Lightbringer (Empirium #3) - Claire Legrand Page 0,6

tight spirals on the winds of her mind:

Kingsbane!

Kingsbane!

Kingsbane!

She twisted Corien’s cloak hard. She was not ashamed of who she was, of what she was, and yet fear and guilt flooded her like twin rivers set afire, and she did not understand where she was now, or who this girl was who stared so closely at her, or where her own sweet gray fog had gone, so calm and quiet.

“Listen to me.” Cool hands cupped her face, and when she opened her eyes, Corien was there, dipping his head to kiss her. He gathered her into his lap and held her close until her trembling ceased.

“I hate them,” she whispered against his neck. “And yet I ache to think of leaving them all, of running away in the night like a villain.”

Corien’s laughter was soft. “You are a villain. At least in their simple eyes, you are. Let them think that. Let them hate you. They are nothing, and you know it.”

“Yes, but…”

She stopped before the words could form, but of course Corien had already heard them.

“You miss him?” he asked quietly.

Rielle felt the girl’s sharp eyes upon them. Obritsa was her name, she remembered, her mind roaring back to itself with Corien there beside her. Rielle pressed her palms against the solid broad reach of Corien’s chest and resisted the urge to fling out her hands, scorch Obritsa’s impertinent, keen-eyed face, and teach her a lesson. The thought cheered her; she’d forgotten, in her fear, that she could scorch. She could maim and pulverize. She could unmake.

Hush, now. Corien’s voice stroked her silent. The hot ripples of anger rising beneath her skin flattened and stilled. We need her, he reminded her. Gentle, Rielle. Do not overtax yourself. Hear me. Hush, my love.

Rielle’s thoughts smoothed out. Contented, heavy-lidded, she heard the distant crash of gray waves and felt faint with relief. Fog crept over her eyes, and she welcomed its softness. It was unnecessary, even silly, to get angry right now and call upon her power, or to be afraid, for of course she would always be safe with Corien. She understood that now. She remembered it.

She mumbled in mind-speak that Obritsa would have to learn not to stare and would also have to learn to transform her constant haughty expression into something less imperious, something more fitting of a servant. The moment they arrived in the north, Rielle would order Obritsa elsewhere, out of her sight, until she was needed again.

Of course, Corien said mildly. But now is not the time. I asked you a question, my love. Don’t you remember?

Did you? She leaned her heavy head against his shoulder.

Do you miss him? Answer me, he said lightly. Answer me now.

Rielle had trouble scraping together her thoughts, but this troubled her only briefly, for the fog was creeping fast through her mind, sweeping away all worries. I have known him all my life, she said at last.

And you love him still, and that fire cannot simply be snuffed out overnight. Corien stroked her hair, which fell wild and uncombed down her back. He sighed, sounding tired. I understand that. But you see now, don’t you? You see the truth of him.

For a long moment, she did not speak. It was so difficult to think.

“He hates me,” she whispered at last against the curve of Corien’s ear. “He does not understand me.”

Corien kissed the bridge of her nose. “He is too small to understand you. All of them are. They see a monster. I see a god in the shape of a girl.” His hand slid down her arm to rest on her hip. “They see a beast to be tamed. I see a divine creature aching to be set free.”

Rielle’s eyes drifted shut as he kissed her brow. Through her mind’s fog came images—secret visions of Corien’s ardor, and how he longed to demonstrate it, and how passionately he wished they were alone.

But she could not fall with him into the haven of their shared thoughts. Not yet. She had one question, and she fought the fog pulling her under long enough to ask it.

“Tell me this: Is he safe?” Rielle’s words tumbled out clumsily. “Is he well?”

A tiny ripple passed from Corien to her, along the sweet cord of their linked minds, as if a small pebble had been thrown into still water.

“He is safe.” Corien said nothing else aloud, but Rielle heard him clearly inside her mind.

Someday, he told her, and soon, I hope you will understand what