Page 143 of A Blightress of Wrath
Adome of blue caught my eye across the valley, andIleaned forward, squinting in disbelief.
Theswirl of azure power covered what seemed to be a dark hole leading underground.
“Couldthat be…”Itrailed, thinking of my father’s magic and whatIknew of it.
“Ithink you brought us to your father,Sae,”Thevinbegan, then pointed across the land to a distant base of the hill to our left.Asmall party trekked through the snow, led by a woman in easily identifiable black skirts and vest. “Andyour mother has come to save him.”
Chapter60
Thevin
BaronKaruswaseasy to spot.Icounted at least a dozenRunnerswith her, dressed all in black and failing to blend in with the white landscape that should have beenBlightcovering the land.Therest of the party, around a dozen more,Icould not identify except for the glowing hands of theKing.
Hetrudged through the four feet of snow behind her and together they left a wake for the others to follow.
“Wehave to get down there,”Saesaid with chattering teeth.
Itruly did not want to.
Ihad spent the last hour in a panic—no magic, no blankets, no way to tell ifSaewould wake, no way to heal her wound that had spilled her blood all over this cursed snow.
IfI’dbeen given the power ofFelgren, we’d be gone by now, forIwould have waved my arms every which way in an attempt to create a portal to lead us back home.
IfI’dbeen given the chance to change our future with magic,I’dhave wrapped her in a spell of warmth instead of holding her as close to my own body asIcould, begging whatever forces would listen to keep her warm enough and keep her alive in this desolate, broken wasteland.
Whateveror whomever it was who watched over us, my pleading through frozen tears had been answered.Boroshad found his way to us and through his mass and heavy fur, he’d been able to keep the blue from her lips better thanIcould.
ItookSae’shand at the top of the hill and helped her onto his back, jumping on behind her.Iwrapped an arm around her stomach and bent us forward to shelter her from the bitter chill of this damned winter landscape.TheRunnersspotted us of course, silently signaling down the line at the black spot moving down the hill.
TheBarondid not use her power to melt our way, andIsuspected it was for the same reasonIhad advisedSaenot to use hers.BaronKarushesitated for only a moment as she pushed through the snow with her hands tucked under her arms.Herwhite hair had clumped into frozen crystals.Shedidn’t call out.Shedidn’t wave or gesture at seeing her daughter ride a lumen down the hill.Instead, she heldSae’sgaze, her typically black eyes turning a piercing green.Herteeth chattered, but she continued on toward the swirling blue that rose a few feet from the layers of snow.
Wecaught up to the back line ofRunnersandWieldwryns.
“Whathappened?”IaskedAeytah, noticing the long scratches down her ripped medicus skirts.
“Theywere o-on us so fast,” she said through her teeth. “Beforewe realized…half the f-forces fell into theBlightress’sblack portal behind us.Wedidn’t find them.”
Ihopped down fromBorosand gestured to her torn skirts. “MayI?”
Shenodded, her entire body shaking.Iripped the top layer of her skirts, splattered in flecks of blood, and wrapped the fabric around her tightly as a makeshift cloak.
Shestuttered her thanks andIcontinued my questioning. “Howdid you end up here?”
“TheBaroncalled us to her portals.Sh-Shecould only make so many.Shesaid ifSaelynwas lost to theBlightress, our only hope would b-be to get toBaronRevichfor help.”Shepulled her improvised cloak tighter. “Herportals landed us half a mile back.”
“Whathappened to theRunnersandWieldwrynswho didn’t make it into one of her portals?”Saeasked.
Aeytahshook her head solemnly.
“Boros,”Saecalled, “get to my mother.Hurry.”
Shetightened her legs on his back, andIreached out a hand to stop him. “I’mcoming, too.”
Saecalled to her mother as we neared the front of the line.
Shedidn’t turn.Shedidn’t even look back, butKingPhiliusdid.
Hiseyes were a golden blaze of light—fury and desperation across his features. “There’sno reasoning with her!” he called. “She’sdoing this with or without our help.”
