Page 103 of A Blightress of Wrath
“Now,I’llhave to kill them all,” her voice called. “Yourfriends, your lover.Oh,LittleSprout,Iam sorry to inform you thatThalia’ssacrifice was in vain.Youstill cannot stop me, nor should you try.”
Thetaunting in her words frightened me beyond any fearI’dknown before.Istruggled to rise from the dirt, begging forRevichto help.
Hedid not.
“Helpme!”Icried, reaching up for him as he stood, staring into the dark forest behind us.Itwisted my head to look.Moira’sviolet light cast a haunting glow on what prowled our way, illuminating twoBlightbeasts.
Iknew them both.TheBlightresshad brought what remained ofParvusandRauca, both of them patched with remnants of their fur, even through the black vines of theBlightdigging under their skin and around their jowls.
Moirashot forward in a purple stream without a word, bouncing off of their maws as they snapped at her in the air, jumping high to reach her with their black teeth.Thebeast which was once mine bit down on her wing, shaking her tiny body, and flicking her across the path where she landed in a sickening slap against a tree and lay still as death.
“Moira!”Iscreamed, then turned toRevich, pulling on his arm again. “Helpme up!Weneed to get to them!”
Hebent instead, meeting my face with his, his hands holding my head as he stroked my tear and paint-stained cheeks. “Giveme twenty years,Karus.Iknow how to stop her for that long.Iknow what to do with her heart, but you need to give me twenty years.”
Astumbling laugh escaped my lips. “Youcannot be serious.Ourfriends are hurt!Helpme up right now!”
Igripped his shirt, now smeared with red paint of a demorte bloom.Hislip trembled. “Ihave loved you since the momentIknew of you.”Hereached down to my belly, pressing a hand there and murmuring, “Remolyn.”
Thepain subsided and my body relaxed.Blueswirls of power spread over my belly, butIdid not look away from his face, gripping his arm harder. “Helpme up,Revich!”Iscreamed through gritted teeth.Hepressed his lips to mine in a hard kiss that was no kiss at all in my cries.
Hervoice echoed through the wind again, closer this time. “Whydo you draw this out when we could be gone from all this death and pain?”
Revichmoved to rise, butIrefused to let go, my nails pressing into the chilled skin of his arms. “Wecan both go,”Ireasoned, my voice a stutter as my teeth chattered. “We-we can make it back to theFortress, andIwill bring our child into this world, and then we can follow your plan.”
Hetook a deep breath through his open mouth, murmuring low, “Saelynmust be shielded at all times.Youare strong enough to do this.Ican keep her heart subdued and weak, but neither you norSaelyncan leave this forest until it is time.”
Ipulled at his shirt, his pants, his skin, slicing a gash across his neck.Itore at anythingIcould grab, trying to rise with him, falling back down to the earth, keeled over in another wave of pain.Hishand shifted over my hair before he turned away, forming a glowing portal of verdant green.
“Youwon’t do this,”Ibreathed, crawling toward him. “Youwould n-never leave me like this.”Mybody shook even asIfelt the undeniable pressure to push our child from my womb.
Hestood over me, the blue of his eyes piercing my soul, opening a woundIfeared would be the truth of each of my days if he left. “Thereis only one reasonIwould leave you.Tellme you know what it is.”
Icalled out in pain, reaching my hand out to him asIfell with my back to the wet earth, pleading for him to take it.
Hedid.Instantly, he was there.Thetears had finally come, spilling down his face as it crumbled.Hekissed my forehead, whispering the spell of easing the spasms across my womb once more.Hetook my face in his hands. “Tellme you understand whyIhave to go.”
Ishook my head, denying it. “No.NoIwill not understand.Theremust be another way.There—”Igrunted, holding my breath through the wave of pain. “Theremust be?—”
“Twodecades is nothing,” he lied, his voice shaking as he sniffed, squeezing my hand tightly in his.
“Youwon’t do it,”Icried. “Youwon’t leave me.”
“Imust.Ican save you and stop her from taking our child.Thereis no other choice.”Hisvoice wavered, “She’llbe so perfect,Karus.You’llbring her into this world beautifully.”
Istifled my scream, the haze of my shield breaking in the agony.Iheaved in and out rapidly, gripping his hand with all my strength. “Youcan go forone,”Ibargained in a whimper. “Youwill come back inoneyear, andIwill have s-something new planned.I-I’llspend all my time inViridislooking.”
“Saelyndeserves a life, too.Shedeserves her mother for all of it.”
“SHEDESERVESHERFATHER!”Ibellowed, my own voice echoing through the trees, carried on the wind.
“Seventeenyears then,” he promised. “Seventeenyears—how old you were whenIfirst saw your face, and then you’ll have an army trained and ready, just like we planned.Tellour daughterIam dead so she does not grow up fearing for my safety.Giveher a life of peace and sanctuary until the day comes where you can fight for what we’ve tried to build.Giveher a future,Karus.Thisis the only way she has one.”
Sobswracked my body in disbelief.Inmy desperation,Iripped his shirt sleeve, pleading, “Do.Not.Leave.Me.”
Hebent once more, kissing my temple and then my hand, forcing his rhyzolm into my palm, releasing his fingers from my rigid grip.Hestood as a shadow swept forward in a void of any kindness or love.TheBlightresswalked toward us on the path, a true symbol of the darknessIfeared was my future.Herblack skirts flowed behind her as she lifted the hem of her gown, stepping in casual footfall over bushes and leaves.
Rev’scomforting presence left my side as he stepped to his portal, murmuring back to me, “Ilove you,Karus.”
