Drasmyr (Prequel: From the Ashes of Ruin)

by Matthew D. Ryan

Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The tears fell, slowly at first, then more quickly, obscuring Marissa’s face behind a mask of shock and pain. From the bloodshot look of her eyes, Korina guessed this was not the first time the young woman’s thoughts had turned to the death of Durek.

  “How ... could ...” Marissa’s words came out broken, stuttered, and incomplete. Overcome by another bleary-eyed wave of anguish the young woman broke down and began sobbing on the bedsheets.

  For a brief, fleeting moment Korina felt a tiny shred of sympathy for the woman. She had obviously cared deeply for the young man, far more than Korina would have expected given how little time they’d had together. Now she was in pain, all for the sake of a fallen love. Or perhaps just the hope of love.

  Korina studied the woman’s scalp as she buried her face in the pillow. It was a pity; a sorceress in training with her heart ripped and broken. Couldn’t she see that there was no point to it? The man was dead, she could find another. They had hardly known each other. Sorceress or not, she was still a moderately attractive woman who could find comfort elsewhere, if she so desired.

  Then, Korina caught herself. She was being dragged into this woman’s misery against her will. This woman’s pain meant nothing to her. If she wanted to wallow in the dark depths of sorrow, let her. There was no room in Life for the weak of heart.

  Marissa sobbed again. “I ... miss ... him so.”

  A contemptuous laugh reared up but did not quite surface. Instead, Korina reached out with false sympathy and affection to pat the young woman’s head. “I know, my friend, I know. But come, you must take over my class; Ambrisia has a special task set aside for me. Please. It will help—having something to do. It will keep the pain at bay.”

  The young woman lifted her tear-stained face and stared at Korina with hollow eyes bereft of hope. “The pain will never go.”

  Korina sighed. She really was pathetic. “I know dear, but Durek would want you to struggle on.”