Page 152 of A Blightress of Wrath
Welistened to the chatter and just asIhad at the time, theBlightressdid not miss the sudden stiffness inPah-Pah’sback at the mention of my seventeenth birthday.
“Yourfather madeKaruspromise to raise you under her protection for seventeen years.”
“Youknow about that?”
“Iheard his begging to your mother, yes.”
“Andstill you tore them apart?”Ifisted my hands at my sides, hearingPah-Pah’swords of what was worth risking in my life.
“Icare naught for your father.Heis just aBaron.”
“Doyou not see it?”Ipleaded. “Youare hundreds of years old and still you cannot understand what you have done.Youbroke my mother.Shewas happy.Shewas powerful and using it for the good of her people.Youtore that from them.Howcan you call that love?”
Pah-Pahfinished his words of wisdom.Wordsthat had stayed with me from that moment on. “Thesame,Sae.Thesame life we have always lived.”
TheBlightresslashed, “Shechose that life.Shecould have been happy at my side.Ieven offered for her to take your father with us if she was so attached to him, and still she refused.”
Iopened my mouth to argue, but she grabbed my hand and grinned wide, calling my name again.
Chapter68
Saelyn
I WAS FIFTEEN AND WORRIED I WAS IN LOVE
Theblindinglight of the summer sun flashed and even theBlightresswinced, shading her iridescent eyes with her pale hand.
PastThevinandIwere lying in the field of yellow flowers and he had just called me “Pip”, short for pipsqueak.Ibristled, already beginning to admit howIloved him, irritated at being thought of as a child at fifteen years old.
“Youoffered her a half life,”Ispat, continuing our conversation from the last scene of my past. “Shewould have kept him at her side, watching you dictate her life and take everything from people of the isle.Isee why she hates you,”Icontinued, no longer caring to be careful with my words.Theyspilled from me like water gushing downstream, andIhad no desire to hold them back. “Youare nothing but a selfish woman, unable to attain what you wanted in life, so you’ll just take whatever you deem yours.”
Hereyes flashed a shade of crimson and she waved her hand as if this was nothing more than a tiring charade she was done performing for. “Saelyn,” she called smugly, and we left, my time to convince her of whatIneeded running thin.
Chapter69
Saelyn
I WAS FOURTEEN AND I WAS CLEVER
Felgrenwinters were short,but unforgiving.
Myyounger self had been out here, practicing magic alone and unsupervised beforePah-Pahfound me, giving me a scolding for using magic whenIwas supposed to wait calmly to learn.
“Mymother didn’t let me practice my power,”Iadmitted, folding my arms across my chest. “Shewas trying to keep you from knowing anything about me.”
“Unfortunately, she succeeded,” theBlightressagreed. “AllIknew was that you had the power to reverse time.”Anicy smile crossed her lips as fourteen year old me did just that, taking back the spell to heal the frozen plant and taking back the scoldingPah-Pahhad warned would come if my mother knew. “Butonly by a few moments.Iguessed it was you who had discovered it within yourself.”Shehummed. “Adaynthalways did have the knack for creating spells of his own.”
Istarted. “Adaynth?ThefirstBaronofFelgren?”
“Yourmother has not told you everything, then.”
Ibit my lip. “Whatdoes he have to do with me?”
Hereyes swept to mine, dark with secretsIdidn’t know were hidden. “Adaynthwas the father of my child.AndIhave long suspected he played a part in the power you’ve been given,Saelyn.”
Uponher voicing my name, we flashed away again.
Mylast chance loomed ahead.
