Evylin shook her head. “No, Jonn, it isn’tnice. It’s magnificent!” She gripped his hand tighter. “It’s incredible. It’s life-changing. Nonetheless, I have no idea what it’s done to us.”
His brow furrowed. “It hasn’tdoneanything to us,” he objected. “We are the same people we were before.”
“But we have a magical tie between our souls that offers untold power and benefit,” she returned. “We had no idea that we would be able to sense one another’s emotions, yet I feel your concern as plainly as my own. We are too uneducated in this.”
Deckard nodded with reluctant acceptance. “I see your meaning, and I agree. We should learn what we can about all the Bond offers, and I’m fairly certain the Calders would happilycomply. However, we’ve only shared this Bond for two days.” His expression softened, easing her heart with its gentle affection. “We’ve only shared our love forfivedays.”
A small shiver raced across her skin, remembering her confession of love at Renaul’s and the ensuing romance between them.
Deckard’s hand slid up her wrist and to her arm. She glanced down, seeing the evening light catch in the dual-colored moonstone of his ring. “While our mission won’t wait for us to enjoy these early days fully,” his voice was deep and filled with tenderness, “I think we should take what joy in them we can and be grateful that Allore has granted us the chance to love one another in this magnificent, incredible, life-changing way.”
Chewing on her bottom lip, Evylin stared up into his green-blue gaze. Though the idea held a certain appeal, she hadn’t brought him out into the forest to have her way with him. She rather thought they could use some time alone tobetogether, taking enjoyment in one another’s presence and conversation. And perhaps they could learn something about their Bond that might ease her mind.
Sensing her apprehension, Deckard’s expression grew sly. He pressed a kiss to her temple. “You Warriors and your need for action,” he teased. “Very well. Is there something in particular about our Bond that you want to study?”
Grateful for his understanding, Evylin stepped out of his touch. She considered the offer with uncertainty. She had wanted to explore the possibilities of their Bond, yet she knew so little of its potential benefits that she didn’t know where to begin.
As Deckard crossed his arms, her eyes found his ring again, and an idea sparked.
Reaching for her gold and silver dagger, Evylin pulled it from its small scabbard. “Ilain said that our talismans were tied to us, that we can’t lose them because they will always return.”
Deckard nodded along with her reminder. “So what do we expect that to mean? We can take them off. Your dagger is proof of that.”
“Right.” Evylin shifted the blade in her hand, its scrollwork hilt a comforting weight in her palm. A curious grin lifted her lips. Then she whirled and flung the dagger into the depths of the forest.
The rustle of Deckard’s footsteps against the grass and twigs marked his approach at her side. “Do you know how hard that’s going to be to find out there?” he asked.
Evylin didn’t reply but searched inwardly, seeking a pull like the one she’d begun to sense toward Deckard. It wasn’t exactly a compulsion to find him, but more of a direction, alerting her to his presence. With Ilain’s pronouncement that they couldn’t lose their talismans, she’d thought that surely, she’d sense the same sort of location of the dagger.
However, she felt nothing.
With a sigh, Evylin took a step in the direction she’d thrown the blade. “It was a foolish guess,” she admitted. “I suppose when Ilain said we can’t misplace them, she didn’t mean literally.”
Deckard walked alongside her, his brow furrowed. Then he caught her arm, pulling her to a stop. “Perhaps she did,” he said and motioned to the scabbard at her side. “Call it back.”
“What?”
“If you can’t lose it or misplace it, then it must be bysomemagical design,” he insisted. “Try calling it back to you—” he tapped his sternum near his heart, “in here.”
Curious, Evylin did as he suggested. She turned her thoughts inward once more, requesting the dagger’s return. Not a second later, she felt its weight again in the sheath.
Evylin gasped with excitement, drawing the blade once more. “It worked!”
Deckard eyed the talisman with interest. “That could be a handy trick,” he noted.
“It certainly could,” she agreed, another thought surfacing. “Hm.”
He raised his brow in expectation.
Evylin smirked, flipped the dagger over, then flung it into a nearby tree trunk. It was firmly embedded with expert precision. Then she called it back, specifically to her hand this time.
In a blink, the scrollwork hilt was in her palm again.
Laughter flowed out of her. “This is incredible,” she exclaimed.
“It truly is,” Deckard agreed.
“Try yours.”
