Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)

by Rebecca Ethington

  His hair was short and cut above his ears, the blonde strands were darker and waved slightly against his head. I had seen his hair short once before, but somehow this look was different. The change was becoming, his features more defined. And, dare I say it, he looked... gorgeous.

  He walked in quickly, his eyes strong and yet nervous. He wore the same clothing I had seen him wear for council, the long tunic, high boots, and ornate jewels all firmly in place. And yet, I had the distinct impression that this was not some special attire, this was the clothing of the time.

  Dramin’s words of Ilyan having waited eight hundred years echoed through my head. Eight hundred years ago would make it around the year 1200, and Ilyan would be a little over two hundred years old. My jaw dropped as the numbers sprang to life in my mind.

  Ilyan marched in, before falling to one knee, his head bowed against his hand. He said nothing. He stayed like that while all of the Drak looked at him. I was frozen in place, my eyes glued to Ilyan’s back, waiting for something to happen. Finally, after a few minutes, Sain stepped off of his throne and toward Ilyan, who still did not move.

  “Welcome, My Lord.” Sain greeted him warmly, his pleasure at seeing him echoing around the large cavern. Ilyan rose at Sain’s words, and I was surprised to find his eyes bloodshot.

  “You know why I have come?” Ilyan asked, his head rising about a foot above Sain’s.

  “How could I not?” Sain smiled sadly and took Ilyan’s hand, leading him toward the pool of Black Water that stood in the middle of the hall. I reluctantly followed, my skin prickling with nerves.

  “Tell me, how did you survive for so long?” Ilyan’s voice was so pained, it cut straight into me. Sain smiled at him sadly, patting his hand softly.

  “You of all people know that I did not manage it easily. If I had then we would not have my lovely Dramin, and I would not be bonded to your sister. My life is full now, but only after many centuries of waiting.” Sain’s voice was not sad as it echoed around the stone chamber, if anything it was full of acceptance and comfort. It was a voice from my childhood; I had heard it with every scraped knee or tumble. The tone of his voice reminded me of home.

  “I know, but still...” Ilyan trailed off and he hung his head, looking into the still water that did not show him his reflection. None of the other Drak moved, their eyes stayed focused on Ilyan and Sain.

  “You are lonely,” Sain finished for him confidently. Ilyan nodded once, his eyes glistening with tears, which he tried in vain to hold back.

  “I feel lost. My heart breaks for someone I have never even met, someone who may never exist. I cannot weave my magic with someone without causing them injury. I am beginning to believe that the joy of a Zȇlství will never be in my future.”

  I took a step toward him, wishing I could console him somehow. I had to remind myself that this was a memory. Ilyan wiped the tears from his face before raising his head to Sain. My Father wrapped his arms around him comfortingly.

  “Would it help you to know that I have felt your pain?”

  “That is why I have come to you. I knew you would understand.” Ilyan clapped my father on the shoulder hard, causing him to lose his balance, both men chuckling at the stumble.

  “And yet you still wish to use the sight to see into your future?” Sain asked, his tone curious and worried.

  I found myself growing concerned about what exactly I was about to see. I had been told this was the sight about my true purpose, but Ilyan was asking about his love life. Cail’s words about Ilyan’s feelings for me shot through me, my body freezing in fear that the two things might be connected.

  “Yes. I would gladly wait until the end of days if only I knew that she would be waiting for me, that someday I would be with her.”

  “The future does not always hold hope, Ilyan. What would you do if no one will ever come into this world for you?” Sain moved away from Ilyan and around the pool before facing Ilyan from the other side. The Water began to ripple between them, and yet, their reflections still did not shine on the dark surface.

  “I would do what I have been doing, Sain. I will continue my work with Man, but at least I will know to stop looking.”

  Sain studied him for a moment before coming to a decision. He nodded once and moved back to place his cloak on the throne he had originally come from. Returning to the pool, he knelt next to the water.

  “Bare your chest Ilyan. This is a matter of the heart, and not one that the Black Water will take lightly. My soul tells me that this is more than it seems.” Sain spoke loudly as he leaned over the water, each of the Drak kneeling in unison as he did.

  Ilyan did not hesitate before removing his tunic, the fabric lying in a heap on the ground near his feet. He moved to the center of the room wearing only the thick tights of the time and high leather boots. His chest was smooth and scar free. I had grown so used to seeing the scars that seeing him without them was odd.

  “Do you wish to use my sight to know the matters of your heart, Ilyan, son of Edmund, heir to the throne of our King?” Sain’s voice was loud. It had taken on that strange dead quality I had heard in my voice when I used my sight.

  “I do.”

  “Then show him,” the voices of every Drak in the hall spoke at the same time, their voices hollow as well.

  “Tell me of what you desire.” Sain extended his hand until it hovered right above the Black Water, his fingers barely skimming the surface.

  I inhaled sharply, my stress at what all this could mean growing.

  “I wish to know if the fates have designed a mate for me – be it now, or in the future. I must know if one will be born who is strong enough to hold my magic.” Ilyan’s voice ricocheted around the space, growing louder as he spoke. My neck muscles stiffened, my body reacting to what I knew was to come. What I didn’t want to hear.

  “So let it be.” All the Drak spoke together as Sain plunged his hand into the water.

  The moment his hand was submerged, the water seemed to come to life. The gentle ripples of before became a torrent. They bubbled over the surface in an angry pattern. The bubbles continued to grow until the water grew vertically into a pillar of thick darkness. I could no longer see my Father as he knelt beside the pool. I could see Ilyan’s back as he stood before it, his muscles flexing in anticipation.

  Once the Black Water had grown to a height above his head, Ilyan called out in pain. I ran over to him in a panic, needing to help him, even though I knew this was a memory. I stopped in place as I saw what was happening. Streams of Water flowed away from the pillar to drag themselves along Ilyan’s chest. I inhaled sharply, remembering what Dramin and Thom had told me. Black Water was poisonous to any but the Drak, but contact with it was necessary for the Drak to use their sights for others.

  Ilyan yelled out, his pain restrained enough that I could tell he was trying to hide how much it was hurting. He clenched his jaw as tongue after tongue of roving water dragged itself over his chest. His flesh bubbled and turned an angry red as it sliced through him, over and over. He yelled and screamed, but he did not call for them to stop. I could see the determination in his eyes, his fervent desire to know guiding him.

  It took far too long for the Black Water to stop slicing away at Ilyan’s flesh. His screams died as his magic healed him, his power taking away the pain. Ilyan squared his shoulders and looked straight ahead as the Drak began to mumble, their voices overriding one another until they began to join together.

  The sound was both deafening and terrifying. I cringed into myself as the sound grew in strength and in caliber. It ricocheted off of the walls and around my head until it became one voice, and as it did, the water exploded even further, the pillar extending violently up to the ceiling.

  The Black Water began to swirl and ripple as colors passed over it, the sights from the Drak reflecting onto the water so that Ilyan could see them. Flashes of red began to move together before forming a tangible image of fire, of destruction.

  “T
here is one among us…”

  The Drak spoke together, their voices so precise it sounded like one loud voice. The power of it filled me. Even though I knew this was a memory, I could feel my own Drak blood calling to them.

  “…who seeks to change the magic. Someone who seeks to kill the magic.”

  As the Drak spoke, the fire in the vision was joined by the faint sounds of screaming, the image within the pillar changing to running feet, explosions, and above all, Edmund’s laugh.

  “He seeks to kill the magic for his own personal gain. We see him as he fights, as he sheds the blood of us, as he sheds the blood of others. We see him as he stops the reign of magic, as he stops the time of ours.”

  As the Drak spoke, more sights of the early destruction caused by Edmund flashed through the water. The screams of children and families rang out around us as the flashes of misery continued. I cringed away from them all, I had seen enough of what Edmund was capable of in my own life.

  “Is this now?” Ilyan asked, his voice raised above the constant noise that filled the chamber.

  “The time is now, My Lord,” The Drak said together. “You alone will be brave enough to fight him. Where others will lose their lives, you will prevail.”

  More sights flashed before us as the Drak continued to mumble. Ilyan and I looked at the pillar as images of him fighting against unknown foes were replaced by his stripped body strung up on a tree as he was beaten, and then returning to a sight of Ilyan and his strength. I looked to Ilyan curiously, surprised to see his shoulders squared and jaw set, almost as if he was ready to plunge into battle at any moment.

  Looking at him right then, I could understand why he always fought, why he relished battle. It wasn’t a thirst for blood as Edmund would have me believe. It was pure desire to help, to be good, to protect. It was light.

  “In a time far ahead, near the end of the world…” Flashes of war after war, all raged by man, filled the pillar of Black Water. I ached at seeing all the destruction humans had waged in such a raw way.

  “…in a time when everything is changing and everything is new…”

  The water showed us visions of my time and I watched Ilyan’s eyes bug out of his head at the sights of high-rise buildings, cars, and the everyday modern life he was being shown.

  “…there will come a child.”

  The same sight from my own vision flashed on the water – that of my Mother being handed an infant, me. My heart beat rapidly as I began to put it all together.

  “A child, an infant, a child that we see. We see her when she’s born. We see her when she’s grown. We see her now, and we see her then.”

  Visions of my childhood flashed through the water in quick succession, I recognized moments of triumph sprinkled through the many images of loss, pain, and anger that made up my childhood. Ilyan clutched his heart, his sadness at my life evident on his face. I had to look away as the images continued, each heartbreaking memory hurting more. But then, they began to change. I was smiling more. I was laughing. And I knew why. Each of these sights were when I was with Ryland. Even though he was never shown, I knew without a doubt he was there. My spirits soared thinking about him as he used to be, before the pain of his insistence that I break the Zȇlství crushed my joy. I shook off the feeling, focusing on the smile that filled the water before it too began to fade.

  “She is of The Chosen. Marked by the sign of the creature of fire, she has smoke in her eyes.”

  More visions, they flashed by quickly showing us snippets of when I received my mark, my eyes before and after, of how I tried to hide the mark over the years. I reached up and covered my neck, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

  “A Chosen Child just for you.” Their voices ricocheted through my head as the pillar showed a sight of Ilyan and me. His arms were entwined around me, his body soft against mine, his lips pressed firmly against my own.

  “No,” I gasped silently. My stomach turning at the sight I was seeing. I had known from the beginning what was going to happen, but I didn’t want to see it. I didn’t want to accept what Cail and Ryland had said as truth.

  The vision continued and I looked toward Ilyan, his hand extended longingly toward the passionate kiss we shared. I could see all the longing in his eyes. He had waited so long. This wasn’t supposed to happen, it wouldn’t happen. And yet, I was pained for him.

  “For in this child is power, power beyond belief.”

  The sight of our kiss faded to an image of me, strong magic flowing as I fought several Trpaslíks at the same time. I was shocked to see that I was winning.

  “She is the most powerful. She will be The Silnỳ, the one who protects us all.”

  The sights continued, one after another, of me fighting, my power prevailing. More often than not, Ilyan was by my side, his magic battling right beside me. The visions continued before ending with Ilyan defeating an unseen assailant, his arm wrapped around me securely. I recognized that one because it had already happened. It was from the night we fled the LaRues’ mansion, the night we failed to rescue Ryland.

  “Her life is nothing but misery, for everything she touches is ash and in her heart is only pain.”

  More images of my childhood. My heartbreak as my Father left. My pain as I was bullied through every year of school. My misery at finding my Mother dead, only to be thrown out of a window. I gasped as I saw my fall, the impact never shown, and the pain on my face heartbreaking.

  “Only you can help her and fill her heart with love.”

  They spoke as more sights filed through the water. I looked, expecting to see some startling way that Ilyan would make me love him, but all of these had happened. I felt my heart loosening toward him now as it had then. They showed Ilyan caring for me as I pined, holding me as I was minutes from death, tenderly making shoes for me, and holding me every night as I had cried. Seeing it from this angle, seeing his actions as I slept and screamed, changed my perspective. I saw the tears I never knew he shed over me, and the love he kept hidden.

  “Only you can save her and keep her for her true purpose.”

  A sight formed again of Ilyan gently laying me on the bed in the attic, his finger running along my jaw as I fell asleep. Showing him then lean down to kiss me. A forbidden kiss, a kiss I never felt. I gasped as I saw the action. I was angry, angry that he had kissed me, and yet... and yet...

  “For you were born and you were bred only to protect her.”

  More images of Ilyan and I floated past, his arms always around me, his body protecting me from those who would hurt me. Some I had lived through and some I had yet to experience.

  “It is your future, Ilyan. Now is your time to see her. Then your place will be near her. It is your purpose to protect her. But beware, even as your heart longs for her, she will love another.”

  My heart clenched as the sight replayed my first kiss with Ryland, our magic exploding as Ryland sealed himself to me, completing the Zȇlství. This time it was not my turn for heartbreak. This time Ilyan reached longingly out, his voice calling out in disbelief. I could hear his heart break and it broke something inside of me too. I shook my head, basking in the memory of the kiss and not the trauma I was now facing.

  “Your heart will long for her, but she may not be yours to take.”

  More sights, more visions of secret kisses, intimate moments when we sat with our arms around each other, as we laughed and joked. And finally, when he tried to teach me to Salsa dance. I couldn’t help but smile at the memory. Even though I didn’t want to accept all that was being shown, I couldn’t keep out the joy that tried to seep its way into me.

  “You must find your strength to protect her, to be near her, for it is only by your side that she can find her true purpose, that she will find the strength to kill those that would end the magic of the world.”

  The images in the water changed again, this time to show Ilyan standing by me as I fought, his presence strong as he supported me from a distance. I could tell what was happen
ing. I was using his magic. The knowledge of that rocked through me and my jaw dropped. There were only two ways that that could happen, through a bonding, or through the Štít. I clutched my hand to my shoulder. He had known.

  I understood the look now, the look he gave me when he spoke of the Štít for the first time. It was heartbreak. His heart had broken because he knew he could never have me and that the Štít was the only way he could be close to me. And then, when I could hold his magic, all of it, he knew that a bonding was possible, but also that it would never happen.

  I had come to love Ilyan, maybe more than I could ever fully accept. I felt my soul rent with the realization of his pain and heartbreak. I longed to help him, to protect him, to make it okay. But I knew I couldn’t. I was bonded to Ryland. And Ryland had protected me too. Ryland loved me too. And even though Ryland’s protection may end by a severing of our bond, I didn’t know if I could ever move beyond that.

  “It is only when she is with you that she will be able to accomplish all that she must. And it is your place to protect her, until the day that she passes from this world and into the next."

  “No.” Ilyan and I said together at the sight of him holding my body, his arms wrapped tightly around me as he howled and cried in agony, explosions filling the space surrounding us.

  “This child is power.” Sain spoke alone, his voice loud and powerful. “Power that is strong enough for you.”

  More flashes of my ability raced across the pillar. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from it. I couldn’t comprehend that I could be so strong.

  “For you,” the Drak repeated together, “for you, for you.”

  Their voices reverberated eerily as image after image of Ilyan and I together filled the space. Sights of intimate kisses, intertwined bodies, beach houses, and children flashed one right after another. They came faster and faster until they were a blur. The blur continued for a moment before the water went black, the pillar falling into the pool again. I ran to it, gasping at the smooth surface and the reflection of myself that was now staring back at me.