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Illiandra settled her hand on Willow’s arm. “Why, with all that’s holy in our realm, did you not tell me sooner?”
“I don’t know. It happened so gradually that I just accepted it as my job. But when Axton attacked the vines, I could feel that I’d reach a critical limit.”
Illiandra leaned back in her chair and set the teacup and saucer aside. She fell into a contemplative state and Willow had enough sense to let her be.
The woman and her husband, Gervassay, had led the wraith colony for at least two millennia, which was long before Willow was born. She had met them on the first day of her service and considered them to be two of the wisest realm-folk she’d ever known. Nothing but kindness ever flowed from their tongues.
Finally, Illiandra shifted slightly toward Willow. “I greatly fear that events have coalesced that will change Ashleaf forever. Our future rests on the head of a pin and can fall through the winds of fate either for good or for evil.
“I also fear that much rests on your shoulders, Willow, and I’m sorry for that because you have lain down your life for the colony, sacrificing year after year with no thought for your personal needs or desires.
“Though I am reluctant to say as much, I believe that our only hope is for you to bond with Mastyr Malik. In that bond, you may find the power you need.”
Willow didn’t understand. “I’m confused. What do you mean that I should bond with Malik? We shared a lovely moment together, but it was for the purpose of ending things, not beginning anything.”
“Oh, dear. You don’t know, do you? You don’t realize what you are?”
Willow shook her head. “I know exactly what I am. I am the Protector.”
But Illiandra just looked at Willow, forcing her to think, but to ponder what? That it had something to do with Malik was clear, yet she had no clue as to which direction her thoughts should take.
Then she recalled the very moment when Malik had grown distressed a few minutes after their lovemaking. In fact, he’d appeared as though he’d been struck hard in the chest.
Realm-folk often engaged in bonding through their mating vibrations, especially in marriage. And even several of the Realm rulers had bonded, but their mates were blood roses, which was a recent and very bizarre phenomenon of the Nine Realms.
She shook her head briskly back and forth several times, then murmured out loud, “No.”
“Yes,” Illiandra countered.
Willow once again recalled the look on Malik’s face. Had he touched his stomach? Had he realized he had no pain? Had her blood resolved two centuries of the horrible cramping that accompanied chronic blood-starvation in mastyr vampires? Was that what had upset him? That he’d realized she was a blood rose?
Once more, she shook her head. “You think I have this new gift — the one that’s meant to relieve mastyr vampires of their suffering?”
Illiandra nodded slowly. “I do. Have you not craved Mastyr Malik?”
Willow felt ill. She didn’t want yet another powerful and difficult gift that would bind her in service to Ashleaf Realm. Protecting the wraith colony was enough.
She rose to her feet and for a moment couldn’t catch her breath. “I can’t do this. I can’t. You have no idea how hard just tending the colony is. I don’t have time, or energy, or power or anything.”
“Was making love with Malik so draining then?”
Willow could hardly put two thoughts together. “No, quite the opposite. I … I felt powerful afterwards.”
Illiandra rose to her feet as well. “You have a lot to think about. Unfortunately, my intuition tells me you will not have a lot of time to process what has happened. I am sorry, Willow, and I hope that as the next few hours unfold, you’ll find your way to making peace with the mastyr. But now, I must return. I have a meeting with the Elders in a few minutes. Just think about these things and if you can, prepare yourself.”
Illiandra then transformed to her wraith form and floated through the open window of the study, afterward disappearing from sight.
Willow wasn’t certain whether she was distressed that Illiandra had left her so abruptly, or grateful she was gone. At least now she could perhaps pretend that her world hadn’t just crashed all around her.
Carrying both sets of empty teacups and saucers back to the kitchen, Willow busied herself with cleaning up. Maybe if she soaped up the cups, rinsed them and dried them, she’d realize that the last couple of hours had been a dream. She’d wake up and maybe spend some time working in her garden.
But by the time she’d put the tea things away, her heart had grown heavy with the recent revelations. And as she pondered her entire relationship with Malik, as well as his sudden reactions after their lovemaking, she knew she was exactly what Illiandra said she was: a blood rose.
Tears bit her eyes. But what about her own desires of what she wanted for her life? Then it occurred to her that she had no life. She hadn’t truly enjoyed her existence from the time that she’d maxed out her power safeguarding the colony. And if she couldn’t even suppor
t the colony shield, how was she supposed to add to her duties if she became bonded to the mastyr?
As she moved into the living room, however, a wave a dizziness assaulted her, forcing her to her knees. A moment later, she rolled onto her back to lie prone on the floor.
