"The training will be useful for bonding. You'll need it for the Day of Volition."
He got my full attention. "What do you want me to do?"
"Close your eyes and focus on your ability to connect with the small animals inhabiting this mountain."
I tensed. "I'm not supposed to do that until Thoran says I can."
He tilted his head. "Do you always do what you're told?"
"Most of the time," I admitted. "I'm not much of a rule breaker."
His eyes softened. "I just want to understand what you're experiencing when you form those connections. Perhaps I can help."
Perhaps he could.
I was curious. Ever since the diagnosis, I'd been avoiding my abilities like poison, which had been working for me, so I didn't see the point in changing my tactics. But if what Ravel was suggesting about harnessing the connections instead of severing them could work, I needed to practice doing that.
"Fine. But if I end up back in the medical wing, I'm blaming you."
"Fair enough. I'm taking full responsibility."
I closed my eyes and let my awareness expand. It was like opening a door I'd kept tightly shut. The connections rushed in, not overwhelming, but present and distinct.
An owl sleeping in a tree below, dreaming of mice and moonlight. A fox hunting in the valley, nose to the ground, tracking prey. An eagle circling above us, riding thermals with effortless grace.
And Onyx, right beside me. His presence was strong and clear, a beacon of consciousness that felt warm, familiar, and intelligent.
And through Onyx, I felt Ravel.
It wasn't direct but reflected through the dragon's awareness. Concern for me. Protectiveness. Duty and honor wrapped tight around him like armor.
And beneath all that, buried so deep he probably didn't acknowledge it himself, was affection. Attraction. For me.
My eyes snapped open.
"What did you feel?" Ravel asked.
I couldn't tell him about the attraction. He was trying to hide it even from himself. And I was ashamed too, because some part of me responded to it in ways I shouldn't. I loved Alar, I wanted a future with him, and this connection to Ravel was a distraction, a complication I didn't want and couldn't afford.
"I felt you through Onyx. You're concerned about me," I said carefully. "Protective. You feel bound by duty and honor to keep me safe."
He nodded. "We're bound by the prophecy."
"Yes. That too."
We sat in silence. The wind whispered around us, carrying the scent of pine and snow. Below, the world continued spinning, unaware of prophecies and connections and the complicated feelings neither of us wished to acknowledge.
"Did you feel the animals?" Ravel asked after a long moment.
"Yes. I felt an owl, a fox, and an eagle. And Onyx, of course, but I don't count him as an animal. He is a bright intelligence that's like a beacon in the darkness."
"Thank you," Onyx said in my mind. "Use what you know about our connection to control the others."
"It's not as easy as you make it sound."
"I know, Little Warrior, but I have faith in you. You are extraordinary."
The vote of confidence felt good, but also scary. What if I couldn't live up to everyone's expectations of me?
