Page 136 of Oaths & Vengeance
It was only fair that I ask since Fae law dictated that a married couple had to both agree when taking on a ward. Darrow would hold equal responsibility for her, which also meant he’d be agreeing to another Therressian in his home.
“Of course,” he replied, tipping up my chin. “Anyone can see her soul is as pure as you promised the day you made that deal with me. My father is already aware of her and won’t argue the matter. I will have my brother include it in his negotiations with Ulmar, but we can take her today regardless.”
It probably helped that Rynn had their aunt’s magic, which made her family adjacent. “Thank you.”
He sighed. “There is no need to thank me.”
I pulled back, my knees no longer as weak as before. “How can you be so kind and understanding with me? I don’t get it.”
“You mean because I can’t love you?” he asked, arching a brow.
“Yes.”
It was his turn to look away, working his jaw as he appeared deep in thought. “My father and brother cannot love, either. It doesn’t mean that any of us lack empathy or don’t wish for our wives to be happy, but the matter of our hearts seems to always develop into a problem, no matter our efforts. It creates a barrier we cannot overcome. We have often wondered if that is part of our curse—to always fail at marriage.”
“As a result, you can’t find happiness, either,” I surmised.
“Precisely.”
I took his hands and squeezed them. “At least we are discussing it and finding ways to work around it. I’ll try not to resent you for something that is out of your control.”
Most especially after he rescued me and freed me from my curse, I owed him that much.
“Thank you.”
My stomach rumbled, providing the perfect distraction. “I think I’m ready for food now.”
“I’ll get it myself and return soon,” he said, leaving the room quickly. Something told me he needed a moment to himself to come to terms with everything. We were both entering uncharted territory.
Rummaging through the chest at the foot of my bed, I found my preferred drab garden clothes. I took them to the bathing chambers down the corridor, quickly washed up and brushed my teeth, and then put them on before returning to my chambers. I wanted a proper bath, but it would have to wait until after I took care of my plants. My desperate need to tend to them took priority, and I’d end up dirty again anyway.
Darrow brought us both a plate, and we ate in silence together. I sat at my window seat, balancing my plate on my lap, and he did the same, sitting on the chest in front of my bed. It was a companionable silence, yet loaded with so many unanswered questions. I would save them until things were more settled.
After finishing, we dropped the plates off in the kitchen before heading to the garden. Rynn already waited for us at the archway. I took a deep breath before entering, telling myself nothing could change what happened before. All I could do was clean up the mess.
I walked inside and took in the chaos that reigned everywhere. Dead, withered plants lay strewn across the stone path, along with a few that struggled to hold on a little longer. The magic surge I’d sent that night had most likely allowed them that much of a chance. I could almost feel them crying out to me for help now, and it broke my heart. They’d had to wait days for me to return.
There was an awful stench of decay and rot, but I tried my best to ignore that.
Clearing my throat, I looked at Darrow and Rynn. “If you two can handle the cleanup, I’ll take care of the survivors.”
“Anything you need, Aella,” Rynn said, blue eyes full of sympathy.
Darrow nodded.
I went to the fallen crunchertrap first. Half the petals with their sharp teeth were missing from the flower and most of its leaves, but it still lifted a little at my approach. The poor thing had fought a good battle. I traced its roots, which extended just beyond the side of the path and found it had dug in there.
“I’m going to get you back into your home, okay?”
It lay still as if that was its way of giving permission.
First, I went and grabbed a trowel and special mulch from the back, carefully stepping around the debris. Next, I went to work at the place where the cruncher trap had been before. They’d always been proud to be guardians of the entrance, and I wouldn’t take that away from my remaining one. I loosened the dirt, mixing the rich soil within it. There were plenty of dead and decaying bugs mixed within that it could absorb through its roots until it could eat a proper meal again.
After finishing, I lifted the limp plant, extracting its roots with care. It trusted me completely and didn’t fuss. I kneeled and settled it into its preferred home, holding it upright. The plant was too weak to stand tall on its own.
I closed my eyes and began chanting a special spell my mother taught me right after I gained my magic. My power flowed through me into the crunchertrap. With each line I recited, its color returned, and it grew stronger until it didn’t need my help anymore. The stalk was thicker and stronger, and the start of new petals peeked from the center. Within a few days, it would likely improve to almost as good as before. The spell had given it a substantial boost to grow faster.
Rising to my feet, I caught Darrow piling fae body parts onto the walkway. There were a shocking number of them. “How many soldiers do you think died in here?”
