Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(69)

“Ready,” I called out. Thom stretched his fingers before he began to shoot objects away from him: real, magical, and conjured. I caught the real objects with my mind, only to set them down by the entrance where they had begun, I shattered the conjured objects with a pulse from my own magic, and intercepted each of the magical attacks with either an attack of my own or a wave of negative movement.

The room exploded with color and action for the brief time it took me to do away with each of Thom’s potential weapons. The ribbons of color snaked down to the ground last, only to fall in pools of glittering power before they disappeared back into the stone. And through it all, I did not move my hands an inch.

“Six seconds!” Dramin called out. I saw him running toward me, so I opened my eyes, stiffly moving to my feet again.

“How many was that, Thom?” Dramin asked as he came up beside me, his eyes eager.

“Twenty real, ten conjured, and five attacks.” He didn’t seem too pleased, although after our talk this morning I was realizing that Thom was not one to show his emotions in public.

“You probably could have gone faster,” Thom grunted.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Thom,” I said a bit sarcastically. Thom only rolled his eyes and moved away from us.

“Do you think you could do more, Siln??” Dramin asked as he bounced on his heels. He took my hand in his, but I pulled away, fighting the urge to ask him not to touch me. He looked a little shocked, so I grabbed my mug, drained it, and shoved it into his chest.

“More items or more magic?” I asked, not understanding.

“Both,” Dramin’s voice was so eager, he reminded me of a five year old being offered ice cream.

“Well,” Thom yelled from across the large space, “if you don’t need me, I am going to go check on our invalid.”

“Thom!” Dramin yelled after him, but Thom only waved his hand in farewell.

“Thom!” Dramin tried again, but Thom didn’t even turn to look back. “You great lazy oaf! Get back here!” Dramin yelled loudly but Thom had already disappeared back into the main room where I was sure he was going to take a nap by the fire.

I smiled a bit and Dramin turned to me, joining in before returning my now filled mug back to me.

“Well, what are we going to do now?” I asked, before taking a nice long sip of the Black Water. Yep, I was definitely becoming an alcoholic.

“How about we test your sight?” I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. I knew what he was talking about and honestly I wasn’t interested.

“It’s twenty-twenty thank you very much.” I spoke as brightly as I could before smiling and strolling away, following after Thom. I may have Drak blood, but I did not want to see any of the things the sight could give me.

“What’s twenty-twenty?” Dramin asked obviously not getting the reference.

“My vision.” I provided, but Dramin sighed, his regular smile disappearing a bit.

“I am talking about your sight, Siln?. Not your vision. There is no reason to be scared.”

I froze, but did not turn to face him. I looked up to the large gash I had placed in the stone dome the day before, not wanting to give him an answer. Of course I was scared. I had no interest in reliving my past, let alone seeing the future.

“There is no reason to be scared,” Dramin repeated. “This is simply another step in the process. Without using your sight, you will not be able to summon the Black Water for yourself, and I will not be able to show you the sight that told of your true purpose.”

“That’s not a problem,” I said, turning toward him. “You can come with me and Ilyan, and you can tell me what was said rather than show me.” I smiled brightly, happy when he chuckled – only to have my thoughts of compromise dashed when he began to shake his head.

“I cannot follow you all around the earth while you fight Edmund, Siln?. I am also not going to travel with you on your honeymoon, or always be there when you are injured.”

“Honeymoon?” I said, interrupting him. “Who said anything about a honeymoon?”

“You must call the Black Water on your own,” Dramin continued as if I hadn’t said anything. “And as for the sight, I have to show you.”

“You don’t have to,” I countered, folding my arms and bringing the fur cloak closer around me. I still missed my hoodie.

“I do. I have seen it, Siln?.”

I knew he had me, and I hated it. I needed the Black Water. I could already feel my body calling for more. And as much as I didn’t want to admit it, I did need to know what had been said about me. I turned toward him, keeping the cloak around me tightly.

“Fine,” I said grumpily. “Show me the way.”

Dramin bounced once before turning and walking toward the large opening he had shown me the day before. I followed after him, my body hurting the more I moved. I took a drink as I walked, the Black Water taking away the ache for the moment.

I followed Dramin into the adjoining chamber, this one different from the others. It was the same dome shape, the same raised stone work circling the walls, but no bunks or benches lined the platform. There were odd rune shapes carved into the stone and a portion of the circular room was sunken, but you wouldn’t be able to tell without looking closely. The sunken area was filled right to the top with an unmoving liquid that I could easily recognize as Black Water. Somehow, even though the water did not move, the room was filled with the rippling reflections of waves on a pond.