Page 57 of A Blightress of Wrath
“Itwasn’t my choice,” he spat.
“Itwasn’t mine, either,”Igritted back, reflecting his temper.
Hehad come close, andIfound thatIhad stepped forward as well, our bodies just inches apart.Everythingunsaid between us hung in the salty sea air that permeated everythingI’dseen so far.
Myface softened.Iknew because he inhaled deeply and his eyes paused on my lips.Iwanted to kiss him there, in the great spire, in this new placeIcould never even fathom existed in my wildest dreams.
Forthe hundredth time,IwishedIhad gone back just one minute in time to when we had danced in my rooms.IwishedIhad told him then thatI’dfelt the same, thatI’drisk all of what we had if it meantI’dget to call him mine.
IwishedIhad confessed just what he meant to me as we met in the forest clearing dance floor on the day of my party.Ishould have told him then, butIhad hesitated, just asIdid right there in thatSpireroom, warring with myself ifIshould say whatIfelt or first try to show him thatIwas strong, too.Iwasn’t some damsel in the forest, waiting for him to return each summer so we could frolic in the fields of yellow blossoms, regardless of how often we had done just that.Regardlessof how much waitingIreally had done for him to return to me.
“Askme,Sae,” he said.
Iblinked, chasing away my thoughts of shouting so the entire city could hear just how muchIloved him. “Askyou what,Thevin?”
“Askme whatI’mthinking.”
Mygrin crept in easily and my heart thudded. “Whatare you thinking?”
“I’mthinking it’s time for you to see the world.”
Chapter29
Thevin
Itwasn’tthe ease of being able to slip out of theSpirethat surprised me.ItwasSae’swillingness to do it.ThemomentI’deven suggested such a thing, she’d bolted, heading straight for the pen and parchment by the door, jotting a quick note to her mother and leaving it where it’d be seen on the table in the middle of the room.
I’dbeen even more surprised when she took my hand then, pulling me to the door and back onto the famous staircase that wove around the outside of theSpire, leading down to the inner courtyard.
Ikept up with her pace, both of us out of breath by the time we reached the bottom, both of us laughing, bracing our hands on our knees.
“Blend?” she’d asked, wiping the hair from her face beforeIcould do it for her.
Inodded, glancing around. “Blend.”
Shemurmured her spell, touching my face, then hers.
Shewas clear as ever, andImeant to ask her why the spell didn’t work on me when she instead pulled me along, deeper into the inner courtyard.
Herface wasn’t known in theSpire, but mine could be, and we weren’t exactly following orders leaving like this.Icringed thinking of whatBaronKaruscould do to me when she found outI’dtaken her very well-kept secret, powerful daughter around the last safe stronghold inArcaynen.
Evenwith that possibility, it was worth the risk of theBaron’sire.IwantedSaeto live.Iwanted her to see the world, or at least this part of what was left untouched by war.OutsideofFelgren, this city was my favorite place to rest, to eat, to thrive with fewer cares for the horrors outside of it.
Sheleaned over the pond at the center of the courtyard, pointing to the orange and white fish swimming gracefully along the sides, poking their mouths above the water, hoping she’d brought food.
“Lookat these!” she exclaimed, the note of excitement lifting in the air, but no more than a passing murmur to those around us with her spell.
Itook her hand, pulling her up, letting my fingers slide through hers like we did when we were ten. “Justwait.”
* * *
Thecity buzzed with gossip.Wordhad already spread of theBaron’searly arrival and how she did not arrive alone.Thankfully, the citizens of theSpiredidn’t know whatSaelooked like or who she really was other than theBaron’sdaughter, and with her magic that blended us into the background, we passed through the streets without a second glance.
Itook her straight to theHatchery, showing her just how large the aurum fish could become after decades of care.TheHatcheryacted as a hub for the canals that ran through the city walkways, allowing the giant fish to swim through theSpireand find their way back home.
Saereached into the deep pool, her hand gliding over the brilliant gold scales of an aurum fish twice the size of a lumen.Shelaughed, shaking water from her fingers, and then gasped as a man jumped into the pool, followed quickly by a hollering woman.Theyrose to the surface and began to swim, taking long backward strokes, brushing up against the massive fish who seemed to play alongside them.
“Canwe?” she asked, not taking her eyes off the couple.
