Page 134 of Sword & Shadow
Though Evylin assumed it was true for Ethenn, she lied when she said, “It’s what Hewitt would do.” Instantly, guilt clawed at her heart, having used her uncle’s memory to manipulate him like that.
Hand still on his jaw, Deckard’s thumb ran along his lower lip as he thought. The movement drew too much of Evylin’s attention, spiking her agitation as she remembered the passion of their kiss in Dunneshead.
Blinking to clear her mind, Evylin stared at the ground. Just the thought redoubled her resolve. “We don’t have a choice. Someone has to stay with Ilain while the others go on. Splitting up protects the Relics and increases our odds of survival.”
Deckard’s attentive green-blue gaze met hers. She feared that he’d see through her, divining the truth behind her words. Instead, he sighed, accepting her assertion. “I suppose you’re right,” he said, then turned to Auden. “How do we go about this?”
Temporary relief assuaged Evylin.
With a bearing of great trepidation and sadness, Auden took a seat next to his sister. “I’ll stay with Ilain,” he said decisively. “And Ethenn, I’d like you to come with us, if you’re willing.”
Unsure whose willingness he was asking for—Ethenn’s or Deckard’s—Evylin didn’t particularly care. That did nothing to aid her designs. “No,” she said too sharply. They turned to her, wide-eyed. She softened her tone as she excused her reaction. “I need to train Ethenn. We’ve only just found out he’s a Warrior. His magic is completely untested.”
Deckard eyed her for a second too long before agreeing. “Besides, if we’re splitting the Relics, that means one group will need to take Thom and the other, Rafferty,” he said.
The two men looked at one another as they sat side by side.
Rafferty furrowed his brow. “I don’t like that,” he said. “Who will I make fun of then?”
Thom swatted at his friend, but Rafferty evaded the slap easily.
“Yes,” Auden said, ignoring their antics. “You’re right, of course. Very well, Thom can stay with us. And we’ll keep the Night and Fire Relics, so long as you approve.”
Evylin’s agitation grew. When Deckard opened his mouth to respond, she cut across him. “That doesn’t work either,” she insisted. “You have to train Jonn.”
Auden frowned as though he’d forgotten about Deckard’s dangerous magical predicament. “Mm, you’re right.” He scratched his temple, working through the problem. “But I can’t go with you and leave Ilain to travel with Thom alone.”
“’Cause it’s improper?” Rafferty asked.
The look on Auden’s face said he didn’t put stock in Thom and Ilain’s flirtations. “Because it’s too dangerous,” he said.
Wondering how Auden could be so dense, Evylin offered the ready solution. “Then I’ll take Ethenn with me, and Jonn will stay with you.”
Deckard’s eyes flashed up, locking on her face. The rest of the team looked between them, genuine confusion on all the men’s faces—except for Thom, who wore a curious, almost worried expression. But Evylin didn’t have time to take in her brother-in-law’s shocked demeanor. Not while she was trapped under Deckard’s knowing stare.
He knew. She could see it in his stoic expression, in the flicker of pain in his ever-changing eyes. He knew her aim. He knew she was trying to get away from him.
Evylin swallowed past the tightness in her throat, turning away from him.
Still too daft to understand, Auden sighed. “That won’t work either. It isn’t ideal, but Ethenn will be fine without immediate training. He’ll go with Thom and Ilain, and I’ll come with you, Jonn, and Rafferty.”
Evylin curled her hands into fists. “Absolutely not,” she insisted. “I won’t send Ethenn out untrained. If we want to ensure our survival, he’ll need to be as strong as possible. The clearest answer is in front of us.”
Auden brushed a hand through the air dismissively. “I won’t split a man and his wife.”
Evylin ground her teeth. She wanted to shout at Auden for his obtuseness.
“All the more so,” he continued, “I won’t split a Mage from his Warrior.”
“I’m not his Warrior.” The words came out clipped and abrupt before Evylin could stop them.
But they made Auden hesitate. It also made Deckard draw back, lips pressing together. Thom, Ethenn, and Rafferty all sat quietly, watching nervously.
“Evylin,” Deckard murmured, giving a small shake of his head.
Determined not to back down, Evylin disregarded his warning. “You have no reason not to split us,” she told Auden. “It’s what’s best for everyone.”
Shifting in his seat, Auden continued to frown. “Perhaps you haven’t Bonded, but as husband and wife, you share a connection that’s more powerful than—”
