Page 40 of A Blightress of Wrath
Shecontinued, eyes focused on me. “IbeggedAdaynthto take her out.Tocut me open and save our daughter’s life.IknewI’dgone too far, carried her too long.Iknew her life was dwindling with each day she remained in my womb.
“WhenItried to cut her out myself, he used the powerIgave him to tie me to the bed.Herefused to let me go and she was born dead.Hecould have saved her.Therewas a chance he could have saved me, too, but he didn’t listen,Karus, andIam done waiting.”Shepointed a long finger at my belly, flecked in blood.Ibacked up, wrapping my hands around myself. “Thatchild is mine whether you come along or not.Sheholds power that comes fromme.She.Is.Mine.”
“Youwill not touch her!”Ishouted, my flames crawling over the snow, climbing up the sides of her portal. “Sheis ours!Youcannot?—”
Shebacked into the portal and the iridescent wall shattered, fracturing into a thousand shards.Revichpushed me to the ground, covering me with his own body, shielding us in a flickering blue flame of his power.
Chapter20
Rev
“Areyou hurt?”Ihuffed breathlessly, hovering overKarus, digging into my pocket for the rhyzolm.
Ifelt our daughter, strong as ever, and let myself breathe a sigh of relief.
“Shecan’t have her,”Karuschoked, covering her face.
“Shewon’t.”
“Saelynis not hers.Rev,”—she gripped my arms, shaking me, her eyes an abyss of black as she raged, “she cannot have her.Shecan’t.Shecan’t.Shecan’t.”
Hersobbing filled the air with the low crackle of the dying fires around us.
“Karus,”Iwhispered, pulling her into my lap, cradling her head and rocking her back and forth. “Shewon’t take her.She’sours.Iwould never let that happen.”
Hercries fell into seamless rage as she pounded at my chest over and over, screaming, pulling at everythingIcould give her—my clothes, my heart, my life, our bond, my very soul which had become one with hers a long time ago.
Itook all of it.
Thebrunt of it.
Thefull force of it as she ripped my vest, screaming her words of what theBlightresscould not do into the smoke-filled sky.Hervoice carried through the scorched grove as if those words on that wind would reach theBlightressin a declaration that she was wrong.
Timepassed.
Ididn’t count the minutes, which felt like hours, and whenKarus’svoice was finally hoarse enough that her vehement words were merely a raspy whisper, she wiped at her face, gulped in a breath of air and rose from my lap.
Figuerah,Nyeimah,Ilyenna, andTalonstood nearby, each with their own tears, watching theBaronsofFelgrenhold onto the hope that their daughter would be saved.
Karuswiped her sleeve under her nose. “Wedon’t know where she has takenRellandMychael, but we can guess at what she’ll do with them.We’llbe going to theBlightress’sheart sooner than planned.We’regoing to get them back.”
Isurveyed the charred syphoner trees.Ineeded to see the extent of the damage done to the channelers inside, but asIstudied them closer,Iunderstood the truth.Nota single light continued to glow in the circle of trees surrounding the clearing, each no more than smoldering wood and dying embers.
“TheBlightbeast?”Karusasked.
“It’sdead,”Figuerahanswered, patting the head of the sleek black muri sitting beside her. “Thisone ripped its head from its body.We’llbury them separately.”
“Burnthem,”Karusmurmured. “BurningtheBlightwill kill it, too.”
Figuerahnodded, catching my gaze. “Thechannelers inRadyx…”
“Revichwill continue on by portal with you toRadyx.Ilyenna,Talon, andIwill return toFelgrento informPompeiiand take care ofRennandPhilius.”
IpulledKarusto me, countering, “I’mnot leaving you.”Ilooked to the companions. “FiguerahandNyeimah, you will leave forRadyxby portal whereIwill join you in two days to retrieve the channelers.Wepush this timeline forward.TheBlightresshas shown her hand and what she’s capable of.TellMadameZoreyahwe need more channelers.I’llexplain toLadyLamoralandTheQueenas well.”
Igestured toward two remaining portals. “Thesewill take you both toRadyx.I’msorry, butIcannot send yourMurias well.”
Nyeimahkissed the top of both of the beast’s black heads, saying, “Youdon’t need to.Theseare wild beasts.Figuerahcalled them to our aid and they came.”
