“That’s important?”

“Very.”

“A little over two years.”

“Have you heard the term ‘umi’atsu’?”

“No. Should I?”

“Umi’atsu is a goblin word meaning ‘life twins,’ ” Nukpana interrupted. He raised his hands in mock defense when my father shot him a scathing look. “Eamaliel, who better to tell her about goblin magic than me?”

My father hesitated then nodded tightly.

The goblin graciously inclined his head and continued. “An umi’atsu is a bond conceived between two powerful mages-usually goblin mages-binding them first through their magic, then hearing, sight, and finally their minds and souls. After that, an umi’atsu bond can only be broken by death.” Nukpana looked entirely too happy about that last part. “Some consider it a magical marriage of sorts-body and soul become one, until death do you part, all that sentimental nonsense.”

Marriage? My mind seized onto that one word and locked up in panic.

“What does that have to do with Tam and me?” I dimly heard myself ask.

“Just everything.” Nukpana looked closely at me and smiled.

“Why, Raine, are you getting cold feet? It’s a trifle late for that, the ceremony’s over.”

“You’re saying that we’re…”

“Umi’atsu,” Nukpana finished helpfully. “Magically mated, if you will. Though in my opinion Tamnais could have selected a more romantic location than under the elven embassy.” Nukpana’s black eyes glittered. “And I didn’t even get you a gift.”

I desperately looked at my father.

“What he says is true,” Eamaliel told me. “Such a bond can only be formed if the two mages were emotionally close prior to the incident that caused the bonding. Obviously the two of you must have been very close.”

Tam and I were definitely close-he wanted to be even closer.

My father’s face didn’t have much of an expression. I couldn’t tell if he was pissed, but he sure as hell wasn’t the proud father of the bride.

Bride. Oh shit.

I thought, considered, and concluded in the span of a few seconds. What I thought wasn’t pretty, and my conclusion didn’t make me happy. “When Tam said that we weren’t separate anymore, he knew what had happened.” He’d probably wanted it to happen. And if I found out that he’d done it on purpose, once I got my hands around his throat, I was going from bride to widow.

Then I froze, unblinking. My heart tried to do flips in my chest, and questions tripped over each other in my mind. I’d just experienced something entirely too similar with Mychael. Could I be magically joined to both of them? Was it possible? Merely probable? And if so, was it illegal? Or just immoral? Maybe it was both, or neither.

I felt really woozy all of a sudden. Either there wasn’t any air in the room, or I’d completely forgotten how to breathe.

Nukpana was laughing. “Of course Tamnais knew. He was Queen Glicara Mal’Salin’s magical enforcer for five years. I’ve seen Tamnais Nathrach in action, little seeker. He knows only too well what goblin magic can do, especially the dark variety. He’s done enough of it himself.” The goblin leered. “And if something was enough fun, he would do it again.”

“Tam’s not like that anymore.” I said it but I wasn’t entirely sure. I stifled a growl. For his sake, he’d better not be.

Nukpana’s grin was slow and wicked. “Would you care to place a wager on that? A private wager?”

My father spoke. “The two of you did what you had to-and unfortunately forged an umi’atsu bond. Tamnais is powerful enough to be one half of an umi’atsu. You are not. But you and the Saghred…”

“Let me guess: it was enough.”

“The level of magical power you and Nathrach generated to save those spellsingers was more than enough. Have you seen him since that night? In person?” he added.

“No, we didn’t think it would be a good idea just now, what with Carnades thinking we’re forming our own league of darkness. Does he know about-”

Sarad Nukpana snorted. “Of course Carnades Silvanus knows about magical bonds, especially anything that could involve a goblin. His life’s goal is to wipe every one of us from the face of the earth. So what if we conquered, tortured, and enslaved thousands of elves-that was hundreds of years ago. Ancient history. Some people don’t know when to let go of a grudge.”

When I’d first met Carnades last week, he’d told me that he was an avid student of goblin history, and that only through knowledge can your enemy be defeated. To Carnades, every goblin was his enemy. Unfortunately a lot of powerful elves, mostly pure-blooded high elves and military types, felt exactly the same way. Part of me didn’t blame them; part of me actually sided with Sarad Nukpana. That was a scary thought.

“But elves have become more adept at protecting themselves over the centuries,” Nukpana noted. “They may even be more intelligent than their rather dim ancestors.” He sighed nostalgically. “It’s not as easy to defeat and enslave elves as it used to be.”

Cancel that. I agreed with Carnades, at least as far as eradicating this particular goblin was concerned.

Eamaliel’s eyes met mine. “Raine, you have an umi’atsu bond with the chief shaman for the House of Mal’Salin-”

“Former chief shaman,” I hurriedly corrected him.

“To those such as Carnades Silvanus, that technicality makes no difference.”

“And if I’m in this bond, the Saghred is in it.” I didn’t ask it as a question; I knew the answer.

“Unfortunately correct,” he said softly.

I plopped down in the chair. “Carnades is gonna love this. He’ll get me and Tam on the executioner’s block in one fell swoop.”

And possibly Mychael along with us.

A prickle of cold panic ran up my back. The walls of my room were fading and the gray void was seeping in.

My father swore. “You’re waking up. Have a care, daughter.” His voice was fading, as was he. “And trust your instincts.”

Sarad Nukpana’s mocking laughter came as if from far away. “You can’t trust anyone else.”

I woke up, came to, whatever, as my eyes blinked their way open-and told me nothing. It was dark. I think I was under a blanket or cloak; however, I didn’t feel any manacles on my wrists. Good to know. I was also upside down, over someone’s shoulder, and that someone was moving fast. It felt like all the blood in my body had converged between my ears. My carrier adjusted my weight with a grunt. I knew that grunt. Vegard. If he was moving that fast and had to hide me under a cloak, yelling for him to put me down probably wouldn’t be a good idea. I opted for pounding my hand once on his armored back to at least let him know I was conscious.

He responded by tightening his hold on my legs and running faster. That didn’t fill me with the warm and fuzzies about our situation.

“Stop!”

The sharp command came from in front of us. I heard steel being drawn from all around us. My blanket fell off, but I still couldn’t see jack squat.

Footsteps echoed on stone, leisurely walking toward us. Then they stopped. A voice spoke, his words calm, his expectation nothing less than Vegard’s complete cooperation.

“Give her to us, or die.”