A Baron of Bonds (Conduit of Light #2)

37. Rev

Chapter 37

Rev

Her dress had seen better days.

She bit her lower lip as I mended it, the second dress I had ripped open since our reunion.

Once again, we exited the inn and received more than a few stares, including a creeping blush up the cheeks of the inn’s clerk as we passed.

I doubted I was acting like a Baron at all. But really, what example did I have?

The truth of it was, I didn’t care.

We had three hours to waste however we wanted. Karus led us to the shop to find more styris tea, and just as importantly, a small flask that fit in my inside vest pocket.

The night market was beginning to open, and we walked the streets, hand-in-hand. As the daytime stalls came down, new ones erected full of lanterns and dark corners.

The city venders were efficient with the merchants calling to each other, laughing and joking as they set out their wares. The taverns were packed with hungry guests filling in to eat their dinner and warm themselves by the roaring fires.

Neither one of us were hungry after the unforgettable fisherman’s pie, so Karus led us to a bakery that served a warm drink she called calpomum.

“Alright, now stir the bottom like this.”

We sat at a small table on two backless chairs while people filtered in and out to purchase breads and sweets. I followed her instruction, picking up the delicate, thin spoon and swirling it in the bottom of my clear mug. The motion brought a swarm of spices to the top.

She nodded excitedly. “Now, this next part is important.”

She glowed before me. Whether her magic appeared or not, this woman was no less than a beam of light straight to my heart. Her eyes lit with joy, her lips red and full. “I’m listening,” I acknowledged with amusement.

“You take this,”—she held up her stick of cinnamon—“and you have to drink fast because sometimes you get a stick with a hole in it and your calpomum will just spill out the sides.”

She took mine from the plate we were given and inspected it closely. “Perfect.”

She handed it to me, and I took it, placing it in my drink and bending along with her to take a sip through the cinnamon straw.

Warm notes of clove, apple, orange, and cinnamon, rolled on my tongue and coated my throat as I swallowed.

“Good?” she asked in a brilliant grin.

I nodded and cleared my throat. “Very.”

“I’m sure I could teach Lia the recipe when we get home.”

Home.

I reached across the table, my hand open for her to take, and I brought her knuckles to my lips. “Yes. Home.”

Voices grew louder near us and we both turned, hearing the word lumen and conduits .

“Two of them and one creature from the forest with skin green as the grass and wings! Actual wings!”

Karus looked to me and bit her lip.

I nodded. “Time to go.”

If the bakery on the market street was already abuzz with the news of arrivals from Felgren, we needed to be at the castle before the meeting to fill them in.

Wrapped tightly in our cloaks, we hurried along the night market. The scent of jasmine and sandalwood floated through the air as the lanterns lit our way in the dark.

When we arrived at the castle, I recognized one of the guards, who nodded and opened the doors for us. Karus was right. I really had done my work the last seventeen days.

The foyer was full, servants and guards filtering in and out, groups of them speaking quietly and hurriedly to each other before a higher ranking officer told them off.

I spotted Mierah near the grand staircase and took Karus’s hand, headed to her.

“Mierah, did a group arrive from Felgren?”

She turned from the guard she was speaking to and they both looked over us.

Mierah’s eyes darted back and forth between Karus and I before she rose her chin and nodded. “Yes. The Queen is meeting with them now in the throne room. The Lady of the Spire and the Madame of the Mountains are due to arrive within the hour.” Her eyes swept back to Karus with a look of smug distain.

“Hello, Mierah,” Karus greeted warmly with a patience I did not share. “I hope you are well.”

Mierah glared. “I would be if your little green creature hadn’t decided to rip apart all the fresh flowers I just put out in the foyer.”

We looked behind us to see that the enormous vase looked as if something ravaged through its petals. They were strewn about the floor, several blooms completely destroyed.

Karus brought her hand to her mouth to hide her amusement. We both knew exactly who had done that and for what purpose.

“It isn’t funny,” Mierah continued. “They will be here soon and I have to find replacements or I could be punished. So, thanks for that, Karus. You return here after seven years and still you are a thorn in my side.”

My brows rose in surprise. I’d never heard anyone speak that way to Karus. I glanced her way to give her the chance to tell her off before I did.

She sighed heavily and stepped closer. “I don’t mean to laugh. Moira is…well, she doesn’t think like we do.”

“I don’t care. Now, if you don’t mind, I actually have use in this castle and work to do.”

I opened my mouth, about to be yet another thorn in her side, when Karus squeezed my arm, addressing her again.

“You may not like me, Mierah, but I will still help you. And only because I feel responsible for Moira while she is here. She does not know this culture or these customs. She is a fae of Felgren and only wanted those petals for a new skirt.”

Karus motioned for her to follow as she stepped back to the vase. The guard I didn’t recognize and Mierah followed. I watched in pride and love as Karus brought her hands around the flowers, her emerald magic lifting the petals fallen to the floor and around the table. She didn’t even need to utter any words of magic to mend them. Her power brought each cream petal of each rose back to its place on the peduncle. A few of the petals were missing, but it was hard to notice.

The guard looked impressed while Mierah crossed her arms and glared.

“This is the part, Mierah, where you give your thanks to Karus for saving your ass,” I chided.

“Thank you,” she murmured, turning swiftly to leave.

Karus shrugged and took my hand again.

“May I escort you to the throne room?” The guard asked, gesturing the way.

“Yes, thank you,” Karus answered and we followed. “Would you happen to know if the guard Geyrand is still here? He lives to the north on the boarder of Hyrithia.”

“Of course. Geyrand is in the throne room as well. The Queen has called him to the meeting with all the leaders of Arcaynen.” He glanced back to us. “And he is not a guard. He is the Commander of the North. He leads the entire guardship there.”

I looked questioningly at Karus and she shook her head, confirming neither of us had known of Geyrand’s title.

He moved past the guards at the crimson doors, which had been fixed since Karus had burst through them less than two days ago.

We stepped inside hand-in-hand, and Karus called to her friends.

“Clairannia! Figuerah!” She rushed to them as they turned, both grabbing ahold of her, all speaking at the same time in relief and general chastisement that seemed to follow Karus everywhere.

“Moira!” Karus held out her hands, and the faerie landed in them wearing a floral skirt of cream rose petals. They pressed their foreheads together grinning wide, Karus’s smile enchanting, Moira’s full of razor-sharp teeth.

They began to speak all at once, each of them somehow able to keep up with the others.

“We got your message?—”

“And then Rev felt like you were headed north?—”

“There’s so much to tell?—”

“Even believe that they weren’t sure I should come?—”

“Ran! We ran to the den?—”

“It was so hard to just stay in Felgren?—”

“I’m so sorry! I can really explain?—”

“So I said, ‘Of course I’m coming, I don’t care what those humans think?—”

They continued excitedly, exasperated, all four of them continuing each conversation with each other, commenting accurately on what another had just said. I shook my head laughing.

They all turned to me, and I cleared my throat. “Apologies. Please continue.”

“Karus, where were you?” Figuerah, the most piqued of them all, put her hands on Karus’s shoulders as they slumped.

She turned to the Queen. “May we have a moment, Your Majesty? We’ll return in time for the meeting.”

Queen Rina sat on her throne and nodded. “You may take my sitting room if you’d like.” Without much of a breath, she added, “A word, Baron Revich.”

Karus turned and smiled, her eyes bright as she put her arms over Clairannia and Figuerah’s shoulders, leading them out of the room. Moira sat on her arm, her long, green fingers combing through the chestnut and white strands of her hair.

Beloved, indeed.

“Commander Geyrand has informed me of how he found Karus in the north. He is aware of…the circumstances by which she got there.”

I glanced to Geyrand who stood beside Captain Yarah. His face gave away nothing as he met my stare.

“He will be with us at this meeting. It is essential the guards of the north are kept in communication of the threats that lay upon Hyrithia.”

I nodded, slipping into the role of the Baron of Felgren with ease. “Agreed, Your Majesty. I look forward to this meeting and hearing how Felgren can help your great city. Karus and I have plans to leave tomorrow morning. My channelers will be waiting for their instruction to resume.”

“Yes, I’m sure you have many duties to attend to, Baron. Though I was hoping Karus would stay a few weeks longer and spend some time with the Prince.”

I smirked. “You are, of course, welcome to ask. I do not make decisions for her.”

“I will.” She paused a moment, glancing around the room and lowering her voice. “The Prince is unwell, Baron Revich. I do not doubt you have noticed in the short time you’ve seen him here. I will do everything I can to help him get out of this and that includes begging your companion to stay with him. Karus can help him heal. I know it.”

Ah, so she chose to tug on my heartstrings to see if I’d persuade Karus to stay.

She might be right. The Prince might be able to find his way through his constant drinking and stumbling into tavern after tavern if he could understand where Karus had been for seven years and why I chose to tell them she was dead.

“As I said, you are welcome to ask. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Your Majesty, I’d like to speak with my conduits and ask after my channelers.”

“You may go, Baron. I will call for you when it is time.” She dismissed me with a wave of her hand.

“I’ll show you to the Queen’s sitting room.” Geyrand stepped toward the doors, and I moved in beside him, my hands in my pockets, my back straight.

We walked through the door to enter another long hall.

I spoke in the quiet, “I want to thank you, Commander, for fulfilling your promise and bringing her back to me.”

“Geyrand. And it was as much a promise to myself as to you, Baron.”

“Revich,” I replied, remembering his short way of speaking. “I know how much you once cared for her, and I know how much she still cares for you. You and your family are welcome to visit Felgren anytime you’d like.”

He stopped a moment, his hand outstretched toward me. I took it, his grip as strong as mine.

“She loves you.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“It tore her apart, whatever happened in that land.”

I swallowed tightly, our hands still in a firm grip.

“But nothing seemed to eat at her more than getting back to you. I’ve seen her angry before, Revich. I’m sure you have, too.”

I chuckled in agreement.

“But I’ve never seen her look like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like she did when she was ready to tear this castle down to get to you.”

My heart beat furiously, uncomfortable that I was so far away from her. “She is a powerful woman.”

“She is. And she needs you.”

I nodded again and moved forward, clasping him across the back, thankful he was there to catch her when I could not. “She has me, Geyrand.” He slapped my back just as heartily and I repeated, “She has me.”