Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)

by Rebecca Ethington

  “Where are we going?” I asked when I realized he was dragging me toward the dark tunnel we had entered the cavern through. I looked back to Ilyan, nervous that I was being pulled away from him. The longing I felt scared me, so I shoved it away.

  “I want to try something,” Dramin repeated.

  “Yes, I heard that the first time,” I snapped. He continued to drag me forward. I looked back to see Thom standing near the fire, his arms folded, having no intention of following us. He smiled at my panic stricken face.

  “I’ll stay here,” he called after us rigidly, “and watch over sleeping beauty.” Thom batted a hand at us before turning toward his own bunk, but I didn’t see anything else as Dramin had dragged me not into the dark tunnel that led outside, but into another round cavern that was connected to the first.

  This one was not as nice. In fact, it was bare. The large dome of the rock spread high above us but there were no paintings or dancing bits of reflection, it was only stone and a hundred blue, glittery orbs that Dramin had sent to the ceiling when we arrived in order to give us light.

  I stepped away from him to look at the large space. While bare, it was still impressive.

  “What is this place?” I asked, one magically assisted cave I could accept, but two perfectly rounded caverns?

  I turned to Dramin, surprised to find his smile faded.

  “This was to be a home for one of my posterity, a young lady named Delia and her mate Chandle. They were killed in the massacre. Thom and I stay here because no one but Ilyan and I know of this cave’s existence. Ilyan helped me to build it. It was to be a surprise.” He smiled sadly. I didn’t know what to say so I turned away from him, trying to keep my own sense of loss at bay.

  “The room we came from is the living quarters, this is the practice hall, and through that door there,” he pointed toward a small opening on the opposite edge of the space, “is the room of sight. It is a sacred room where the Drak can see and record their visions.”

  I looked toward the room with interest, but I knew I didn’t want to go in there. I was afraid if I did Dramin would expect me to do something I wasn’t prepared for.

  “So, what are we doing here?” I worded my question carefully, hoping to take his attention off of the room of sight.

  “Did you know Silnỳ that only one magic can exist in a soul at one time? A Vilỳ can only ever be a Vilỳ, a Skȓítek a Skȓítek, a Drak a Drak. If the love is strong enough they can mesh, it has been done in the past, but I am not sure Ovailia ever loved Sain. That was one of the reasons Sain and Ovailia’s bond never held; their magic could never truly be one. The only form of magic that can intermingle is that of a Chosen child, but to have two types of magic in one person prior to a Zȇlství has never happened. It would be too much. The body, the soul, could not contain it. And yet, here you are. You have the magic of a Trpaslík and a Skȓítek, as caused by the bite of a Vilỳ and the magic of the Drak from your Father. All that, in one little body.”

  I stepped away from him, instantly feeling awkward. I didn’t like the way he was insinuating that I was some super powerful being.

  “The Silnỳ,” he said, as if on cue. Most Powerful. I shook my head and moved away further.

  “Too much magic. Are you saying I might be like Ilyan, like how he can’t use the whole of his magic on one person?” Dramin’s eyes narrowed at me as he began to move around me. I held still, even though I wanted to move away from his hawk like stare.

  “No, not yet,” he said. I could tell it was more to himself, then to me, but it still perked my interest.

  “What’s not yet?”

  “You are not yet ready to see all that you must see.” He smiled again as he stopped in front of me, his body far too close for comfort.

  I stepped away, my insides tensing when he smiled again. He pushed the mug back into my hands, the warm Black Water still swirling heavily inside.

  “The Drak drink the Black Water from birth. It is part of our very nature, part of who we are. You have had two mugs. It is the start of your new life. You will find, in a matter of days that you will no longer desire human food. You will not need to sleep as much. You will only need the Black Water to sustain you.”

  I looked into the mug uneasily. I already wanted to take another drink and that alone was worrisome.

  “Now, let’s conduct a little experiment. I will shoot a target into the air for you. I want you to drink of the Black Water and then fire your magic at the target. Aim to kill.” I nodded once. That sounded easy enough, if only my stomach would stop flipping from nerves.

  I lifted the mug to my lips and drank greedily, loving the way the liquid filled me up. Dramin smiled as I downed the liquid. I lowered the mug as he fired a dark heavy shape from his hands and across the large space. It was heavy and more cumbersome then the magic I had learned to control, it almost looked...weak. I lifted my hand, surprised by the response my magic had to that simple thought. Without even having to focus the way I always had, a ripple of brilliant violet flew from the palm of my hand, faster than I had ever seen, to intercept with Dramin’s dark target. The two collided heavily in the air, a purple shower filling the room as my magic destroyed the target.

  I didn’t move. I didn’t dare. I stared at the now dark intersection, the impact replaying in my mind. Ilyan had been training me in combat for months and I had never been able to obtain that kind of power, even after I was able to shield myself from the drain caused by the necklace. Ilyan had always said how strong my magic was, but it had never responded. Not like that.

  “Wonderful!” Dramin shouted as he clapped his hands enthusiastically. “Did you know that the Drak carry no defensive magic? So the fact that you can do that, and so well, is amazing.”

  I stared at him.

  “Would you care to try it again?” Dramin waved his hand over my mug, the liquid instantly refilling.

  I looked at the Black Water for a moment before nodding my head and emptying the mug with one gulp. Dramin laughed as he sent another target for me. This time I released the mug into the air, only to have it float before me, as I sent a strong impulse from both hands. The energy wave moved away from me, disintegrating the target and leaving a long divot in the rock. I reached out and grabbed the mug from where it still hovered in the air, my hands wrapping around the smooth ceramic as if I was afraid I would drop it.

  “Amazing,” Dramin whispered beside me.

  “How is that possible?” I asked, looking at my hand. “I have never been able to... I mean, I…”

  “It appears the Black Water has opened up your true potential, Silnỳ.”

  I turned to him, my hair flying as I moved. I stared at him wide eyed, hoping he would answer my unasked question since I was not sure how to phrase it. He met my eyes, his eyes shining as they searched through me – for what I did not know.

  “No, not yet.”

  “Then when?” I demanded, suddenly worried I would not get the answers I desperately needed.

  “When you have accepted who you truly are.” His answer was simple, but yet seemed so impossible. Especially considering that I didn’t even know what I truly was. I looked at my free hand, my eyes trailing back to the large dent that rent the smooth surface of the stone.

  “I am a Drak,” I said. I could still feel the Black Water buzzing through my veins. The feeling was definitely addicting.

  “Yes.”

  “But I am also one of The Chosen.” My fingers grazed over the seldom touched skin of my mark, as if I needed concrete proof.

  “Yes.”

  “But the two cannot exist together. Different magic cannot exist in one being without a bonding.”

  My statement was simple, confident. He had already told me the answer, had already given me that much of my fate.

  “It seems,” Dramin said, “that now they can, Silnỳ. In you, all things are possible.”

  Nineteen

  The forest. I cringed when I saw it, my heart falling to my feet
in terror. I fought the urge to curl into a ball in expectation of what awaited me. These weren’t just nightmares anymore, they were real. With nightmares you could at least count on waking, but with these dreams I was not so sure anymore. I couldn’t even defend myself in them without the risk of hurting someone else.

  I began to run into the forest. I darted through trees and jumped over rocks, my breath coming in sharp bursts as I exerted myself. I had reached about two hundred yards from where I started when I heard it: the growling, the laughing, and the panting. It all flooded over me and I picked up my pace.

  My running took me straight into a large hedge. I jumped swiftly over it only to land right back in the middle of the clearing, face to face with Cail who stood in the center inspecting his fingernails as if he was bored. Edmund stood behind him, but he was faded somehow, as if he was looking in through a fog.

  “Tsk. Tsk. Running from me, Joclyn? Really? Are you that scared?” Cail mocked me and I took half a step back before bringing my feet together again. I stood straight in front of him, chin held high.

  “No.” I let enough magic stream through my fingers to let the electricity crackle between them. Cail smiled at my taunt, excited at the prospect of a fight.

  “Really? I mean, you should be. You haven’t made us very happy, you know – escaping from Edmund’s trap yet again, surviving no matter how hard we try to kill you. It’s not fair.”

  Cail gestured toward Edmund who smiled slightly.

  “Make it good, Cail.”

  “Of course, master.”

  Both men smiled before Edmund’s shape shimmered and disappeared from view. I flinched as a jolt of fear lodged itself in my chest. I clenched my jaw and ignored it.

  Cail circled around me as he spoke, his eyes never leaving me. His hand reached out and glided down my long hair. I pulled away from the touch, but he only smiled more.

  “Did you come bringing another message, Cail, or is this the only way you can even get close to a woman?” my voice was hard as I looked away from him, locking my jaw in defiance.

  Cail laughed a bit, pulling my hair up to his nose. He inhaled the scent as I moved away from him, the strands pulling from his grasp. He kept his hand against his nose as he looked up at me, his intense gaze causing me to shrink away.

  “Hmmm, no message. I just enjoy spending time with you.” I laughed at him, the hollow sound giving my nerves away.

  “Yeah right,” I scoffed. “You only like spending time with me if it involves attempted murder.”

  Cail smiled wider at my voice, his body moving closer to mine.

  “Or torture,” he added, his smile growing. I stepped away again, hating how insecure I was feeling.

  “Is that what Edmund told you to do, Cail. To torture me?” He didn’t answer. He just continued his descent into my personal space.

  “Ryland told me you knew. He said you now know that Ilyan loves you. Is that true?”

  “Ilyan doesn’t love me,” I shot back, side stepping him to move across the clearing. I didn’t like how this was going. There was always more than this. More screaming, more crying, more pain. “Not in that way.”

  “Oh, so he hasn’t told you. Could it be that I know more then you at this point in time? Ooo, I would love to see your face when you figure everything out – what Ryland did, what Ilyan is keeping from you. This game gets more and more exciting.” He clapped his hands, his eyes dancing in a way that made my insides squirm.

  “This isn’t a game!” I yelled at him, making my voice ricochet off of the trees and surrounding the clearing with the sound of my outburst.

  He froze, his face blank for a moment before the grin returned.

  “Not a game you say? Well, what do you say we turn it into a game?” He came up behind me quicker than I had expected him too, his hands wrapping around me and holding me in place. He rested his chin against my shoulder, my insides squirming at the unwelcome contact.

  “Why don’t we see who has the upper hand?” His voice was soft in my ear, I moved my head away from him, but he followed, keeping his cheek against mine.

  “Bring them out!” he yelled. I cringed against the sound but his arms still held me against him.

  I felt my fingers crackle, my magic was surging in expectation of an attack, but I pushed it away. It wouldn’t work here anyway.

  I watched as dark shapes began to form in front of me. They were not the regular shapes of Edmund’s henchmen, they were rounded balls that were accompanied by the grunts, groans, and screams of injured people being forced to move. My mouth opened in a silent scream as I saw the forms break between the trees. One after another they came, each of their broken bodies framed by two of Edmund’s men. I looked to each of them, Ryland and Wyn fighting weakly against their captors, Talon weak and still on the ground, and a man I didn’t recognize. The man lifted his gaze to mine and I knew at once who he was.

  My Father.

  He looked the same as I had always remembered him, the imprint of his features still strong in my mind. His hair, as black as mine, was longer than I remembered. It made him look older and more travel worn. He looked up to me with his rounded face, his strong jaw tight and defiant as he fought against the men who held him. His eyes were as green as mine were before they changed, my breath catching at how much I looked like him. The resemblance that would never have been recognized in a child was now obvious in his teenager. Thom was right, I looked just like him.

  He blinked at seeing me there, his eyes instantly glossing over with unshed tears. I could see the confusion and heartbreak that must have been tearing him up inside.

  I could only stare at him. I wasn’t sure what to say or how to react to this man. He was my Father. My heart beat heavily against my chest as it screamed at me to run to him. Part of me wanted to. But another part was too hurt to care.

  We stared at each other, a million words, thoughts, and purposes flowing between us, before Cail cut off our individualized reveries.

  “We hold in our possession two of your friends, your lover, and even your Father. And who do you still have? A ‘Protector’. Someone who hasn’t even told you the truth yet.”

  I looked between them all, my heart breaking at seeing them there. I had to remind myself that this was only a dream. They weren’t really here. I could not save them. But most importantly, I reminded myself that I could not tell Cail of Ilyan’s current state. I swallowed the giant lump in my throat and looked away from them, trying to keep my confidence high.

  “Let them go,” I snarled.

  “Why? We have the upper hand. We. Are. Winning. And you, you don’t even know what’s going on.” He smiled and I pushed against his strong arms.

  “Now, now, don’t go anywhere yet. We still haven’t gotten to our game! You see, we have four people in front of us and you can pick one. One that you will not have to watch die right now. The others we will kill before you. You will not have to see the last die, but here is the clincher. Whoever you choose will have to watch you die before we will release them from this nightmare, and let them wake up.”

  I fought against him, not wanting to hear anymore, not wanting to play his game.

  “Who do you choose, Joclyn? Who do you want to watch you die?”

  I looked at each of them as they fought their captors. Each one had fought for me, and I for them. I fought the burning emotions behind my eyes as I looked between them, my vision stopping at my Father. He didn’t fight against those who held him. He met my eyes, nodding his head once in understanding. I inhaled deeply.

  “My Father,” I said. “I choose my Dad.”

  He nodded to me once more, my mouth forming the words ‘I’m sorry’ hoping desperately that he would understand.

  “It’s okay, Joclyn.” A million childhood memories flooded me with his voice.

  “Wonderful!” Cail sneered, his hold on me tightening. “She’s made her choice. Dispose of the rest.”

  I tried to look away, but Cail held my head as th
ree swords plunged through the chests of my friends. In sync, each screamed, and gargled as the life left their bodies. Wyn’s hand extended helplessly toward Talon. I tried not to cry, tried to convince myself that they were not hurt, that it was only a dream. But the tears dripped down my cheeks anyway.

  “No!” I yelled the word even though I didn’t want to, even though I knew it was useless.

  Cail laughed at me, holding my head in place for a moment longer as I watched their lifeless bodies on the forest floor.

  Cail, thankfully, didn’t let my eyes linger long before turning me to face my Father, the men behind him holding him in place and forcing his eyes open so he didn’t miss a thing. I saw the flash of the blade to my side, praying that whatever Cail was going to do would happen quickly.

  “I’m sorry, Daddy.” I closed my eyes as I spoke, not wanting to know what was going to happen.

  I felt the flow of the air as the sword moved, and then the pain filled me. I screamed at the impact, at the intensity of the agony. I continued screaming as Cail’s arm around me disintegrated and the rough sheet of my bunk took its place.

  I continued to scream and writhe at the memory of the pain, waiting for the arm to wrap around me that would never come. I cried, and howled, and yelled in panic. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that Thom and Dramin could hear me.

  I screamed Ilyan’s name until I had gained a little bit of control over myself. Still shaken, I replaced his name with his song. My shaky voice was louder than usual, the song ricocheting around the stone walls that threatened to swallow me whole. I sang Ilyan’s song over and over until my voice became a whisper, and then faded to nothing.

  I didn’t dare move. I faced the cave wall, not wanting to know if Thom or Dramin had witnessed my episode. I held still for much longer than necessary, not daring to go back to sleep, no matter how much my exhausted body begged me too. When I was sure that enough time had passed, I turned, thankful to find no one but Ilyan’s still body that lay in the bunk across the common area from me.