Page 106 of A Blightress of Wrath
“Ido not know.I…Itried to leave once.”Shelowered her eyes from mine. “Ina moment of weakness,Iconvinced myselfIcould leave you just for a moment.Justlong enough to return him toFelgrenwithout theBlightressknowingIwas not there to continue the shield.Iattempted a portal into that cave.Youwere three years old.”
“And?”Iurged.
Shelifted her head, meeting my eyes once more. “Hekept me out.Icannot portal there.Heuses his ownBaronpower to fuel a shield around the cave.NeithertheBlightressnorIcan break it.”
“Thenwhat do we do?”Ipersisted. “Howdo we save my father and stop her?”
“That’stheDimming,Saelyn.Itwill take hundreds of magic wielders and those who carry swords to break through theBlightLineand put her to sleep.”
Ishook my head and huffed. “Tosleep?You’regoing to save the isle by making her fall asleep?”
“Wecannot kill her without killing all channelers and conduits on the isle.Sheis connected to everything.So, yes, we will force her into a deep sleep, and the power ofBaronwill be used to subdue her in a room underneath theFortress.TheBaronpower will pass on eventually, but she will continue to slumber.”
Ithought for a moment, a sweep of exhaustion settling in.Finally,Inodded, resolute to do whatImust in this war and reunite my parents. “Isee now why she wants me, butIwould never be hers.Iwould never love her, so why does she still try?”
Mymother brushed my hair with her hand. “Shesees you as her granddaughter.Asthe only family left who could possibly love her.Youare young and she is ancient.Shebelieves that with time, you could love her and shape the isle to her creation.Shehas gone mad after centuries alone in this world.Ithas nothing to do with who you are,Saelyn.”
Inodded at that, rubbing at my eyes and smearing the kohl swept across them.
“Come.”Sherose and pulled me up with her. “Let’sget some rest.There’smuch more to discuss tomorrow.”
Shefolded down the yellow quilt across her bed, andIfell into it, overtaken by the day and night’s events.Slippingin beside me, she bent and kissed my cheek as she’d done on the good nights whenIwas a child.
Iclosed my eyes, plagued by the sorrow of my father’s last words to her that night.
I’llnever forgive myself.
Chapter48
Thevin
“Earlymorning swim?”Iasked, watchingLannasweep her blonde wet hair into a plait.
“Everymorning at dawn,” she replied with a wolfish grin.
“AttheHatchery?”Iasked casually, wondering if she’d heard of my interlude with one of the aurum fish.
“It’sthe strangest thing,” she said, confounded. “Oneof the attendants informed me that swimming in theHatcherywill be closed for a few days to settle the fish from some brute who attacked them.”
Inodded in agreement, keeping my arms folded at my chest and looking down at my boots.
Shecontinued, “Somethingabout a man riding alongside one of them then—smack!Anotherone knocked him out clean and his lover had to dive in to save him.”
Mycheeks burned. “Hislover?”Iquestioned in a narrowed squint.
Sheflipped her braid behind her back, hands on her hips, grinning in delight. “Hislover.”
“Thatisnotwhat happened,”Imumbled, shifting off the wall and checking my baldric for the third time sinceIhad woken.
Lannaflicked her favorite dagger between her fingers, running her tongue across her teeth. “Enlightenme, fish rider.”
Isighed, rolling my eyes. “Alright.It’sall true except the lover part.”
Shekeeled over in laughter, grabbing her knees for support.
Ichuckled alongside her. “Sorryyou had to swim in the canals.”
“No, no,” she started, wiping at the tears in her eyes, “the full story from you will be worth it.WhatIwouldn’t pay to have seen that.”
