A Baron of Bonds (Conduit of Light #2)

21. Rev

Chapter 21

Rev

Before I left the hall, I entered my borrowed room to just breathe. I was never disciplined around Karus, and tonight was no different.

By the Blightress, the way she felt pressed up against that wall, her breath leaving her body so rapidly, her lips red and full as she tried to speak…

I had learned some restraint in her presence in the last seven years, and I used it now, pacing my room, rubbing my face and attempting to focus. Thoughts of her undressing in the room next door and slipping bare into a warm bath did not help my current state, so I entered the washing room to splash cold water on my face.

She wanted to become companions tonight, and I felt no different. I’d bind to her anywhere, anytime at this point in our lives. If she was willing to throw all the planning for the ceremony we had already done out the window, so be it.

It was true, Clairannia would be the most hurt, followed by Figuerah and Pompeii, all three of which had helped us plan decorations and vows of binding. Clairannia herself was going to lead the ceremony as the conduit we’d chosen to conduct it.

I’d never heard of a completed companion ceremony with just the two to be bound, but I was more than willing to try.

I did not know where she had been the last sixteen days. I did not know what she had been through, but I was ready to listen when she was ready to speak, and if that was not now but after we were bound as one, I could accept that.

More focused, or as much as I ever would be for the night, I left the room, headed to the kitchens.

I’d been able to find my way around the castle and learn its halls somewhat while I was imprisoned there, waiting for Karus to land. Not long after I had found the rhyzolm in the grass, her pulse had dispersed. The pull from the stone was of her landing in varying places on the isle. First Hyrithia, then to the Spire, it would bounce across the Attatok Mountains, the Hallow Marshes, never landing more than a few moments before being pulled elsewhere again.

I couldn’t make sense of it, and what had initially led to panic, then led to a precision state of doing everything I could to find her. And that meant enrolling the resources of the powerful influence who was the Queen of Hyrithia.

I knew she would want to help, but I was also aware she would distrust me after learning of my lies.

Her attempted imprisonment, however, I did not expect. And though her band of amethyst did nothing to dull my power, I stayed to keep what little trust she held in me still.

I had to become resourceful in leading the expedition to find Karus. I had grown friendly with the guards and servants of the castle, channelers who I could sense with the rhyzolm.

Geyrand had been the most useful, quickly arriving after learning Karus lived, and I would forever be in his debt for finding her and bringing her back to me.

“Baron Revich!” Mierah almost dropped the kettle in surprise as she brought it to a teapot on the table in the castle kitchens. She set the kettle on a stone tile and put her hand to her chest with a demure grin.

“Good evening, Mierah. I require your assistance.” I placed my hands in my pockets and gripped the rhyzolm. Good. Karus was still somewhere upstairs.

“Me?” She shook her long black waves and moved around the table. “Shouldn’t you be with Ash—I mean, Karus right now?”

I inhaled in a hidden sigh. Mierah had done her best to flirt with me over the past weeks since my arrival, and her dislike of Karus was evident. I was cordial enough to her, sensing she held some channeler magic, but I was growing tired of her coquettish ways.

It’s true, I had used her fascination and attraction to me to be able to explore more of the castle and make more allies. She had been very useful, and though I did not wish to deceive her, I’d made it very clear her attempts at flirtations were useless.

“I just left her actually.”

Her face fell and she turned back to the table.

“Do you know of styris tea?” I asked hurriedly.

“Of course, but why would you need…” Realization lit her eyes and she frowned. “You plan to bond to her? Tonight?” She shook her head and crossed her arms, the unblemished olive skin of her face reddening.

“I do.” I stated simply, growing tired of this conversation already. “Where can I find it?” She huffed and spun around, her dark plum skirts and apron spinning with her. She headed to the dried goods pantry, and I helped myself to finding two mugs and a tray.

I filled another kettle with water and set it on the stove to heat, looking around for something that could suffice as a small dinner.

I heard Mierah rummaging around as I ladled two bowls of whatever soup had been made for the servant’s dinner that night. I couldn’t even think of eating, elated as I was, but I knew Karus had to be starving.

I cut two slices of bread from the fresh loaf on the table and gathered everything, ready to bring them back to my room before heading out to gather everything else we’d need for the night.

“Here.” Mierah slapped a cheesecloth satchel onto the table, tied with a piece of twine. “That should get you through the night at least,” she huffed.

I raised a brow, amused at her anger. It looked like enough styris tea to get us through at least a week. “Thank you, Mierah. And thank you for your help since I arrived. I wish you well.”

I turned to leave with the tea and tray when she called out to me. “I hope she deserves you, Baron Revich. From what I know of that woman, she doesn’t.”

I stopped and turned back around. “You’d speak so poorly of a woman you have not known for seven years?”

She scoffed. “I know people don’t change as much as you’d think. I know that when she lived here, she did not value her position as she should. She was selfish and reckless. She led Geyrand on and on without a second thought, and I would not be at all surprised if she did the same to you.”

I wanted to laugh. I wanted to chide at her words, seeing now where her anger truly lied.

“You cared for Geyrand, didn’t you?”

She pursed her lips and raised her chin. “Not just me. We all did. We all care for each other. Each of us who serve or guard the castle. Ash was neither. She didn’t belong with us, and she certainly didn’t belong with him.”

I smirked. “No,”—I turned around again, done with our conversation—“she certainly didn’t.”