Page 7 of A Blightress of Wrath
Ibrought my attention back to my friends. “Clairannia,I’lltake that list of foods to eat when you have it.Andyes, you warned us plenty about what could happen if we kept skipping the styris tea.Thischild was not intended, but it is wanted and loved.”Shenodded emphatically, unable to hide her glowing excitement.
“Figuerah,Idon’t know how we’re getting to theAttatokMountainsto pick up the new channelers now, but we’d love if you’d help us.”Igestured to the two green portals. “Revich’sportals allow one beating heart to enter before they close.Iwon’t be able to enter one until he can fix that orIhave this child.”
Figuerahtook her companion’s hand, confirming, “Whenyou’re ready to leave,NyeimahandIwill guide you there.”
“Moira.”Iturned to my faerie friend in her gown of crimson petals. “Youwere right.Andyou were the first one to recognize what was happening.I’dlove to see that field of flowers where faeries are born someday.”
Asharp toothed smile lit her face.
Revichtugged on our clasped hands, andIturned just in time to seeMychaelstep through one of the portals.Ina moment, he was gone.Revmade a motion with his other hand and the second portal disappeared in a flash of light.
Hepulled me to his chest, cradling my head into his neck as he addressed the crowd. “Thankyou everyone, for your congratulations.Weare just as shocked as you are of this news.KarusandIwill now excuse ourselves.Pleaseenjoy the rest of the party and celebrate for us.Mychaelhas gone to explain our situation toGeyrandandVivianna, andIwill retrieve him soon.”
Wrappinghis arm around my waist,Revpulled us toward theFortress, giving a final wave to our people who cheered, calling for the celebration to last the night.
Asthe music faded behind us,Ilet my emotions seep to him.Throughour companion bond, he’d be able to pick up on everythingIwas feeling.Ilaid my head on his shoulder as we walked in the late spring evening.
Isent him my surprise, my excitement, my awe in how our lives were forever changed.Butstrongest,Isent him my love.Isent the spring breeze ofFelgrenthrough his hair, over his cheeks, ruffling the linen of his sleeves.Isummoned the scent of strawberry blooms from where they grew near theFortress; his favorite fruit.Igrew him a trail of creeping ivy that wove through the path before us; his favorite color.Ibent the trees to the west so that the setting sun could shine on his face; his favorite warmth.
“You’remy favorite warmth,” he murmured in my ear, pulling me closer while we walked.
Thedense line of trees thinned, and the cold stone fortress we’d made into our home rose from the forest.Whenour boots met the bottom of the dark staircase, he turned my shoulders, cupping my face.Iclosed my eyes and tilted my head, leaning into his grasp.Hegently pulled my head back, urging me to look him in the eyes.
Nota fleck of black rose through the ocean blue.Nota single hint of the power ofBaronpeered out from his gaze.ThesewereRevich’seyes.Hismother’s eyes.Hopefully, the eyes of our child to come.
Hefilled his lungs, confessing, “Ido not love you more.Thatwould be impossible to do.”
Ilaughed, shaking my head and pulled his wrist to my lips to kiss.Onceagain, and just as gently as before, he moved my face back to look at him.
“ButIwant you to know something,” he continued.Hebrushed his lips across mine, passing over my cheek, my jaw, my neck, before his hands left my face, sliding down to my waist as he lowered to his knees.Hebent his head to my stomach, declaring, “Karus,Ipromise to spend my life loving you and our child.Iwill do whateverImust to keep you both happy and safe.Thisis a vowIwill not break.”
Helifted his head to meet my eyes asIwove my fingers through his black waves.Hecontinued, “Icould not love you more, but our child…our childIwill continue to grow to love.Everythinghas changed.EverythingIthought before…everythingIthoughtIwanted…”Heshook his head, sliding his hands up and down my waist. “Allof it feels so insignificant.”
Ilowered to the first step, sitting soIcould pull his face to mine. “It’salright, my love.Itwill take time to adjust, but we still want the same things.Wewill still be able to do the same things for this world that we’ve been working toward.”Ikissed him, adding, “We’lljust have even more reason to do it.”
Ipressed his head to my chest where he murmured, “We’rehaving a child.”
“We’rehaving a child.”
“We’regoing to be parents together.”
Ikissed the top of his head, laughing. “We’regoing to be parents together.”
Hewrapped his arms around my back, kissing my cheek as the sun slivered into a thin line of gold, broken through the trees across the horizon. “Willyou wait here with me for a little while?” he murmured.
Ibreathed in the forest, his scent of pine and earth more recognizable to me now than my own. “BaronRevich,Iwould wait with you forever.”
* * *
“Ifyou doubtedour fates were tied,LittleSprout, you carry even more proof.”
Myeyes shot open in the lingering dark.Thefire in our hearth continued to burn and glancing at the clock onRev’sbedside table, dawn was still hours away.
Hisface was nestled into my belly, his arms wrapped under and over me.Iattempted to slow my pulse so that he would not wake.
TheBlightressspoke to me in my mind for the first time sinceIhad faced her in the conduit trials.They’dbeen almost two months ago, and not a snarl nor threat had come from her.
Ihad known that wouldn’t last.
