Page 55 of Sword & Shadow
“So the Alliance wants Bonded Warriors and Mages,” Deckard surmised.
“Indeed. Though that’s easier said than done.”
“How so?”
“The requirements are quite specific. It’s a perfect balance given flesh. Therefore, it must have perfect balance to be obtained. One a Warrior, one a Mage. One a male, the other a female.”
“That doesn’t sound so difficult.”
“Tell that to the male Mages of the Alliance.”
“I don’t understand.”
“For some reason,” Auden said, sounding somewhat irritated, though more at the subject than at Deckard, “magic favors men. From what we know, it equals out to roughly eighty percent male. Ilain has a theory that it has something to do with Bonding, but no one knows for sure. Regardless, it puts us in a bit of a predicament, as we need eight Bonded couples to carry the Relics, and we only have two female Warriors eligible for the task.”
“I’m afraid I still don’t see the problem.”
“Well, it puts us male Mages at a disadvantage, you see? If any of us hope to be chosen to help carry the Relic, we’ll have to convince one of the two female Warriors to marry us.”
Deckard blinked. “Why?”
“Bonding is a very intimate connection, even more so than marriage. To ask unmarried individuals to accept such a connection would be illogical.”
While Deckard didn’t pretend to comprehend the suggestion fully, neither did he care to follow this divergence. “All right,” he said. “I’ll tell Evylin to give the Relic back to Rafferty.”
Auden gave him a pained expression. “It won’t be that simple, Jonn. She’ll want to keep it.”
“Yes, but I’ll explain the dangers to her, and she’ll do the right thing.”
“She’s addicted to it. She won’t give it up without a fight.”
Deckard grimaced. He’d been worried about that. But she trusted him now, didn’t she? He could help her see that releasing the Relic was in her best interest.
“I will warn you,” Auden continued, his tone cautious once more. “She may take it as another betrayal.”
Deckard bristled. “I’ve never—”
“I know you haven’t,” he insisted. “But I was there when she accused you after Hewitt’s death. Whatever level of comfort she’s regained with you, you have to know it isn’t real. It’s the Relic. And when you take it from her, she will revert to the pain she felt before. She’ll blame you, and not just for his death this time.”
A cold wash of worry spread over Deckard’s scalp. His body went numb as his mind reconciled this new information. Evylin’s comfort wasn’t real. Her trust wasn’t real. And as for her love...
Deckard clenched his jaw, thinking back to the previous night. The ivy encasing his heart withered, crumbling away to ash.
Evylin hadn’t kissed him because she loved him. She’d done it because she was intoxicated. It’d meant nothing more thanmomentary entertainment. And after he took the Relic from her, she’d feel nothing but anger and betrayal toward him.
For a moment, Deckard considered asking Auden to do it himself. Let the Mage challenge her for the Relic. He stood to lose nothing from garnering Evylin’s wrath.
But Deckard knew he couldn’t do that. It was his job to protect her. He was her husband; no matter the difficulty it might place him in, he’d vowed to care for her. And up until now, he’d failed.
She’d lost her uncle. She’d fallen into depression. And he’d completely missed the fact that she’d held onto the Relic to ease her pain, instead rationalizing that she’d fallen in love with him to explain her behavior change.
No, he couldn’t put this burden on Auden. He had to face it himself.
“I’ll do it tonight,” Deckard said, “when we reach our next stop.”
Auden was silent for a time, accepting his decision. Then he offered a simple, “I’m sorry, Jonn.”
Shaking his head, Deckard knew the man couldn’t understand the full consequences he’d face from this task. He couldn’t know that by taking the Relic from Evylin, Deckard would drive her even farther away from ever wanting him. By protecting her, he risked losing what little trust he’d earned.
