“I don’t think that attack has begun,” I said, my voice deep as my Drak blood flared.
Ilyan’s eyes widened as I spoke, his confusion clear as the grip against my elbow increased. My magic ignited right along his, the uncertainty rumbling through me.
“What are you saying?” Ilyan asked, his voice deep.
I swallowed, my eyes darting away as I tried to figure out what to say to him. I wasn’t quite sure if explaining the way the images weren’t dimmed would be clear enough. Besides, it was more than just the images; it was a feeling. Something that my blood promised was still to come.
“In my sight, it felt like it was coming,” I explained, hoping it was enough.
It was. Ilyan’s jaw clenched, a feral growl rumbling through his chest as he understood.
“You mean we could be heading into a trap?”
He said the words and my blood sped up as if in answer. We were walking into a trap. Somehow, the sights had been broken even before we had run into the forest, perhaps even before I had healed Dramin. Something had changed and the fate of our future had been manipulated. I wasn’t sure how, but I knew one thing: Nothing was guaranteed anymore.
“Yes,” I gasped as I reached toward him, my fingers winding around the fabric of his shirt in desperation.
“But you had that sight before the battle.”
“I know,” I gasped. “And the caves? I saw those after I healed Wyn. Before I even healed Dramin; before our bonding. Why am I seeing things before the sight was broken; things that happen after I was supposed to die?”
“I don’t know. Sain will know.”
“I don’t trust him, Ilyan. I feel like he isn’t telling me something.” I had expected Ilyan to fight me on my statement, to try to convince me that I was wrong, but he stayed still, his head nodding slightly in understanding. Almost as if he agreed with me.
“We will figure this out and find a way to end this together.” Ilyan’s hand moved from my elbow to the exposed skin of my hip as he spoke, the promise so clear in his eyes that it took my breath away.
I knew we would because, even though so much of the sight had come to pass, there was much more still hidden from us. And if there was one thing that boiled in my blood and promised me of its fruition, it was that I would be the one to kill Edmund.
“I will defeat Edmund, Ilyan. I was born to do so, and even though the sight has changed, I know that I will with you by my side.”
“I know you will,” he said, his thumb running over the raised skin of my scar, the movement heating my sensitive blood, the need for his touch sparking deep.
I reached up and ran my fingers over his lips as his eyes met mine, the fire in them hot and dangerous. I smiled at the look, my hand sliding around his neck as I pulled him to me, his lips meeting mine for the first time in what felt like days.
I sighed at the pressure, at the way our magic flared and heated. He wrapped his arm around my waist as he pulled me against him, his hand a wide fan against my back.
I groaned at the pressure, the sound coming out much louder than I had expected it to be in the stillness of the cave. It echoed around us only to have the laugh of the camp echo back, Thom’s joyous taunt following the echo.
“Sound barrier, Brother!” he yelled.
Everything froze in me, and I pulled away, suddenly wishing I could find a way to hide.
Ilyan, however, smiled, his arms pulling me back into him as he kissed me again. I smiled at the contact, moving to stand when he did. Our hesitant feet took us back to the fire, Ilyan’s shield dropping from us once we were bathed in the light of the fire.
Thankfully, when we returned, Thom and Wyn seemed occupied in some form of heated conversation while Sain kneeled over Ryland, leaving Dramin and his wide smile to greet us. A shock of embarrassed pleasure moved up my spine at the look Dramin gave me, and I turned into Ilyan, his hand wrapping around my waist on instinct. It was that touch that flared in me, and I turned my eyes, squinting through the dark in search of the hoodie we had left behind.
“Be proud, my love,” Ilyan whispered in my ear, obviously picking up on my alarm. I looked up at him only to be met by his sweet smile. He kissed me once on the cheek before moving away toward where Sain was crowded over Ryland.
I remained still after he left me, feeling very out of place standing in the middle of everyone, fully aware that Thom could see the braid from where he sat behind me. I looked around in confusion until Dramin met my eyes, his face wide and happy as he lifted a mug toward me.