Smoke and Memories (The Dark Sorcerer #3) - D.K. Holmberg Page 0,54
into it?” She leaned forward, holding her wine, and took a sip before settling back down. It really did taste strange, and it was more than just its musty notes. “If this person who attacked us is like you, and if we can find him, then maybe we can finally understand more about you and what you can do.”
“What if I don’t like what I find?” Eva asked softly.
Jayna opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. That was what this was about.
It wasn’t so much about the fear of discovering what Eva might be able to do or what she might be; it was about what she learned about herself—and who she had once been.
“We will deal with whatever we find when it comes.”
“What if you find you have to target me?”
“You don’t have dark magic,” Jayna said.
Eva shook her head. “I don’t really know what I have or even what I am. And I heard what Raollet said. I saw what that man with a power similar to mine was willing to do. If he’s the one attacking dark sorcerers . . .”
“We’re attacking dark sorcerer,” Jayna said. “And I don’t think he’s the one responsible for what happened with Char. We’ll work through this together.”
“Unless you find out I’m a dark magic user,” Eva said softly.
“That’s not what we’re going to find.”
“You don’t know that,” Eva said.
Jayna watched as Eva rested her head back, then she finished her wine and settled the glass on the floor. She didn’t want to drink any more at this point. She only wanted to have a conversation with Eva, to get her through this, but she didn’t know if she had the wisdom to do so.
“None of what we’ve learned matters. All that matters is that we work together—the same way we have been ever since the two of us met.”
“Even if I turn out to be a dark magic user?”
“Then we will be a good pair.” Jayna twisted the dragon stone ring while sitting quietly for a few moments. “You know what I fear about the kind of power I’ve been pulling. You know I fear what has been happening to me, the way that power seems to be changing something for me. What happens if I end up turning into a dark magic user?”
“You won’t,” Eva said and stared at the fire.
“As you just told me, you don’t know that—and neither do I.”
She turned her own attention to the fire, staring at it for a long moment, and she thought she understood just what Eva struggled with. It was the same sort of issue she had.
But at the same time, Jayna had a much more direct possibility of turning into a dark magic user. It was the power within the Toral ring that gave her that risk, and the more she accessed that power—the more she felt the darkness at the edge of her vision—the more likely it was that she would find herself drawn into the dark power that existed out in the world. Jayna feared what would happen if that were to occur. What would happen if the temptation to use dark power became too much for her to resist?
She sat back, resting her head, closing her eyes, and she could practically feel that dark energy out there, swirling around her, pressing in upon her. It flowed toward her through the Toral ring, almost taunting her, reminding her of its existence.
“Aren’t we quite the pair?” Jayna said.
Eva started to laugh. “I suppose we are.”
Jayna sighed. “We aren’t finished with this though. I know you don’t want to talk about it now, and I’m perfectly willing to let it drop, but eventually, the two of us will need to have a conversation.”
Eva just looked off to the side, saying nothing.
Jayna started to get up but hesitated. “I’m going to need to find more information about what Raollet told me.”
“About me?”
“About you. About sorcerers. About the founding of the Sorcerers’ Society.”
Eva turned her head, watching her. “What did he tell you?”
“He suggested that the Sorcerers’ Society was founded by the twelve followers of Sarenoth, and that Sarenoth was somehow involved.”
“And you believed him?”
“I don’t know if I have any reason not to believe him.”
“What if he’s trying to manipulate you?” Eva asked.
“You know him better than I do. Is that something he would do?”
“I don’t know him all that well,” Eva said, turning her attention back to the fire. “When we got to the city, and you wanted me to