“That makes sense,” Xae said. “Your magic is from the Goddess.”
“Yes!” I pointed at him. “That's what I wanted to tell you two this morning.” I grimaced. “You know, before you left.”
“Sorry. We heard the water running and knew you'd be a while,” Rath said. “So we decided to visit the Emperor.”
“And have him adjust the summoning crystal,” Xae added.
“Adjust the summoning crystal?” I asked. “You mean, so that we get summoned together?”
“Yes, precisely,” Rath said. “But what were you going to tell us about the Goddess?”
“Oh, I had an epiphany yesterday in Spirit training. The Spirit Magic in me is from the Goddess.”
“Yes, of course,” Rath said. “All Spirit Magic is.”
“Yes, but I think my magic has a bit of her essence inside it, just as I gave you a bit of myself. She's in me, guiding me. I didn't have to control Spirit. Spiritiscontrol. It's my control and the Goddess's. And that part of her is what united us. She stretched my soul and merged it with both of yours.”
“Could be,” Xaedren said. “But the how doesn't matter. We're united and it can't be undone. Now, we need to see what we can do together.”
“Isn't that what you did last night?” Nex drawled.
My men glared at him.
“What? Ember told me. Was it a secret?”
“No, but we don't need you making light of it,” Rath said. “It's more than sex. Our union is blessed by the Goddess, Nex.”
“I get it.” Nex held up his hands in surrender, then waved them at us. “Go on. I'm fascinated. You were in him when he got in you. So sexy.”
Rath rolled his eyes before saying, “We'll find out what we can do soon enough. The Emperor believes it will be even more impressive than what happened with you and Xaedren.”
“Since I've mastered all the elements,” I said.
“Yes. Which brings me to this.” He set a black velvet pouch on the table. “The Emperor made this for you.”
I took the pouch and opened it, already knowing what was inside. Sure enough, a Wraith Lord pendant slid into my palm.
“Silver for the Goddess,” Rath said as he touched the pendant. Then he tapped the symbols carved into the silver setting one by one. “Water, Air, Earth, and Fire. A moonstone, also in honor of the Goddess.”
“And the W for Wraith Lords,” I finished.
“Wraith being a form of Spirit, the final element.” Rath nodded. “You are officially a Wraith Lord, Ember.”
“Holy shit,” I whispered as I stroked the engraving of a W in the moon-colored jewel. “How did he know to make this?” I looked up at Rath.
“He's the Emperor.”
After a few moments of reverent silence for my status and the Emperor's awesome power, Xae ruined it by saying, “Mistress Lectia probably told him. Also, I'm getting us a new bed.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
If I thought I'd be lazing around all day, just waiting to be summoned, I was terribly mistaken.
“Again,” Xae said.
“Focus on your target,” Rath added.
Now that they were good with each other, Xaedren was helping Rath train me in hand-to-hand combat. Except I was so bad at it, that Xae decided we change it to swordwork. Unfortunately, I was just as bad at that.
