Wings of Shadows ~ Book 1 ~ Beginnings ~

Lucent

Light rippled violently along the domed ceiling above them as Roake laid him beside Rivynn on the cold stone table in the center of the dark room. Liam was holding the girl's hand, channeling as much of her power through himself as he could but he seemed surprised at his arrival. "What's this?" He demanded between clenched teeth, but Raze cast him a warning glare, silencing his protest.

Covering his shaven head with the ceremonial hood, Jarren graciously received the dagger and gold bowl brought forward by another priest.
"May the grace of life and the blood of the dragons reveal the harmony of their existence," he muttered and took Raiden's hand, holding it over the bowl.
Unable to fight back, he could only wince as the edge of the blade drew a trickle of blood from his palm. The wound, however, healed almost as quickly as it had been inflicted.

Jarren then turned to Rivynn who lay still unconscious. Under Liam's glare of displeasure, the head priest tentatively did the same with her small hand - but far more gently since, unlike a Draycent's, hers would not heal right away.

Once he was finished, he turned to Raze and held the bowl out so all could see. As their two bloods mingled under the words he had uttered, the red slowly faded into a deep sapphire blue.

"It's a match..." the Draycent king whispered, then nodded to Jarren to continue.

Raiden closed his eyes tightly. This wasn't how it was supposed to go! He didn't want this!

The blue blood sizzled as Jarren dipped the red hot brand into it. 

"Life's grace to temper the power of dragons," Jarren said as he pressed the burning crescent shape into Raiden's right shoulder.  Tears streamed from his eyes at the pain, but he did not cry out.  He wouldn't be a cry baby like her...

Dipping it again, Jarren then placed the brand on the young Lucent's left shoulder.  "The strength of dragons to sustain the beauty of life."

As soon as the brand was finished, the light that had been racing uncontrollably along the ceiling, receded, but at the same time Raiden felt an almost unbearable ache grip his heart.   Tears that were not his own clouded his vision as he found he was now able to sit up, the sluggishness gone. 

Rivynn slowly opened her eyes and turned to meet his gaze. 

Raiden gulped.  He could feel her every emotion as if it were his too.

Her lip trembled, and he quickly shook his head, but it did no good.  They both burst out crying, a confused mess of loss, unfairness, fear, and defeat.

Ignoring their emotions, the priests placed matching silken veils over each of them while uttering the rest of the Pledge chant, but neither child paid any heed to what they were saying.

As the priests' chanting concluded, however, light began to ripple between the two of them. Raiden ceased his crying and watched in awe as three pairs of brilliant iridescent wings emerged from his Lucent's back and unfurled, glowing with power. No Lucent had ever had six wings before.

Rivynn stared back at him, and he realized a pair of blazing wings of light were arching over his back too.
He gulped, sensing her admiration, but it was the earnestness in her eyes as they peered into his own that altered his feelings towards her. He hadn't wanted a girl lucent. He had thought she was weak and a crybaby... But now he could not find those emotions anymore... instead, he could feel her - her fear, her sadness, her curiosity, her loyalty, her courage, her love, her enthusiasm, and through it all there was a fierceness that resonated with his own. And he sensed she could feel all his emotions too.