She reached over to give his hand a quick squeeze. “And I’m grateful to have friends like you and Evylin,” she said passionately. “I’m impulsive and reckless at times. Despite myage, I can’t quite seem to act it. I need people like you two. I need your steadiness to remind me that all my emotions, all my reactions—they aren’t the truth.”
Deckard gave her a smile, though he felt bashful under such kind words.
Ilain hummed with amusement at his reserved demeanor. “Come now,” she said, moving back toward the path they’d taken. “We should return. I’ve got a husband to speak to.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
16TH OF RADIA, 1574
Evylin only had one more day with Hewitt.
As they cantered down the road that cut through the thick forests of central Ephria, Evylin’s heart stuttered every few moments. They were within a day’s travel from the site of Hewitt’s grave. Tomorrow, they would arrive at the village of Acre, where their friends would settle in for the evening while she and Deckard made the short ride to the forest where they’d buried her uncle’s body. Then Deckard would release him...forever.
Evylin didn’t know if she could face the loss a second time.
With Deckard’s power, she could keep Hewitt with her for the rest of her life. They could end the war, save their countries, and rebuild Allund as it was always meant to be. She and Jonn could live out their lives in the bliss of their Bond, traveling the world. And they could keep Hewitt at their side all the while.
But it wasn’t what her uncle wanted.
Evylin had fallen back to ride at the rear of the troop, her thoughts muddled by the impending dawn of a new day. The Space Relic hung hidden under her coat, its thick golden chain accompanying the thin silver necklace Hewitt had made for her fifteenth birthday. The Alliance was right. As part of a Bondedpair, she felt no effects from this Relic. After her time with the Day, Fire, and Night Relics, she knew how their emotional manipulation tugged on your soul subtly. Yet, there was no urging of Space on her, no push and pull of everything and nothing like she’d felt in the Keep. It simply rested against her breastbone, pleasantly cool and content.
Thatwas something unexpected. After wearing the Relic for a full day, she’d begun to receive near-sentient pulses from it. It didn’t seem alive, exactly, but it still bore its own personality, its own emotions. And through her growing understanding of the Relic’s magic, she could tell that it was happy to be with her.
With a deep breath, Evylin stared at the riders ahead. She didn’t know how to handle that revelation. The Reliclikedbeing with her. How would it feel if she gave it away? Did it matter?
Considering a magical necklace’s feelings had never occurred to Evylin before. But now...
Deckard didn’t want a future governing the country, which meant they’d hand the Relic over to another Bonded couple. She’d heard talk of another Space Mage, which meant the Alliance had a viable option other than themselves. While Deckard and she could safely carry the Relic during their mission, once Allund was settled, they would give it to its rightful caretakers.
Evylin glanced down as though she could see the Relic through her tunic. “What do you think of that?” she asked quietly. No one was near enough to hear her, but she didn’t care for them to find out she was talking to the thing, even if it was just this once.
There was no response. Not a spike of energy or even a sense of emotion. The Relic just lay against her chest, unseen and steadily giving off the same feeling of contentment.
Evylin pursed her lips. Perhaps the Relic didn’t care aboutherso much as knowing that it was out in the world again, free ofits confines in the Keep. It probably wouldn’t mind being given away to someone else.
But what if Evylin minded . . . ?
Looking ahead again, Evylin saw Deckard guide his horse away from where he led the troop with Thom. He dropped back to join her. His green-blue gaze studied her even as he offered a gentle smile.
“You’ve been back here for quite some time,” he noted.
“I’ve been ruminating,” she admitted.
“On what exactly?”
Evylin drew in a slow breath. “Many things,” she said. She let her lips lift in a teasing grin. “You came back because you felt my worry, didn’t you?”
“I did,” he confessed.
“Mm-hm.” Evylin nudged his arm and tried not to notice the way he flinched in reaction to the Relic’s tug. Clinging to amusement rather than disappointment, she smirked. “Well, I must say I rather like this Bond of ours,” she teased. “It’s very handy. All I need is to feel the slightest concern, and you’ll come running.”
Deckard dipped his chin. “Anything to serve you.”
That was part of the problem.
“What’s bothering you?” Deckard asked.
Though there were many things causing Evylin’s distress, she chose the most immediate concern. “I don’t want to let him go,” she confessed quietly. “I’m not ready to lose him again.”
