Page 27 of A Blightress of Wrath
Ididn’t want to.Ididn’t particularly like him and our first introduction weeks ago, whenIhad passed theBarontrial, didn’t exactly emit warm feelings between both of us.
Buthe said he’d try.
Hetold me asIaccepted half the power ofBaronthat he would try to give me the ability to keepRevichhappy, safe, and loved.Ididn’t feel any different on that front.Ididn’t notice any new power or any new way to do those things for him.
Iturned my head towardRev, still resting my body against the window of the carriage.Imissed why they were all laughing, but seeing the three peopleIloved most, warmed my heart in the slight chill of winter that pressed on the carriage.Revheld my hand in his lap.Hesqueezed my fingers and winked, murmuring,Calorento warm the cabin.Myheart fluttered, always prone to fall at the attention he gave me.
Itook a deep breath and closed my eyes, listening to my loves speak quietly in the jostling of carriage wheels over frozen roads.Mythoughts drifted to the first days of falling forRev.
“Showme what you can do.”
Thememory of his words drifted on the warmth of that spring day years ago, andItook a moment to adjust to the dreamIfound myself in.Revwasn’t there beside me by the small stream with the charred maple tree above the outcropping of rocks, but someone else was.
“Whichone of us called this meeting?”Iasked, glancing at the firstBaronwho leaned against the blackened tree above the stream.
“Youhave not so forcefully pushed me from your mind as of late.”Heshrugged, sweeping his hair back from his face where it fell across his forehead. “Itook the opportunity to see how the secondBaronfairs.”
“Doyou know the story of this place?”Iasked, bending down to glide my hand across the cold water.
“Iknow more about this place than you,Karus.”Helifted himself off the tree and jerked his head in its direction. “Iknow the story of the origins of this tree.”
“Atale you’d like to tell me?”Igave him a small smile, attempting to be polite to the man who shared a space inside my head.
“Centuriesago, a fae and human planted this tree together in hopes that their love for each other could grow and be nurtured in this forest as a symbol of unity.”
Ismiled, admiring the massive maple tree even more.
Hehopped down, splashing into the water and walked toward me, adding, “Thatwas until you burned it down.”
Mysmile faded into a glare. “Whyis it,truly,Adaynth, that you dislike me so?”
“Itold you before.IseeVisaliain you.”
“Yet,Iam not her.”
“Soyou’ve said.”
Istood, brushing the wisps of white hair back from my face. “Youfind your self-worth in what?Keepingher broken heart locked away beneath your black fortress?”Iscoffed. “Tellme, what did you do to kill your child?”
“Idid not kill our child.”
“Whydoes she insist you did?”
“Because.”
Isplashed through the stream to reach him and gritted through my teeth, “Becausewhy?”
“Youthink you know her?Youthink you’ve got her figured out?”Hesneered. “Youknow nothing of what we went through.Youknow nothing of who she was before she fell to her own sorrow.Youdon’t know loss,Karus.Youdon’t know what it is like to watch the person you love most fall to their own pain, blaming you the entire time for the whole of it.”
“Thentellme.Helpme understand her better so thatIcan stop her from taking everythingIlove.”
“Youknow everything you need to know.Icannot provide any more insight to her.”
“Bullshit,”Ispat, stepping closer.
Hegrabbed my shoulders, shaking me. “Youknow what’s bullshit?Ican feel her there, in your mind.Sheoccupies the same spaceIdo and becauseRevichdecided heneededto give you half of my power, the power thatIgave him,Inow live there inside of you, too.With.Her.”Hisnostrils flared and his hazel eyes turned glassy. “Ifeel her there.Iknow her presence likeIknow my own soul andthatis bullshit.Becauseof you,Ishare with her a placeInever wanted to.Becauseof you andRevich’ssomehow undying love for you,I’vehad to relive parts of my past thatIhave kept at bay for fuckingcenturies.”
Hejostled me again, letting go in a huff. “Anddon’t you think for one second, for one minuscule moment of time, thatIwouldn’t leave your mind ifIcould.ButIam now bound to it, just asIam bound toRevich’s, andIwill continue to be until the day you both die and my power moves on to the nextBaron.Youwill die.Iwill keep living.Youwill fade into nothing, andIwill jump to the next, and the next, and the next, doing my duty to this forest.Mylegacy will live on, and you will fade into mere memory, then history, until not a single soul on this isle recalls anything about you all.”
