Dawn of Ash (Imdalind, #6)(106)

I watched his memories, his past, as he put a smile on his face, as he continued to fight through the pain of life, through the uncertainty of the hell we were marching into. My own heart seized right alongside his, my own pain and troubles increasing, the depth of my understanding scaring me.

The depth of my own need for that silver lining.

As his desire swelled inside me, the sight changed, the images becoming fogged as they moved into an unknown future. There was an image of him ageing, wisdom lining his face as hundreds of years moved by him, as the world around him changed, and the life around him changed with it. He was still the same boy, save for the lines that covered his face, evidence of a million smiles and a happy life. His eyes were filled with joy, and in his arms was a beautiful, little boy with dark, curly hair.

Ryland smiled at the child, throwing him into the air as his laugh rippled through my head. The sound was loud and beautiful as it swelled through me before the sight faded, reality shifting back into focus, and the boy who was desperately blowing at the burns on his fingers swam into view.

Shaking my head, I let the dizziness drift away, my magic swelling with whispers and promises as, one by one, the prophecies of his life left.

“What the heck, Jos?” Ryland yelled, his eyes dangerously dark. “Do you burn people now?”

“No,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “But Black Water does, and you should know better. And blowing on them won’t help, by the way.”

It was probably good I couldn’t be mad at him after what I had seen, after the emotional connection I had shared with him. Instead of the verbal assault he probably would have gotten, I just rolled my eyes again, wrapping my hand around his fingers, letting my magic soothe him, taking away the Black Water that had moved into him.

“And I should know this why? I mean, my experience with Black Water is so extensive.” I could tell he was trying to control the anger in him yet obviously failing.

I laughed, something that didn’t really sit well, unfortunately.

“Don’t worry, Ry. Mine isn’t much better.” Releasing his hand from mine, I looked at his now healed fingers, my own brand of awe moving through me. Nothing was there, just perfectly healed skin. I didn’t think that was possible with Black Water burns. I might have to try that on Ilyan’s chest or even his palm. I knew he would be grateful not to deal with the endless pain those gave him. “Feel better?”

He nodded at my question, one eyebrow disappearing into his curls quizzically.

I sighed, his look and question obvious.

“Yes, I saw something, and yes, everything will be okay for you. I’m not telling you any more than that.”

“And?”

“And you’re happy. I’m not telling you any more than that,” I repeated through the clench of my jaw. He obviously thought more highly of his skill to get stuff out of me than I did.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, the hint of a smile beginning to form. “You really aren’t going to tell me more than that?”

I glared at him, my lips pursed angrily as he laughed. He was obviously trying to put on the charm, something that I would have melted under a little more than a year ago. Not so much anymore. I was too stubborn, and he knew it.

“No, I’m not telling you any more than that.” I half expected him to laugh, but instead, the smug smile of his game slipped off his face, disappointment taking over.

“That’s no fair, Jos.”

“Ha! Life is a journey meant to be experienced, Ry. What’s the fun if I tell you all the stops along the way?”

“I would know where I am going … I wouldn’t run into quite so many walls at the very least,” Ryland said, the teenage irritation dripping off him.

It was all I could do to keep the smile off my face, although the attempt to keep the stoic, wise grimace wasn’t going too well, either. “That can’t be good for your complexion, or your nose, for that matter.”

“Thanks, Jos,” he grumbled, the angst dripping off him and infecting me. “And stop being all wise and philosophical and stuff. It’s weird.”

“You’re weird.” I looked away from him, trying to ignore the twist in my stomach at how quickly we had fallen back into our familiar banter after everything we had been through.

We sat, listening to the whispers of the people below us, watching the line of the red sun slowly move over the city as it disappeared past the horizon.

“You were on a beach,” I whispered after a few minutes. His eyes widened as he moved to face me, obviously eager to absorb anything I would give him. “There were other people involved you may … or may not be related to. It was a happy scene, Ry.”

“Happy.” The one word leaked out of him with so much emotion I was surprised it didn’t stick in the air and linger around us like a dozen balloons.

“Very. Just don’t go thinking I’m infallible, okay? I’m kind of done with that lie being spread around.”

“You really aren’t going to give me more than that, are you?” he teased.

I shook my head, a smile spreading over my face. “Trust me. It will be better this way, but that fear you feel, that desperation for normality…” He nodded. “Everyone has it, Ry. Just know it doesn’t last forever. Not for any of us. It may take a bit, but everything will come out all right.”