Page 28 of A Blightress of Wrath
Ihuffed a laugh. “Andwhat aBaronyou’ve turned out to be.Admiringyour own legacy more than the people who are working to change lives.Tellme,BaronAdaynth, what have you done to bring more prosperity and happiness to the people here?Whatwhispers have you let seep into the minds of the countlessBaronsyou’ve given power to?Whatattempts have you made to soften their hearts, hmm?”Iclosed our gap, refusing to back away from him. “Tellme what you said toHeimlento try and convince him to choose another way to get me here.Tellme what you said to show him that murdering thousands was the wrong choice!”
Hisnostrils flared, his silence telling.
“Ithought as much,”Ipressed. “Youhave all this power?Allthis ability to siphon into oneBaronthen to another, and yet, all you do is stay silent because you are a coward.Allyou do is sleep in these minds and scoff at the people now trying to change what has always been.”Idrew a deep breath, feeling the fast blink of my eyes asIbegan to wake. “Tellme why she blames you.Help.Me.”
“Karus.Karus, wake up.”
Myeyes flew open andIshot upright, holding my chest with one hand, smoothing over my belly with the other.Revheld my cheek tilting my face to meet his. “Justa dream.Itwas just a dream.”Hepulled me to his warm body.
“We’vestopped?”Igasped, searching out the window forClairanniaandFiguerah.
“Justto change carriage positions.TalonandPhiliuswill join us here.ClairanniaandFiguerahwill ride outside for a while.”
“No, noI’dlike to instead if that’s alright with them.Ithink a bit of cold will help me stay awake.”
Hekissed my forehead before bending to step out of the cabin.Hecalled toClairanniaandFiguerahwho were stretching withNyeimahand the others.
Itook a moment to be still in the silence of the carriage.Ididn’t dare addressAdaynthin my mind.Ididn’t know if it would open a channel to theBlightressas well.Hewas hiding something.Ifelt it there, speaking to him.
Revpopped his head back inside, offering his hand. “Come, my love.Letus ride on the back of this carriage together all the way toLythglyn.”Heglanced behind him, then back to me asIplaced my palm in his. “Ifthis is an attempt to get me alone for your wicked desires, consider me a willing pawn.”
Ilaughed, falling into his arms where he caught me. “BaronRevich,Iwouldn’t dare.”
Hekissed me lightly, wrapping a hand around the back of my neck to whisper in my ear, “Yes, you would.”
Iwould.
Ofcourse,Iwould.
Fora moment,Iheld him there.Timestopped, voices faded.Mylover, my companion, my heart, my life, my bonded soul andIstood on a dirt road, sodden by winter’s biting chill, surrounded by those we loved and cared for, andIkissed him in the moment we shared.
Justus.
Onlyus.
“You’reglowing,” he murmured on my lips in whatIknew was a smile without ever seeing it.Icould hear it in his voice asI’dheard it a thousand times in his arms.
“Youmake me glow,BaronRevich.”
“Sheglows?”IheardNyeimah’squestion somewhere near us.
“Yeah, she does that,”Figuerahanswered.
“Whydon’t you glow for me?”Nyeimahpouted.
Ipeeked overRev’sshoulder in a smile asFiguerahreplied, “I’llglow for you tonight, if you’d like.”
Clairannia’slaugh burst from her chest and her cheeks reddened as she hopped back into the carriage.
Onceeveryone was into their seats,Revgave the order to keep moving.Hewrapped his cloak around both of us, andIleaned my head on his shoulders, reciting my dream.
Hegrunted whenIspoke of the feeling that we didn’t know the whole truth.Headded, “Ialso felt likeAdaynthwas hiding something when he came to me in my dream.”
“Andanother thing,”Ipaused, settling in closer. “PompeiidiscoveredI’min his mind as well.”
Revfrowned, asking how that could be.
“TheBlightedtrees inViridis,”Iexplained. “Imade those trees.Igrew theBlightthat you accidentally created theBlackLungwith.”
