The questions rapid-fired across the space, each thinly veiled accusation spearing me square in the chest.
Ire and protectiveness—both for my own integrity and over Rohak—rose quickly, muddying my thoughts.
“Are you accusing me of something, Mage?” I asked, trying to inject calmness into my voice, despite the rising rage.
“I’m trying to ascertain what happened to our General and why we found you both, a day later, entwined together in an empty classroom with modified Bond Marks on your arms,” Sol spat back. Thandi squeezed her shoulder, his knuckles tensing with the force, either in comfort or light restraint.
“That can all be deduced without attacking the Rune Master,” Rohak chided gently, his voice silencing both my rebuttal and whatever else was lying at the tip of Sol’s tongue. His emerald eyes met mine across the room, and I felt rather than heard the question for permission.
“Should we tell them?”
“The servants already know—if this is your council, then they should be aware as well.”
“Show me,”he demanded. With a sigh of regret, I showed him my memories, images that would haunt my dreams for years to come, flashing in quick succession for Rohak to absorb. The corners of his mouth tightened, his brow pinching, as he relived his own death through my eyes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t mask the soul-deep agony or unfettered fear I felt as I dragged his lifeless body into the classroom to perform the ritual. My emotions were deeply attached to my memories, and there was no way to separate the two. Just as he felt the pang of regret for my actions, I severed the connection, retreating back to my own mind.
Rohak’s eyes never left mine. “Faylinn found me and Bonded me in an effort to save my life. Clearly, that was not in vain as I’m sitting here with you all.”
“But,” Asha spoke from her position on Ben’s lap. One of Ben’s hands kept her tucked firmly against his chest while the other languidly played with her long, copper hair. “That should have been impossible, correct? The General is one of the most powerful Mages we’ve seen, and Faylinn has no magic.”
All eyes swiveled to me, and I began to sweat in earnest under their scrutiny.
“Rune Master?” Sol prodded. I downed the remainder of my whiskey before setting the glass on the cart, theclunkechoing in the study.
“No, it should not have been possible,” I agreed.
“How, then?” Ben’s voice this time.
I cracked my neck.
“I’m sorry. I hoped to tell you this in private,”I projected to Rohak, surprise and unease meeting my words.
“Rohak’s magic is gone,” I said quietly, but it was as if my words cracked like a whip across the study.
“Pardon?” Felix asked.
“His magic. It’s . . . gone,” I reiterated to the shocked faces. “That’s how we were able to Bond. His blood is now the same as mine.”
Sol shifted uneasily in her chair while Ben and Asha refused to look over at Rohak. I felt nothing down the Bond, which concerned me more than the stoic expression on Rohak’s face.
“I . . . speculated as much,” he admitted. Some of the tension bled from the room with his statement, but there was still uneasiness and sorrow from the Bonded Mages.
“Apart from Lex when he returns, it is something I would like to keep within this room,” Rohak continued, his hardened gaze meeting each stare in return.
“The Academy will find out eventually, Rohak,” Sol said, and Rohak grunted in agreement.
“Yes. But it must be on my own terms and after we have Vespera secured once more. Eventually, I will pass both positions to others. Until then, I will act as both General and . . . King. I never used my magic much, anyway. The change shouldn’t be too drastic.”
The others nodded their heads in agreement, and a bit of tension left my shoulders. I knew we would have our own discussion later, but it would be in private, away from prying eyes and ears.
“WhereisMage d’Talionis?” Sol questioned, her eyes flitting from one person to the next. Ben and Asha shrugged while I shook my head.
“I saw him just before I reached Rohak. After that . . .” I shrugged again. “I was a bit too preoccupied with keeping the General alive.”
“He followed Torin and the queen out of Vespera,” Felix supplied quietly. A few eyebrows raised at his declaration.
“Torin took Ellowyn out of Vespera?” Rohak asked, echoing all of our thoughts. Felix nodded once in confirmation, adjusting slightly in his seat. As he relaxed, the sleeve of his tunic inched upward, exposing the base of a rune tattoo on his wrist. He hastily covered it, but winked when he saw me looking.
Odd.
