“It was Ovailia wasn’t it?” I didn’t turn at Thom’s voice, the hardness of it expected. I could feel the same anger rippling through my body, just under the skin.
“Of course it was.” I kept my back to him, allowing my magic and my internal sight to keep him in my mind. I could see him standing, his hands flexing as his brow furrowed.
Thom stood still, the small movement of his hands the only sign of his anger. He kept it restrained, controlled and hidden, the way he had done since he had escaped our father, since Sain had shown him what his temper could cause.
“So what do we do?”
I turned to face him, my taller than average frame towering over him. He looked up to me, his eyes, so much like a child’s, wide and pleading.
“There is not much we can do. We stay here. We wait for Joclyn to wake and hope that Ovailia brings her mate to her.”
“Ovailia? You want to wait for her?” I nodded once, before turning away from him, my steps taking me back the way we had come.
I could feel Thom follow me, his steps quick as his shorter legs tried to keep up with my longer strides.
“Why, Ilyan?” he said as he came up beside me, his legs still working double time. The muscles in my neck tensed at his question. I really didn’t need to explain myself to him, but his question was understandable given their history.
“Because she will have Ryland,” I said, keeping my voice strong and distant. “Ryland is the key to waking Joclyn. Once Joclyn wakes we will be able to face the Trpaslíks that surround us.”
I smiled at my words, the visions from the first sight flying into me. Saying it aloud somehow sealed her fate, making her the one that would defeat my father and assuring that she would become the beautiful warrior I had seen in my sight.
“Why can’t we just attack them now?” Thom asked. I couldn’t help but laugh, the hearty sound of my voice sounding odd against the tension that still rippled off both of us. I stopped again to face him, the door to my suite only a few steps away. I could already feel my heart pull me toward the door, my magic stretching to ensure her safety.
“You would attack twenty or more Trpaslíks with only you, me, and a Drak?” I raised my eyebrow at him, the dare for him to answer evident.
While I may be able to defeat more than half that amount on a wet day, I knew Thom had always struggled with his ability. Being the son of an un-bonded mortal had always made him weaker than the rest of us. Dramin would prove little help at all. Draks had no defensive magic. There was no other way to put it. It was the reason my father had been able to exterminate them so easily.
Thom shook his head and looked away from me, his answer evident in his eyes. I ignored the bristle I felt at his lack of respect, but kept it at bay, reminding myself that my role as a ruler had died with my people. Not like I had taken it seriously in the first place.
“We will watch them. We need to set a more consistent guard – which between the three of us may prove impossible, but we must do what we can.” I set orders as I always had, Thom’s back straightening in preparation to obey. “If we can make an adequate map of where their camps are, it will help us to attack without incident when the time comes.”
Thom nodded once in understanding, the nervous energy that was flowing off him receding with my words.
“Thom, get some sleep. I will watch from here, dnes ve?er, strengthen our shield, and develop a clearer plan.”
Thom said nothing. He only nodded in respect as he turned from me, the thick strands of his hair swinging as he walked down the hall toward his room. I watched him put the tiny buds back into his ears before he turned the corner, leaving me alone in the dark corridor.
I couldn’t ignore the thrum of my heart any longer. The pull moved against my skin like the crawling of a hundred emotions washing over the surface. My shield released from around Joclyn as I entered the room, bringing her back into view.
A few more days and she would wake.
If Edmund had already sent Trpaslíks after us, then Ovailia couldn’t be more than a day behind. Soon, I would wake her.
If Edmund had sent Ovailia at all.
I wiped the thought from my mind. The stress that such a small idea gave me was overwhelming. I straightened my back and walked away from her, towards the window.
I could still feel the need to be near her, but for now, I needed to prove that I was stronger than my desire. I had to remind myself that she would not be mine for many years to come. The breeze that came in through the high arches of the windows swirled around me, the mingled magic of the men who stood around us in preparation for attack evident to me now. The power was weak, but it was there. I could feel their anticipation, the nerves, and excitement.