Page 90 of A Blightress of Wrath
Pompeiilay on a blanket of grass in a clearing inFelgren, rendered asleep by a spell.Figuerahcradled his head in her lap, agreeing to come in case we needed her help reviving him.
“Butyou do believe it could work or you wouldn’t be here,”Iresponded, adjusting the length of the verdant lungsIgrew, matching the size of the modelClairanniahad woven in front of me.Ipressed my hand further intoFelgren’ssoil, drawing the powerIneeded to form the perfect pair of working lungs forPompeii.Theywould replace his and sever the mind connection theBlightressandIshared with him.
Clairanniashook her head. “Magicreplacing one’s toe or ear is one thing, butIhave never heard of magic replacing a much-needed organ and the patient living to talk about it.”
Figuerahwinked my way. “Karusis a litany of firsts, aren’t you, love?”
Ismiled back, continuing to reassure my friend. “Weall heard him.He’drather try this than have to leave theFortressindefinitely.”
“Maybehe could leave and practice shoving her from his mind,”Clairanniasuggested in a frown, eyeing my creation asIworked on the long branches of flesh that would circulate air through his new lungs.Sheadded, “You’vebeen able to keep her out.Whynot give him a chance to do the same?”
Ishook my head, waving my hand over the surface of the small tubesI’dcreated. “I’vehad my whole life to keep her out.Whenwe practiced keeping me out of his head, he failed every time.Heknows the risk,Clairannia.Hehas made his choice, and we certainly can’t do this without you.”
Shewrung her hands on her white skirts which denoted her as a medicus conduit. “It’snot thatIdon’t believe you can do this, it’s what it means if you can.Ifthis replacement of his diseased lungs with ones of your creation succeeds, then this will be a breakthrough of magic the likes of which we’ve never seen.”
“Whatare you doing with theLookingMan?”Weall jumped at the sound ofMoira’shigh-pitched voice coming from a branch of the ash tree above us.
Figuerahrecovered first, cocking her head. “LookingMan?”
“Overseer,”Imumbled, continuing my task.
Shefluttering to the ground, pulling one of his eyes open wide. “DoesanOverseernot look or see?”
“Stopthat!”Clairanniachided, ushering her away from our patient.
Figuerahlaughed. “AnOverseeris not called such because he sees,Moira.Itis a title given to the one closest to theBaronto help in his or her duties.”
“Well, it’s true he’s always looking, this one,”Moirasaid.
“Whatdo you mean?”Iasked, biting my lower lip to hold back my laughter.
Moirashrugged, fluttering a few inches off the shaded grass. “Hespeaks little, looks a lot.Heseems to know everything going on in that black fortress.Heseems to know all of you as well.”
Iflicked my gaze toClairanniawho sighed in an agreeing shrug.
“So, what are you doing to him?”Moiraasked again.
“Iam growing him a new set of lungs to breathe,”Ianswered.
“Why?”
“Becausethe lungs he has were contaminated by theBlighttreesIgrew inFelgren, and now he has a mental connection to both me and theBlightress, which we cannot have.”
“Why?”
“BecausePhiliushad a similar connection to her due to theBlackFeverHeimlencreated from theBlight, and she took over his mind, which in turn lost usMychaelandRell.”
“Wh—”
“Moira.”Figuerahrubbed her face. “KarusandClairanniaare doing something that has never been done, so watch quietly or leave.”
Moirastuck her long pointed tongue out atFiguerahwho rolled her eyes, but they both stayed silent whileIput the last touches together on the lungs that would fit intoPompeii’sbody.
Clairanniamurmured her adjustments to me andImade them, my heart racing, my lip a messy red splotch on my face asIbit at the corners again and again.
Clairanniafinally gave her approval with a nod, andIshifted on my knees, taking a deep breath, the lungs hovering over my hands.Iblew into the tube at the top, and with my breath, they filled, no longer a haze of green magic, but green flesh instead, pumping air of their own accord.
“Well,”—Figuerahlet out a breath—“they seem to work.Ihope.”
