Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(59)

“Why?” I shook my head trying to clear the image and the memory of Cail and Ilyan fighting out of my mind. “How do you know that?”

Thom sat up all the way and leaned forward. His blue eyes shimmered in the firelight as he looked toward me. “When Cail was born, it was decided that Edmund needed a new bodyguard. So Edmund and Timothy both infused the infant with a ?tít of their magic. However, Edmund also placed his there to give Cail power. You see, Edmund placed his ?tít right inside Cail’s heart. From birth, Edmund’s wicked power has influenced him. And from birth, Cail has been taught how to use Edmund’s power as his own. All with the knowledge that if he steps one toe out of line, Edmund can kill him no matter where he is.”

I gasped, my hand subconsciously moving to my shoulder where Ilyan’s weak tendrils still swirled within me.

“Yes,” Thom nodded, “I know that Ilyan has done something similar to you.” I saw Dramin’s head spin toward me at Thom’s words, but I ignored it.

“I will admit I was shocked when I was healing him and suddenly my energy moved across the room. But Ilyan’s ?tít in you is different than what resides in Cail’s body. Ilyan has placed his there to protect you. Besides, I doubt you could use his magic to your benefit. Even trying to hold Ilyan’s magic inside of you would kill you.”

Thom laughed as if he had told a great joke and lay back against the couch again. I let my eyes flow away from Thom to Ilyan’s still body.

But I had held Ilyan’s magic. He had accidently pushed too much within me when setting up the ?tít, and I had survived. And I was sure he had done it again when using the Stutter to get us here. I shook my head and looked away.

“So Cail can use Edmund’s magic?” I asked before drinking the last of the liquid from my mug.

“Yes,” Dramin answered, “although I don’t think he does very often. I am not sure he can without Edmund’s express permission.”

I nodded and looked away from him, into my empty cup. I knew exactly when Cail was using Edmund’s magic with his permission – every night, when he haunted my dreams. I didn’t dare look over to Ilyan. I wished I could talk to him, tell him I had figured it out. Even though I am sure he already knew, I needed tell him... needed someone to understand. I shook my head and looked up, cringing a bit to see Dramin staring at me.

“What is it?” I wasn’t sure if he didn’t know or was just being polite in asking, but either way, I still didn’t want to answer. After all they would both find out tonight when I woke up screaming with no one there to calm me.

“Ummm...” I asked the first thing that came to my mind, lifting the empty mug to make my intent clear. “Can I have some more?”

“I’ll get it,” Thom grunted from the other side of the fire, as he lifted himself up to a sitting position.

“Don’t bother,” Dramin said as he waved his hand, the mug filling with the dark brown fluid.

I smiled appreciatively and took a big swallow, loving how it was energizing my body.

“No,” I turned toward Thom, surprised at how his voice had changed from before. He stood in front of the fire, his startled eyes jumping between me and Dramin.

“What?” I asked, looking around, worried something was coming up behind me.

“You didn’t?” Thom yelled at Dramin.

“I did. You can imagine my own surprise when my sight showed me what would come if I did.” Dramin’s voice was calm against Thom’s outburst. I continued to look back and forth between them, my confusion growing.

“You could have killed her, Dramin!” I jumped at Thom’s shout, my heart thumping at his words.

“I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t been shown that it was the right path, Thom. Besides, she just needed to be woken up,” Dramin said. “At least now we know and can work with it.”

“Know what?” I practically shouted. I needed to know what was going on.

“He gave you some of the Black Water to drink,” Thom said, his voice strained. “Your Father’s blood still flows strong in your veins.”





Eighteen


“Wait, what?” I looked between the two men, from Thom’s panicked face to Dramin’s gleeful grin. They seemed to be waiting for me to do something. I looked directly at Thom, deciding that his anger might prompt him to tell me the truth a bit faster.

“You,” I said as sternly as I could, my panic seeping out anyway. “Tell me what he did.”

Thom’s eyes narrowed at me as he grunted in disapproval. Normally I would have apologized for my rudeness, but right now I didn’t care. I glared at him for a moment longer before he grunted again and sat back down on his couch.

“The Black Water is the water that the Drak use to cultivate the magic of sight. It is their main food source, and essentially the very core of their power. The water can only be held in a mug made from the mud of the outer rim of the Wells of Imdalind. It’s why your Father could become so weak when Edmund kept it from him. If you keep the mugs away, you keep the Water away. The water is poison to any other being but the Drak. By giving it to you to drink, he could have very easily killed you.” Thom huffed before looking away from me, his continued frustration at the situation evident.