The Gathering of Masters: The Bond Once Severed Book 1

An Epilogue

Til woke in a sweat, looked around and did not see Grey. Crawling from the blanket slowly, he made it almost to the hillside before the contents of his stomach suddenly forced themselves out. Grey appeared while he vomited violently and gave him a wet cloth.

"What has happened?" he asked once he had controlled his stomach.

"A lot of magic. You are quite sensitive for one so untrained," Grey answered. "Come with me."

Til obediently followed her, reaching out to accept the flask she offered without question. The soothing liquid quickly washed the bitter taste of bile from his mouth, bringing a sense of relief. She guided him to a vantage point he hadn't noticed before. As he gazed ahead, he was met with a breathtaking sight—a valley of unparalleled beauty. A majestic waterfall cascaded on one side, while a meandering river flowed towards a small, idyllic house nestled alongside a barn and pasture. The scene was so picturesque that Til found himself overcome with a wave of homesickness. Grey's uncovered face revealed a comforting smile as she gently wiped a tear from his eye.

"It is the Vale," she explained. "We are so close that the magic they just used there affected us both."

"Do we go tonight then?"

"No, the barrier is too strong. We will not breach it."

"Then what?"

"We wait," Grey answered coolly, her voice a whisper against the rustling leaves as she guided him back to camp. Til felt markedly better. Whatever was in that flask worked wonders, revitalizing his spirits with newfound energy.

"For what?" Til finally managed to ask, his curiosity tinged with anticipation, but he found himself forgetting to await her response as Grey began to peel away his clothing. Each brush of her fingers against his skin ignited a sensation akin to being engulfed in flames. With a tender touch, she poured the remainder of the liquid into his mouth, and as she gently laid him down, she used a damp cloth to clean his lips. Every gesture set his entire being ablaze.

His Earth Magic responded instinctively to hers, their energies intertwining in a dance that felt like the creation of life itself. It was a singular sensation unlike anything he had ever experienced. But as quickly as it had begun, he sensed it slipping away, darkness encroaching on the warmth that had enveloped him, a chilling coldness dampening the fire that had recently blazed.

Turning his gaze to Grey, her eyes reflected sadness at him, an emotion he had never experienced in those depths of blue. Leaning down, she kissed his lips for the first time that night, a tender gesture that spoke volumes in its simplicity, conveying more than words ever could in that fleeting moment of connection.

"For the poison to finish its work, love," Grey whispered and remained on top of him as he felt his muscles stiffen.

Grey's gentleness caught Til off guard. He had always harbored a grim suspicion that he might meet his end before ever setting foot in the Queendom again—that perhaps a rival had dispatched Grey to ensure he never threatened the Spymaster's throne. Yet, of all the imagined scenarios in which she might end his life, this was unexpectedly gentle.

Her hand brushed lightly against his cheek, a touch that surprised him. "Had you not been so loyal, perhaps you could have been spared," she murmured, her voice carrying an unexpected fondness. "But I wouldn't have liked you half as much." With a deft movement, she produced a slender blade and positioned it at his throat. "Don't worry," she whispered into his ear. "You won't feel a thing."

True to her word, he felt nothing as darkness enveloped him completely.

***

"I have lost contact with both the spy and assassin," the Earth priestess assigned to him reported with a slight waver to her voice. Even in her relative security, she feared The Assassin, as she should.