Page 12 of House of Embers
He cleared his throat. “Like you.”
Chapter Five
The Demi-Doma
Kerrigan rocked back on her heels. Amond wasn’t the first Doma she had met, but if Amond was half like her, then could he teach her? Had her teacher been here all along and she just hadn’t known it? Had she suffered through magic sickness and the struggles of her spirit magic and the bonding with Tieran for nothing?
“You have more questions,” Amond said. “I’ll answer what I can.”
“How long have you known I was a Doma?”
“I realized the first time I saw you fight,” Amond admitted.
Kerrigan sank into a seat. “So long ago.”
“You have the glow to your skin. If you’ve ever seen it before, you don’t forget what it looks like.”
Kivrin winced. “I didn’t think anyone else could see it.”
“Most would assume it’s her magic,” Amond said.
Kerrigan reeled from that new information. Amond was a demi-Doma like her. He’d known all along about her and never said a word. Not a single word.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked.
“Didn’t seem like my place.”
“But…”
“And I was pretty out of it.” He gestured to his trembling hand. “I didn’t want to be known for what I was. You seemed unaware of your heritage, and that seemed for the best. But as you may remember, I did tell you that my healing was more advanced. I hinted at it.”
“How would I have known?” she demanded.
“Well, it was also a test to see if you knew more than you were letting on.”
She sighed heavily. “Scales. Are there more of us?”
“Not that I’ve seen, but there could be.”
She tipped her head back. As much a nonanswer as he could probably give. Would he really out other Doma who lived among them if they didn’t wish it? He hadn’t done that to her.
Her head snapped forward again. Or had he?
“Did you tell Dozan?” she asked on a desperate breath. Had he known all along too? Was that why he had wanted her so badly?
“No,” Amond said immediately. “He doesn’t know what I am either.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. Yes, Dozan had wanted her for her power, but he hadn’t known the extent of it. For some reason, that made her feel better. She didn’t know if she could live with knowing he’d kept this from her too. It was hard enough that her father had.
“Well, are you from Domara? Or were you born here?”
He sighed. “I’m from Domara.”
“How did you end up here then?” Kerrigan asked.
“Thatis none of your business,” Amond bit off.
Kerrigan straightened at his tone, the hurt and pain in it. As if the very mention of how he’d arrived in Alandria was more painful than the drug withdrawal he was currently undergoing.
