Page 161 of Enchanted Shadows
My exhaustion felt omnipresent. Every time I began to feel stronger, I was proven wrong. I was still healing, my body adjusting to the newness.
I could call on the shadows. See from within them. Feel them. Between that and a mental bond tying me to my wife, there was a lot to get used to.
I reached out a hand and let the shadows swirl around my palm. They felt like a breeze and a spot of shade on the warmest of days. As cool as iced water on a parched throat. I had nothing to fear in the dark for there they always waited, waited to be called upon. And I loved nothing more than when I called them to me while I slept, a heavy yet also weightless blanket to protect me.
“We need to get going,” Kessara told me, moving to grab her robe.
I mumbled something incoherently. I had delayed training but should’ve shoved it more.
Her laugh hit my ears. “Come on. Rise and shine, we need you, Commander.”
I moved to sit up slowly, the sheet falling off my body. “I will rise, but there will be absolutely no shining.”
She giggled.
Though she’d been tired after our bonding as well, she’d already held both Enchantments, so all of this had been far easier on her body.
We needed more time to practice combining our palm magic, as well as our shadows. The few times I’d attempted to try it with her, it had worn me out fast. The focus needed to will and maintain two different forms of Enchantments was no joke.
I miss the team,she told me down the bond.
Me too, but don’t tell them that.
Again, she laughed. As she did so often these days.I don’t think I should take more of a leadership role. Or at least not yet. I don’t want people to assume it’s because of us.
Was she intentionally bringing this up while I was groggy?
I tried to discuss this with you last night, but you were decidedly distracted,she explained.
I argued,Anyone with a brain who watched the team work would see why you would deserve that role.
Yes, but not everyone watches us. They’ll just assume. The Commander’s wife getting special privileges.
Dammit. I hated that she had a point.Fine. But start considering it long term.
Fine. I’m going to miss ignoring reality with you, though.
We will train with the team during the day, but when night falls, we can continue ignoring reality all you want,I promised.
As I threw on my clothes for the day, I tried to grasp all that had changed the last few months. I'd found Kessara. We'd had to deal with tensions here, tensions in Agria, Kessara going missing, and now it was time for the second round of training with the team.
And in that second round, the women would be given theirfirst few missions. Given the fact that protecting Kessara had already been one, I wasn’t worried at all. More excited than apprehensive.
Honestly, keeping my hands to myself is going to be the worst part.I sent out a small strand of warmth to travel along her spine where she was getting ready in the bathroom.
Absence makes the heart— she cut off her quote entirely, the warmth having arrived.
Yeah?
Some—thing.
Something, huh?I laughed as I headed to brush my teeth.For the record,I’m not sure it’s possible for me to grow more fond of you.
Hand in hand, we headed down to the training pit, opting to keep our room at the castle for the duration of training. There was no way in hell I was letting her stay with the others. Was it preferential treatment? Absolutely. But considering our bond was still fresh, Krew had spoken to Emric and Miles, also helping with this round of training, and everyone had agreed.
Fortunately for me, soul bonds were well respected in Wylan. They’d also offered to push training another month, but I had refused. Another month and all my training and building them up with weights and running would be diminished further.
We all needed to get back to work, embrace our new normal. Whatever that meant.
