Page 109 of A Conduit of Light
“Karus!Stop!” he yelled over her cry of anguish, his words unheeded.
Thesnow came next, thick and frozen, slicing across his face in a flurry of a late winter blizzard.Inseconds, the ground was white, and she stopped her scream, holding her legs to her chest, sobbing into her knees.
“Karus!BaronRevich!”
Heheard their call behind him and they rushed to her side, their dark hair flecked with patches of snow.
“Karus, we’re here.It’sokay.”Clairanniasat next to her, pulling her shaking body into an embrace.
“Whathappened?What’sgoing on?”Figuerah’seyes were wild with fear, her chest gasping and she shook him, his gaze never leavingKaruson the hard ground.
Heshook his head, finally looking to her face. “Shedoesn’t know me.Shedoesn’t know whoIam.”
“What?”
“Sheasked whoIwas and then…and then she screamed.Snowstarted to fall, and she…she doesn’t know me,Figuerah.”
“Revich.Getyourself together.Weneed to get her back to theFortress.BaronHeimlenisdead.Weneed to get his body back, too.”
Sheturned to kneel in front ofKarus, brushing her hair back, lifting her face.Therewas no recognition.Norealization crossed her features, and tears ran down her broken cheeks as she looked around wildly, sobbing in uncontrollable heaves.
Hestepped forward, falling on his knees in front of her.
“Karus…please.”
Shepressed her back against the tree, panic crossing her face as her eyes darted between the three of them—between the three people who loved her most.
Shebent her head back, looking up into the night sky, swirls of snow falling upon her face.Hereyes lulled as she fainted, her head tilting to the side.
Hesaw it coming and caught her in his hands, both women looking to him now for guidance.
Lookingat the newBaronofFelgren.
“Figuerah, call the lumens.Theycan carryHeimlen’sbody back to theFortress.Pompeiiwill know what to do from there.”
Shewas up in a swift moment, her fingers pressed into her mouth and a high-pitched whistle pierced the muffled fall of snow.
“Clairannia,Ineed you to assess if anything is broken.Doesshe need treatment immediately?”
“Herpulse is strong and her breathing seems within a normal range.”
ClairanniapulledKarus’sfeet out from underneath her body and bent each one, pulling her skirts up to look for blood or obvious bone.Sheexamined her arms and chest next before hesitating, touching her hair, shaking her head at the streaks of white throughout.
“Itlooks like nothing’s broken.Myguess is…she has suffered something traumatic enough to cause”—she gestured around—“all of this.Andshe needs rest.”
“Thankyou.”
Heslid his arm underneathKarus’sknees, pulling her torso to his chest with the other.
“Thelumens are here!”Figuerahcalled to them and moments later he heard the pounding of their massive feet.
Parvusran straight for him, sniffing at his rider’s skirts and hair, whining in protest.
“Aren’tyou going to carry her on one of the lumens?”Figuerahasked, petting the beast’s head in a reassuring calm.
“I’mgoing to carry her back to theFortressmyself.”
“Idon’t think—”
