Butyou left her!”Ilashed out.
“Iwas young.Ididn’t know what would become of her or what she would be capable of after that.IknowIshould not have left.”
“Visaliaexperienced the darkest moments of her life without the sister she loved.Whathappened to her is no excuse for what she has done and continues to do, butIsee her more clearly now.”Iturned toward the door, adding, “Isee you both in clarity.”
Irushed back through the long corridor, picked up the sack of cheeses, and with a wave of my hand, gathered the flour on the stone.Ididn’t bother finding a broom, andIdidn’t bother to look behind me to see ifLiawould follow.
Iclimbed the steps out of the cellar, filling my lungs with freshFelgrenair, scattering the flour into the wind.Iburst into the kitchens, dropping the cheese on the small table, and followed our bond straight toRevichinViridis.
Chapter12
Rev
Iletmy hands slide along the titles in theFelgrenOriginssection ofViridis.Afterwaking,I’dheaded straight there, searching for the bookI’dnever read, butKarushad told me plenty about.
Itwas the only book in all ofViridiswe’d ever found about theBlightress, full of the tales parents whispered to their children at night to keep them in bed.Myown mother and other townsfolk had spoken some of these stories, detailing the deeds of evil woman who would steal you in the night and show you her wrath if you misbehaved.Iwas promised these stories were not true and that theBlightressdid not exist.Shewas recognized as merely a herald of your misfortunes if you gave into your anger.
IsensedKarusenterViridisand find her way to me.Herarms wrapped around my waist and her cheek rested on my back.Itook one of her hands, bringing it to my lips to kiss the inside of her wrist, finishing the last few lines of the rhymeIwas reading.
“Lialeft her,” she whispered solemnly. “Visaliapulled out her own heart from her chest, gave it toAdaynth, andLiadecided to leave her.”
Imarked my place with a piece of ribbon and closed the book.PullingKarusto my chest,Itried to ease whatIknew she feared. “Noone is going to leave you.Notme, notClairanniaorFiguerah.”Ikissed the top of her hair. “NotevenMoira, thoughIcould see her wandering off for months, not realizing that counted as leaving.”
Shegave a snort into my shirt.
“Ispoke toAdaynth,”Isaid softly, leaning against the shelf, holding her tightly. “Hecame to me in a dream.Hetold me their story and showed me theBlightas it was when he was alive.Hekept her heart below the foyer.”
“Iknow,” she mumbled. “Iwas just there withLiawho told me everything, too.Isit terribleIfeel some pity for theBlightress?”Shelifted her head, searching my gaze with green eyes in a thick ring of black. “Everyoneshe loved, everything she had hoped for was ruined.”Sheshook her head. “Iunderstand that at least.Iunderstand how she broke and how she turned to anger as a comfort.Whatshe has done is wrong, what she is doing is wrong, but…”
“Iknow.Ifeel it too.”
“Whatif we can help her heal?Whatif we can find a way to soften her hatred and fear?”Shetapped the cover ofLegendsof theBlightress:ACollectionofTalesPassedDownThroughCenturiesin my hand.Sherecited from memory,
“Withoutanger, she laughed in mirth.
Withoutlove, she left them bleeding.
Withouthope, she walks the earth.
Withoutfear, her heart is fleeting.”
Shecontinued, “Whatif what she truly fears is being alone?Beingunloved?Ihate her, butIpity her.Thatcould have just as easily been me.”
“No,Karus, you could never be what she is.”Icupped her face, lifting her gaze to mine.Iknew my eyes had filtered to blue when a smile pulled at lips. “Iam your sky, remember?Evenin the darkest of nights,I’llbe there, waiting for your light to return.I’llhold you up forever, just asI’vealways done.Youhave my love, my heart.”Ipulled her head back to my chest, kissing the top of her head. “Youalways will.”
Shesniffed, wiping the tears on her face. “I’dlike to name our daughter after you.”
Iraised a brow, pulling her back to ask, “What’sthe female equivalent ofRevich?”
Shelaughed, biting her lip. “No, notRev.Sky.I’dlike to name her as the magical language for sky.Areminder of who her father is and the role you’ll play in her life, too.”
Islipped my hands through the back of her hair, pressing my forehead to hers and declaring, “Saelynis a beautiful name, andIpromise, my sun, my moon,I’llhold her up, too.”
Chapter13
Karus
