Page 65 of A Conduit of Light
Shearrived at the body moments later, tangled in vines, and she reached out, lifting its lifeless paw, hoping to find the creature she had come to save.
Herdragonfly wings were crumpled and smeared with black mud, her legs bleeding and at an odd angle, crushed into the rotten soil.Buther eyes blinked open slightly, the purple hue glazed over.ShepickedMoiraup, cradling her small frame in her arms.
“Karus!”Revich’svoice boomed again in the quiet haze, panicked and angry. “Whereare you?Karus!”
“Here!” she yelled and turned.
Themist was thick.Shecould no longer see the tree she had climbed, nor even the body of the cat-like creature as obsidian vines encircled the ground beneath her, groaning and creaking, moving along the black floor like a nest of vipers.
SheheldMoiraclose to her chest, her breath coming in short puffs as she chose a direction and stumbled through the thicket, hoping against the odds that she was heading towardRevichand not deeper into theBlight.
Momentslater, he grabbed her arm from behind, whipping her around in a frenzy, squeezing her shoulders, grabbing her chin and moving her head up, touching every part of her face looking for signs of harm.
Hedidn’t speak.
Notanother word was uttered from his pursed lips, his jaw looking as if it would break in the force he placed upon it.Heglanced down finally at the faerie she held, her arms cradling her like a wounded child.
Hepried one of her hands free andKaruswas left to hold on toMoirawith only one arm, his fingers cold and pressing.Hepulled her through theBlightwith the swift determination of a man full of fear and anger, and she wondered how he knew which way to go.Everythingwas cold mist and black rot to her as she stumbled to keep up with him.
Whenthey met the forest’s edge, he pulled her out first and she almost tumbled to the ground before he caught her, helping her stay upright.
“Youdon’t need to be so harsh.”
“Apparently,Ido.”
Helet go of her finally, running a black-streaked hand through his hair, some of the inky decay smearing across his face.
Karuslooked down toMoiranestled into the crook of her arm, whispering kind words of promise that she would live.ShewishedClairanniawas there to help ease her pain.Shecould possibly even heal her completely.
Shedid the best she could, mumbling to her magic what she hoped to achieve.Darkgreen light encircled the faerie’s broken legs and ran across her delicate face which looked so innocent now, unlike the wild thing she had encountered weeks ago when she had been lost in the forest.Karuscould see her chest raise and lower, and she sighed in relief.
Shedidn’t want to look up.Sheknew he was angry.Infact, she could almost feel the heat of his gaze on her as he paced the edge of the forest.
“Weneed to get her back to theFortress.ClairanniaorBaronHeimlencan—”
“Youneed to understand something right now,Karus,” he interrupted, and she finally looked his way, wincing when she saw his eyes.Theywere black.Therewere no signs of the deep blue she loved that seemed to change with his mood.
“I’msorry.IknowIwent too far.Irealized it quickly andIshould have waited for you.ButIsaved her.Thatwas worth—”
“Thatwas worthnothing.Doyou even realize what happened in there?Doyou understand that as soon as you were away from me, the mist poured over every inch of that place?”Heshook his head and looked to the sky, cheery and light blue, a contrast to the thunder in his voice.
“Isaw it,” she stated, her own anger rising.
“Andstill you persisted.Whatif you had been lost to me?Whatif you went too far?Karus, we don’tknowmuch about theBlight.Verylittle, in fact, and yet you stroll into it as if a path to your purpose is laid out in gold stone.Asif youownthe damn place!Youwere careless, foolish, and selfish.”
“Iwasnotselfish!Iwent in there to find her!TheBlightwas taking another life andIcouldn’t stand the thought of it.Youheard her cry—you heard how close she was to death!AndImade it out.I’malive and so are you and so is she and that was worth—”
“Itis not worth what you risked!”Hestormed to her then in a few short steps and grasped her shoulders, shaking them slightly. “Yourlife is not worth the risk you took!Doyou not yet understand?Doyou not yet see what is so obvious?”
Hecupped her cheeks, the features on his face struggling to keep calm, pain crossing each one as he glared into her eyes. “Youare connected to thisBlight.Maybeit wants you.Maybeit needs you—Idon’t fucking care about the motive,Karus.It.Can’t.Have.You.Itcan’t have a single damn part of you, andIswear, if you ever do something so stupid again,Iwill march you back toHyrithiamyself and tell theQueento lock you up for your own good.”
“Itwasn’t as bad asthat.You’reexaggerating because you’re afraid.”Shemoved out of his touch. “I’mfine.TheBlightis just more powerful thanIgave it credit for and—”
Hemoved behind her then, his body no longer blocking the view to the edge of theBlight.
Sheinhaled sharply.
Itwas growing.
