Page 101 of A Blightress of Wrath
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WemetClairanniaandFiguerahin the forest, both of them dressed similarly in a gown of red and a gown of silver.
“IwishNyeimahcould see this,”Icalled toFiguerahas she turned to show the movement of her dress.
“Iplan to bring it back with me whenIreturn.”Sheheld her hands out to me, andIkissed her cheek, thenClairannia’s, careful to avoid smearing their paint.
“Howare you feeling tonight?”
Ishrugged, squeezingFiguerah’shand in reassurance. “Heavyand hungry.Sameas usual.”
“Iam very much looking forward to finding out just what these faeries eat!”Clairanniaexclaimed, grabbing my other hand, guiding us onto the path that would lead toTheSunWhichDoesNotSleep.Thethree of us followed the path that wove deep into the trees, glowing in a display of warm, golden sun.
Revichfollowed close by, giving us time to predict just what we were about to see.Moirahad told us at least a dozen times that humans were not allowed to join in the festivities ofTheSunWhichDoesNotSleepand that we’d been given special permission by theGrowersdue to the decimation of theBlightinFelgren.
Wetrekked deep into the forest, andIwas thankfulIhad worn the simple sandalsFiguerahhad brought me to fit my swollen feet.Weheard music and laughter up ahead, rifling through the trees in a joyous revelry.
“Karus,”Revichmumbled in a reminder.Inodded and sent my shield of green power around us, letting the haze of it dim as it blended with a blue shield of his own.
“Wecan’t see everything if we’re like this,”Figuerahcomplained.
“Nomore risks,”Revreplied, then moved in front of us to lead the rest of the way.
Wereached a wide field of tall grass where the sun indeed was not sleeping in the sky as it poured its heat and rays of gold down onto the various puddles of water cut into the clearing.Eachbody of water was circular in shape with a circumference of summer blooms.Thesun reflected over every glassy surface, illuminating a glow over the span of creatures who danced, sang, and laughed before us.
I’dnever seen so many bodies at once in every shape and size imaginable.Aflutter of pixies, even smaller thanMoira, flitted by while sprinkling something behind them in their wake.Anenormous tree with the bodily shape of a woman swayed nearby to the beat of the drums, her hair forming as the branches of the tree, blooming in white flowers.MoreGrowersthanIhad ever seen at once moved languidly around the open space, two of them tossing what looked like little sapling children into the air.
Themusic came from fae in the center of the field covered in green vines blooming in purple, pink, and yellow.Theysat in a circle, playing on instruments they must have built from the forest.Thesefae looked the most like humans with similar shades of skin and long flowing hair.
“Thefae warriors,”Revichwhispered in my ear as we gawked at the celebration and the creatures dancing in celebration of the longest day of summer.
“Theylook like us,”Istated in disbelief.
“Theymost surely are not human,” he replied, pulling me to the long fallen tree draped in fae foods.
ClairanniaandFiguerahwere already there, filling a stiff green leaf with fruit and whatIcould only guess was a nut paste.Ihurriedly joined them, filling a leaf the size of my head with a little bit of everything.Thefour of us humans sat on a log, facing the dancers near the fae warriors as they played their songs hard and fast, the branches and legs of the fae moving to the rhythm with a mesmerizing ease.
Idipped a rolled flower into the paste, my tongue delighting in its smooth texture with the crunch of dried petals.Revbrought an enormous crimson strawberry to my mouth andIbit down, its juice trickling along my chin.Hecaught a drop on his thumb, bringing it to his mouth to lick.Ilaughed, the sound a common theme in the celebration which honored the sun descending slowly toward the horizon.
Hourslater,Ileaned intoRevich’sshoulder, watchingClairanniaandFiguerahdance together, holding hands and twirling around to avoid the puddles of water still glinting in the last glow as the sun began its sleep.
Weswayed slightly to the song, andIrubbed my hips, an ache settling in deep and unrelenting.Revichrubbed my back, turning toward the sun setting low in the sky, murmuring in my ear, “SoIwill see you at dusk, said the moon to the sun.”Hepointed into the darkening sky above us, the moon showing her silvery face already in the hazy blue of twilight.
Ihummed, pushing on my belly whereIcould feelSaelyn’sbody, tight and heavy.
Iheaved a breath and he placed his hand over mine asking, “Areyou ready to go?You’reshifting around quite a bit tonight.”
Iscrunched my face, a tight pull racing across my taut skin, squeezing my insides before releasing.Itook another deep breath.Myface flushed, even through the cool breeze of a summer night.
“I’msuddenly very uncomfortable,”Iadmitted, taking more deep breaths in and out.Revichreached into his pocket, pulling out the rhyzolm.Itvibrated across his palm, convincing us both thatSaelynwas well and healthy inside my womb.
Anotherstretch of tightening drew across my belly, andIyelped, bending to relieve the heaviness.
“Clairannia!”Revichcalled, cupping his hand at his mouth.Shecouldn’t hear us in the echoes of laughter and strings being pulled and plucked with the beat of drums in the shape of mushrooms.
“Sithere and do not move,”Revichordered, guiding me to the stump of a tree. “Shieldup.I’llbe right back.”
Idid as he said, pulling from the well of power at my core and producing a haze of green, like emerald glass.
