Dawn of Ash (Imdalind, #6)(5)

My sights were broken.

I couldn’t control my magic.

The thought ran through me like acid, and I growled in frustration, rolling off the bed with the full intention to get ready and join Ilyan in the reconnaissance mission he was preparing to lead, only to be met by a million aches and pains.

I grumbled audibly, sounding like an angry bear.

The sound made Ilyan chuckle, but I felt like I had been tossed around in a cement mixer for the last twelve days.

“How long was I asleep?” Please let it be more than two days. Please let it be more than two days.

Enough, mi lasko. He was sidestepping, and part of me didn’t care. I had already pulled the pitiful “thirty-six hours” answer out of his head.

That wasn’t nearly enough time.

I had been awake for two weeks, and if what Dramin had told me was correct, I would need at least three days to put my body back into the shape it needed to be. After all, it took time to heal broken bones and bruises from days of battles and raids. Those three days were very much needed, and thirty-six hours was nowhere near that.

Draks hardly slept as it was, but I really didn’t sleep.

I groaned louder, knowing there was nothing I could do. It wasn’t the first time the sights had woke me up, or even kept me from sleeping, for that matter.

“Maybe next time, then,” I muttered as I made my way to the long, battered dresser, ripples of dull aches and throbs running over my body.

You could just sleep now, Ilyan whispered, despite knowing the answer to that. You aren’t due to run a raid for the next few days.

I knew he had a point. Running through the city, facing waves of Edmund’s men, was definitely not what I needed right now. I knew what I needed, however.

“I want to see you.” It was only half a lie. I could already feel my heart beat faster, a tense knot of eager anticipation forming in my belly at the possibility of seeing him.

I want to see you, too. His voice was deep and throaty as it came back to me in heavily accented English.

Far too quickly, I melted into teenage-romance goo, a wide smile spreading across my face as I giggled. The sound was far too loud and embarrassing for my own good.

Hmmm. Sounds like you want to see me more than a little bit.



Moving over to an old, antique mirror and the odd, fuzzy object that Ilyan was still trying to convince me was a brush, I tried to wipe the smile off my face, but it was no good.



“It’s mostly those arms I want to see,” I teased, trying to hide the smile with a smirk, knowing full well he was looking at me through my eyes, right through the dirty mirror.



Oh, is that all? Ilyan’s voice filled my mind as I pulled the long, black tangles of my hair into a messy bun, wrapping the délka vedení královsk around the ponytail holder a few times before letting it trail down to the floor.

My hair was a mess no matter what I tried to do with it, but I really didn’t care. I was sure Ilyan would remedy the situation the moment he saw me.

I will, but you better hurry. This rooftop is awfully lonely.

Is it now?



He said nothing, but he didn’t need to. I could hear it in his voice, feel the longing in his heart. It set me on fire, a heavy wave of desire running through me.

I fidgeted as I pulled on my red shoes, the smile growing into a wave of white teeth as the knot in my gut got stronger.

Getting a moment alone with him was impossible most of the time; I wasn’t going to miss this. Ilyan would win over sleep every time.

It could be more than a moment, but you need to get here.

Smiling like a twelve-year-old with a puppy at his comment, I tore from the room, sipping from a mug of freshly pulled Black Water.

“Mmmmm,” I sighed as the heat from the deep magic moved through me, soothing away every ache and pain that had gripped me. Everything felt light for a moment, and for one second, I was worried another sight would come, but it was only me and the warm water and the sound of my shoes against the old, marble hallways.

Sometimes, I wonder about you and that stuff. Addicted some?

“You are not the first to say that.” I laughed, taking another long sip before refilling the mug. I’m always willing to share, you know.

This time, he laughed, the deep, rippling sound shivering through me enjoyably before his voice went silent, his magic withdrawing as Risha arrived on the rooftop with several others. His focus changed as a million images flashed in my mind and sent my heart rate stuttering beyond recognition.

You were attacked? I knew as well as anyone, if you stepped one foot outside the cathedral Ilyan and I had shrouded, you were going to be attacked. Given that, I shouldn’t be surprised. Still, it scared me. My temporarily calm heart had already accelerated into a panicked pace.

Yes, mi lasko, but we are all fine. Jsi moje láska, m?j ?ivot, já budu s vámi brzy. He pulled my focus right from the frightening reality to sweet nothings that seeped through me in a whisper of deep love, rippling in warmth and contentment.

I smiled to myself as his focused shifted again to Risha, his muscles tensing in fear. I could see the elegant woman in my mind, looking so much like Ovailia it was unnerving. I had learned very quickly that Sk?íteks definitely shared some features.

At least she was nice. I didn’t think Ilyan would have made her his second if she wasn’t.