Soul of Flame (Imdalind Series #4)(87)

“How does it feel to be a married woman?” Dramin asked out of nowhere, his voice conspiratorially low as he leaned toward me. His voice had been soft, but to me it was like the boom of a cannon, and I jumped, the Black Water trickling down my hands and over the table.

I knew I hadn’t heard him wrong. I was certain because I could still hear it echo in my mind over and over. The world felt twice as heavy as I turned toward him, shock lining my face. He didn’t seem deterred, however. He just smiled wider, chuckling deeply as if he had found a great joke.

“Is that not what they call it amongst the humans? Marriage?”

Joclyn? Ilyan’s voice rumbled through my head, his distress peaking as the fear that gripped me moved right into him.

Dramin knows. About our bonding, I returned, my eyes still glued to the man in question, my face a mask of shock that I knew gave me away.

My eyes darted to where Ilyan sat with Ryland. Ilyan’s face and body were calm even though I could feel the pulse of worry in him, but he showed no outward signs of the silent conversation he was absorbed in with me.

Of course he does, Ilyan sent back to me, his voice lined with such a heavy joy I was surprised it wasn’t plastered on his face. Instead, he stayed still, his hands wrapped around Ryland’s as he whispered to him.

“How did you know?” My tongue stumbled though the words as my heart moved into my throat, the sensation making it hard to breathe, let alone swallow.

“I know everything,”

“Did you see?”

“No, my dear,” Dramin said, his voice almost sad as he took another drink of Black Water. “It is much simpler than that. Ilyan has not worn that ribbon where it could be seen since the 1400s.”

The golden ribbon Ilyan wore glinted in the light as it fell over his shoulder, the sign of his royalty available for everyone to see. Ilyan didn’t seem too plagued by it as he calmed his brother, but Thom and Sain kept looking at it curiously, the looks on their faces making it clear that they knew exactly what it was. Wyn, on the other hand, looked right at me, her face torn between awe and confusion. I was one hundred percent sure she knew what it was, and what it meant for me.

“I guess he should have covered his hair, too.” I tried very hard to keep the groan out of my voice as I folded myself over the table, my forehead pressing into the smooth wood of the ancient surface.

“Don’t you worry.” Dramin’s smile stretched the width of his face as he patted my hand comfortingly, his happiness almost infectious. Almost. I felt more embarrassed than anything right then. “Those who know will be happy for you. A bonding as treasured as this should never be a secret, My Lady.”

“My Lady?” I asked as I turned my head to face him, not ready to lift my head off the table yet.

“I suppose Ilyan has woven the length of the royal line through your hair as well?”

I didn’t say anything, I just sat up as my stomach threatened to turn out its contents. I wasn’t quite sure how to answer him; a simple yes would have worked wonders, but a part of me still wanted to keep it all sacred, as Ilyan had said.

I didn’t need to worry. Dramin’s grin increased at the look on my face, the wide smile obviously enough to answer my question.

“Then now you are My Lady, and my Queen. I think it suits you.” Dramin’s voice was soft in my ear as he leaned toward me, his tone deeper, almost respectful. The sound sent a shiver of pleasure and nerves up my spine.

“And how does a true bonding feel, My Lady?” he asked with the same deep voice, his head inclined toward me as if we were involved in some kind of wonderful secret. I guess, in a way, we were.

“Free. Perfect,” I said, my eyes focused on Ilyan as I spoke.

“As it should be. You will find the peace you seek, Siln?.”

“I hope you are right, Dramin.”

“I usually am.”

The need to laugh at Dramin’s comment left as a loud bang echoed through the long hall. The sound of Ryland hitting his head was a loud, steady beat as everyone tried to grab his hands. I cringed against the sound, against the agony of his moans as everyone tried to stop him from hurting himself, and Ilyan turned to speak to Sain in an urgent whisper.

I hated watching this. I hated seeing Ryland so broken and Wyn so sad. I wanted them to be whole, and I wanted them to find peace, just as I had.

“I hope you are. I hope we all find what we are looking for,” I whispered, the words truer than I had expected them to be.

They all turned to Sain as Ryland began to cry. Sain’s lips moved as his eyes glossed over with the blackness of sight. My pulse sped at the dark embers in his eyes, my magic flaring so abruptly I jumped.

“You should try to see what he sees, My Lady,” Dramin said as my head whipped toward him in shock.

“Is that possible?”

Dramin had told me of sights received by the group. I had seen them in the sight with Ilyan, and I had felt one with Sain yesterday, but to plug myself into someone else’s sight, like some sort of circuit breaker—I didn’t think I could do that.

“Yes, the Water will let you. The Drak are all connected through the wells of Imdalind, through the water. I am sure your blood felt the connection the moment the sight filled our Tatínek.”

I stifled my gasp as I turned toward the other side of the room, my magic still a gentle current of electricity through me. Although Sain’s eyes had returned to their usual green, I could still feel the pull of my magic, just as Dramin had said.