Page 8 of A Blightress of Wrath
Ihad known she’d seek me out again, butIdidn’t know ifI’dbe able to push her out completely now thatIcarried the power of aBaron.
Iheard her tsk at my thoughts. “Karus, we are even more entwined now that you’ve taken half of the power ofBaron.Whenwill you accept this?”
Isqueezed my eyes shut and addressed her there in the corner of my mind where her vines of obsidian wove through the space in a knotted web. “Iwon’t.”Iswallowed hard. “Iwon’t ever accept it.Youmurder, you steal, you kill the forest you gave power to.WhywouldIallow you into my life?Whatreason have you ever given me to do so?”
Revichstirred.
“Ionly kill those who deserve death.Yourfather arrived in my lands to hurt me, andIkilled him for it.BaronEreythwas weak and would have hurt those channelers more than help them.”
Revichstretched his arms out around me and rolled to his back, pulling me with him.Ifollowed his movements, doing my best to keep him sleeping whileItried to understand her words.
“Baron…Ereyth?TheBaronwho went mad and murdered his channelers after theirOfferings?Youkilled him?”
Overone hundred years ago, that event had set off a spiral of distrust toward any futureBaronofFelgren.ThoughtheLadyof theSpireandMadameof theMountainsat the time had decided to continue to let their channelers be taken to train inFelgren, theQueenofHyrithiahad not.Andso, for a hundred years, no channeler born in the city could be given anOffering.Thatwas untilBaronHeimlencreated a deadly disease inHyrithia, offering the cure if theQueenhanded him me.
“Hedeserved it.Hehad abused his channelers before.Iknow some of what goes on in the heads ofBarons.”
Ididn’t like that. “So, you’re calling yourself a hero now?AndIshould just forgive you for what you’ve done because you have good intentions?”
“Myintentions are for us,LittleSprout.Cometo me.Bringyour lover if you must, but come.Wecan be together as intended.Isee how you wish to help your people.Ican aid in that.Whenmy power is restored,wecan help the people you love together.Motherand daughter ruling the isle side by side in a greater realm than we could ever achieve on our own.”
“Bystealing people’s power to wield for ourselves?”Ipressed the palms of my hands to my eyes, wishingIcould shut her out entirely.
“Itismypower.Ithas been taken fromme.”
“Yougave it away to the forest!Youcannot just take it back.”
“Whatchoice didIhave?” her dark voice seethed. “Iwas young,Iwas foolish and reckless.Imade a choice thatIthought would make me loved.Instead,Ibroke, and centuries later,Ifound you.Youwere always meant to be mine.Beloved?Whydo you think that name suits you so well?”
“BecauseIchose?—”
“Becauseyouareloved.Youhave been loved by me when you grew inArah’sbelly, just as you love the babe in yours.EverythingIhave done was forus.EverythingIcontinue to do is forus.Forour family,Karus.Andyou will see.Iwill do whatImust to make you see.”
Revich’shands brushed my face as tears fell freely down my cheeks.Hepulled me to his chest, rocking me in his arms as my body trembled.
“Icannot love you.Iam sorry for you, butIcannot love you,Visalia.”
Silence.
Mywords to her lingered in silence.
“Speakto him.SpeaktoAdaynth, and then tell me how sorry you really are.”
Revichheld me tighter to his chest, letting my last tears fall.Myface pressed into him whereI’dnever leave as long as he let me stay.Andhe’d let me stay forever.
TheBlightresshad gone.Herlast words to me had come hard and chilled.WordsI’drather not follow.
Iwiped my hand under my nose and whispered intoRevich’ssoft, black waves, “Howcan we make the world better for our child?Whatcan we do for her, so that she grows more loved than we ever were?”
Hesmoothed the hair from my face, pulling his thumbs across my wet cheeks. “Her?”
“Yes.Her.”
Hisface lit.Evenin the dark,Isaw joy produce from his eyes so blue.Forthe first time sinceI’dmet him,Iwatched as his power poured from his skin.Itlifted in smokey tendrils of a deep blue that hazed around his body.
“Agirl?You’resure?”
Inodded.Ididn’t know howIknew we were having a daughter.Ijust knew.
