As she took my hand and wrapped my arm tightly around herself, something inside of me grew. The darkness seeded deep inside of my heart shrank a little to let some of that light in.
I fell asleep wrapped around the woman who’d walked into my life and changed absolutely everything.
Blaise wasn’t in the bed when I awoke to the sounds of children laughing and dishware clattering. I found her in the kitchen helping our hostess, Alice, prepare eggs and ham to break our fast.
Her cheeks turned pink as she turned her face away, concentrating on the ham she held over the flame on a meat fork.
“Good morning, Sir Sepheus,” Alice said as her two boys chased each other through the kitchen. “Food’s almost ready. I figured you’d want to eat before you set out.”
“Yes, thank you,” I replied. Blaise still hadn’t acknowledged me. Shame, I realized. She was ashamed of the intimate moment we’d shared.
“That looks well and cooked,” the woman said to Blaise, taking the ham from her. “Come on, boys. Food is ready,” she hollered to her sons.
My comrade inclined her head at me and took a seat at the dining table.
I sat across from her and the two boys sat beside me. I didn’t spare them a glance. Children made me feel awkward. “Your husband isn’t joining us?” I asked Alice, who’d taken her seat beside Blaise.
“Varis gets up early to work the fields,” she explained. “He eats his oats while the children are still asleep.”
“He’s missing out,” I said after my first bite of fluffy eggs.
The woman shrugged her slender shoulders. “He gets to break his fast with us once every seven sunrises. He makes many sacrifices for his family. We appreciate him.”
Blaise scraped the last of her food into her mouth and then said, “Your cooking is delicious. We can’t thank you enough.” She still kept her eyes adverted from my gaze. She hadn’t spared me a glance the entire meal. A bit of that light she’d put inside my heart ebbed away. She’d been lonely last night. I was only a temporary comfort. She’d never want more from me. I didn’t blame her.
The boys had made a mess of their faces. Alice fetched a cloth to clean them up with. “It was a pleasure to have company. Good luck with your task.” We’d asked her about the man others believed to be strange, but she didn’t know anything. Her family kept to themselves, usually too busy with their farm to venture to the heart of their village.
Blaise replied with a smile and we said our goodbyes.
We walked in silence on the way to the man’s house.
I couldn’t take it any longer. I stopped and touched her arm. She looked down at my hand. I removed it. “Listen, about last night…”
“It was… I didn’t…” She searched for the right words.
“I know. It’s all right. I can’t stand this awkwardness. Let’s just focus on our task.”
Her rigid shoulders loosened. “Yes, Sir Sepheus.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I preferred her teasing to the invisible wall that’d wedged its way between us.
We continued on to the man’s house and knocked on the door. At least there was no garden outside full of bountiful plants; a good sign.
“May we come in, sir? We have a couple of questions for you,” Blaise asked, standing before the very tall man with a slouched back. He was skinny and his long black hair needed a wash and a comb. I held my breath as the odour of sour milk and rotten vegetables wafted at me.
The man’s dark eyes darted back and forth between us. When we didn’t move, he opened the door. “Yes, all right. I don’t see why not.” His voice was soft for a man of his size.
I cringed as I took in the disgusting state of his home. Food growing green fuzz littered the floor, a meal for the flies swarming around the hot, smelly room. I scanned the area. I didn’t spot anything that could’ve been used for magic, though it was hard to tell with the mess.
“We need to search your rooms,” I stated, still trying to hold my breath.
The man’s gaze darkened. “What for? What’s the meaning of this? I’ve done nothing wrong.”
Blaise raised her brows and uttered, “The state of this place is wrong.”
The man shot her an angry look but, before he could argue, I said, “Some of the villagers believe you’re a warlock. We’ve come to see if they’re right.”
The man jumped back as though he’d been struck, and then he put his head in his hand. “Oh, no,” he mumbled. “I’m no such thing. You may search all you want. You’ll find no evidence of magic here.”
I eyed him before moving on to his bedroom. It was almost as disastrous as the rest of the house. Clothes laid on the floor, unwashed and stinking of body odour. I gagged and riffled through his drawers, only to find more clothes and letters. I stared at one of the letters.
Blaise stopped beside me. “What does it say?”
I stared at the words scrawled across the page. It would take me too long to decipher the words without her realizing I couldn’t read well. “Nothing.”
“Let’s see.” She grabbed for the letter. I tried to pull it out of her reach. She ripped the letter out of my hand. Her eyes scanned the page. She dropped the letter back into the drawer. “It’s a love letter.” She turned to me. “You can’t read.” A statement, not a question.
My face heated. “I told you it was nothing. You’re so infuriating sometimes.”
She laughed. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Seph.”
“There’s nothing here.” I stalked out of the bedroom. At least we were back to normal.
The man sat, his head hanging low. “I know I’m not ordinary, but I’m no warlock,” he blubbered. “My wife died before I came to Birkshire. I cannot escape the sadness she left me with.”
He was nothing but a sad, old widow. “I believe you,” I said, handing him the love letter. “Clean yourself up. Maybe people won’t be so leery of you. Or don’t. I don’t care.”
I left the disgusting house and sucked in the fresh air outside. Blaise was close behind.
We spent the remainder of the day visiting the homes of other Birkshire locals, just in case someone else was using magic. We left empty handed.
In the next village we only found a lonely little lady with a spell book that had belonged to her dead mother. I took the spell book from her reluctant hands and burned it outside.
We found nothing in the last village east of Terra. Relief filled me as we turned home, our quest finished at last. Though it had been my idea, it was not something I’d wanted to do. I could only hope King Corbin would be satisfied the witches would no longer be a problem for him. Not that they were a problem to begin with, save for the one blood witch we’d killed. My lie had condemned all magic users.
We ran into more of a natural sort of danger on our way home.
We’d stopped to eat around midday and let our horses drink from a narrow trickling creek. I bit into a chunk of hard bread when Blaise suddenly shrieked. Her water skin hit the ground and rolled toward me.
“Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!” She rubbed her ankle, hopping on one foot. “You slimy bastard!” she yelled at the grass. A bright orange snake with a white diamond pattern slithered away through the tall grass.
I helped her to a rock large enough for her to sit on. “You’ve been bitten by a corandor. Let me see.” I held out my hand, and she lifted her ankle for me.
“It hurts.” She winced and sucked air in between her teeth as I touched the flesh beginning to swell around the two red marks.
“This is bad.” She gave me a look of panic, but there was no sense lying to her. “They’re not lethal, but we’ll have to camp here for the night. The side effects of a corandor’s venom aren’t pleasant.” One lesson my father had taught me was which animals were dangerous and what could happen if you came across one. A corandor’s venom caused full body pain and delusions.
“I’d prefer not to stay where there could be more snakes.” She glared at me.
I set her ankl
e down. “I’ll set up our tent. We’ll be fine.” We had brought a small deerskin tent with us in case of emergencies. This was the first time we’d had to use it.
As soon as the tent was up and Blaise rested inside, I took one of my tunics and soaked it in the cool creek water. “Here, put this on your ankle,” I said, pushing through the flaps of the tent.
She sat up to accept it. She pressed the tunic against her apple-sized ankle. “I can feel it spreading. My leg hurts.”
I sat down beside her and offered her some water. “I’m sorry I don’t have anything stronger.”
“Curse you and your sobriety,” she shot, but she accepted the water.
I smiled. “You’ll live to scold me another day.”
She passed the water skin back.
I’d lost count of how many I’d seen suffer in pain. I’d never felt sympathy for the suspects my father and I had tortured. But I’d never cared about those people. And watching Blaise, I suffered with her as she screamed through the night.
“It feels as if I’m dying.” She clawed at my chest, pulling herself up to stare into my face. “You lied to me! The venom is lethal!”
“I didn’t lie,” I said calmly. “You’ll get through this.”
“Arrrgh!” She wrenched away and cried into the blanket I’d set out for her.
It was hard to see her squirm and writher like a worm being burned by a reflection in the sun.
When the world had darkened, she finally stilled, the pain subsiding. Her shoulders shook with what I mistook as sobbing. But when she lifted her head I saw she was laughing. “I’m alive. And everything is wonderful!” Her hair stood up in places, wild like her personality. She held the blanket to her cheek. “How did you come by such exquisite material?”
“It’s wool, Blaise.” The delusions had kicked in.
Her eyes widened, and she put the blanket over her head. “Why must you always lie to me?”
“I’m not lying.”
She threw the blanket off and scrambled for the flap of the tent.
“Where are you going?” I followed her outside. “You should stay off your ankle.”
She wasn’t listening though. She turned her face up to the sky and opened her arms. “The stars are singing! Can’t you hear them?”
“No, I can’t. Blaise, get off your ankle—Blaise…”
“Shhh. You’re not my mother.” A tear dropped down her cheek as she realized what she’d just said. “I miss my mother.”
“I know. I’m sorry.” I put my arm around her to help take the pressure off her ankle.
“You’ve been so kind to me.” She swallowed. “I thought you were cruel… thought you hated me when I first came to Terra. But you, your—” A daring look crept across her face. She touched my cheek. “So beautiful.”
My eyes locked with hers. It’s only the venom coursing through her veins, I told myself. But as she stretched her neck and reached out for me, I did nothing to stop her. I leaned down and our lips touched. So soft, so delicate. I had wanted this, so much, for so long.
And then the voice inside my mind interrupted the moment I’d been longing for since that night at Queen Nicola’s ball. She’s too good for you. The voice was my own. I couldn’t even blame it on Claudia’s ghost. She hadn’t haunted me since I’d told her I was sorry.
I pulled back and let her go.
She almost lost her balance. I stiffened as I steadied her body against mine. “I’ll help you get inside. You should sleep so we can go home at first light.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” she mocked.
I stilled. Had she meant it, or was it only a jest? She knew about my magic, but had she heard who my real father was? We’d never discussed the night I’d killed my father. I didn’t know how long she’d been in the torture chamber.
I decided to believe it was a jest.
I helped her into the tent and pulled the blanket over her.
Soon, her soft snores filled the small space, joining with the song of the crickets outside. My shoulders sagged with relief. Her delusions could’ve gone worse. She could have seen visions that only existed in her nightmares, and it would have sent her in a downward spiral. I thanked Celestia she’d had the most pleasant experience we could’ve hoped for. Her ankle would hurt for a few days, but the worst was over.
I packed up our belongings, including the tent I’d dismantled, and helped Blaise onto her horse. I wasn’t sure if she’d remembered the night before… our kiss. She was quiet and awkward like she’d been after our night together in Birkshire, so if I had to guess, I’d say she did.
We rode back to Terra, silence hanging between us most of the way. When the wall around the kingdom came into view, Blaise started, “Look, about what happened last night—”
“Forget about it. Nothing happened.”
Her gaze met the ground. Was that disappointment shadowing her features? She wiped the expression off her face and stared ahead. “Right, nothing happened.”
I rode forward and we entered through the gates of Terra. Contentment filled me. We were home, permanently this time.
“Good,” King Corbin said when we’d recounted our time in the east to him and the queen, who sat idly by his side. “Should anyone see or hear of anyone using magic, they are to report directly to Constable Bouvant. I’ve already informed the court.”
I bowed my head in acknowledgement. I’d have to be very careful no one found out about my power. It was bad enough Blaise knew.
“Now, go rest. Tomorrow we will feast.” The king slung his arm over his wife’s shoulders. She leaned into him, smiling down at us.
Blaise and I took our leave, going separate ways. Her to probably bathe and see a healer about a balm to alleviate the pain still throbbing in her ankle, and I to The Watering Hole to fill my aching stomach.
“My goddess.” Ger set his mug of ale down as I entered the tavern.
“Have you spent the whole time I was away slacking off?” I teased as he got up to embrace me. I thumped him on the back. “I missed you too.”
“So, the witches are dead?”
“The evil ones are. The rest were warned not to use magic,” I said, waving to a serving wench.
“Cook’s made chicken soup. Would ye’ like a bowl?” the wench I hadn’t seen before asked in her unrefined tongue.
“Very much so,” I gave her a charming smile as I placed two coins in her rough palm.
The luscious little tart winked at me before sauntering away.
“She new?” I asked Ger.
“She showed up here shortly after you started your witch hunt. Too pretty to be a serving wench if you ask me. She seems to like you. I’m sure you could use a tumble in the bedchamber.” He nudged me.
I chuckled, shaking my head at him. “Drink your ale, you brute.”
“Much obliged.” He guzzled back the golden liquid, and I laughed again. It was nice to be home.
The wench brought out my meal, bending low to place it in front of me. “Let me know if there’s anything else you need, sir.” She squeezed my shoulder and batted her lashes.
Ger tilted his head. “Go, I’m almost finished here anyways.”
A memory of Blaise flashed in my mind, her lips on mine. You’re beautiful.
I flashed a smile at the wench blessed with a voluptuous figure. “Thank you, but I find myself tired after my travels. You have a good night.”
She removed her hand. “Perhaps another time.” Her hips swayed as she walked away.
My friend gawked at me. “When did you become such a gentleman?”
“Since now, apparently.”
He shook his head at me and snickered. “It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s good to be back,” I answered through a mouthful of food.
Ger left me to finish my meal alone, probably to seek out the wench looking for a little fun.
I quickly devoured the roasted pork and seasoned potatoes and washed it down with a cup of water. I needed to
find Blaise. I didn’t want things to go back to the way they were before. I was tired of empty, meaningless nights spent tumbling with women who meant nothing to me. She was my light, she was my salvation. And I had to tell her so.
Chapter 17
I banged on Blaise’s door with my fist.
The door opened. “Seph? What is it?” she asked. Worry lines were etched between her brows.
“Blaise, I—”
A moan sounded from across the room.
“I can’t speak right now,” she said. “Elly’s not well.”
I peered over her shoulder into the room to where her roommate was indeed lying in bed. “What’s wrong with her? Where’s the healer?”
“She was wounded taking down one of the two men who attacked the Temple while we were gone. I sent the healer to get some sleep. She was here all day.”
The words I’d come to say vanished from my mind. “Why didn’t King Corbin inform us of this? Were they Redeemers?” Anger rose. I’d thought we were done dealing with those vermin.
She shook her head. “They may have once followed Leblond. They were acting in the name of Vesirus though. They—they killed a priestess.”
I hissed through my teeth and made a fist. “I can’t believe we were kept in the dark.”
“They’ve already been dealt with. King Corbin probably didn’t want to ruin our welcome back. I’m sure the constable would’ve informed us when we saw him.”
Perhaps she was right. It wasn’t the king’s job to keep us informed. I loosened my fist. “Care to take a walk with me?”
Elly moaned again and Blaise looked over her shoulder before setting her gaze back on me. “I can’t. She needs me here.”
“You’re not her healer.”
She narrowed her eyes. “She’s my friend.”
I pressed my lips together and then said, “A serving wench offered to tumble with me tonight.”
The Elemental Diaries - Complete Series Page 60