He regarded his empty hands and sighed.

For several chimes, they stood there in silence, watching the river flow by. A fish leapt into the air, its scales shining like blue jewels in the moonlight. It splashed back into the water, and ripples of purple, green, and pink flowed out in vivid color.

Rain was the first to break the silence. "Farsight told me the Elves call this the river of true dreaming," he said. "Apparently the crystals in the riverbed absorb the light of the moons and the Great Sun and convert it into some sort of magical energy that Seers use to better understand their visions of the Dance. He suggested we might find a swim...enlightening." He offered a coaxing smile. "I'm not at all fond of Elvish mysticism, but I confess I thoroughly enjoyed the last time we swam in magical waters."

She turned to glare at him. "You tell me the bond madness has begun. You refuse to let me try to heal your soul in order to prolong your life, and less than five chimes later, you're thinking about mating?"

White teeth flashed in a rueful smile. "I am your shei'tan. No matter what other thoughts may occupy my mind, the idea of mating with you is always among them."

When she did not respond to his humor in kind, the small smile faded, replaced by sober, unflinching honesty. "There is enough sorrow and danger in our lives. I am the Tairen Soul. Even without the bond madness, how long we will have together in this life has never been certain. Mage Fire or a sel'dor bolt could take me in the next battle. Would you have us spend what time we have bewailing our fate or would you rather we drink every drop of happiness we can from each moment we have together?"

He was right. Their lives could be cut short at any moment. How could she waste even a moment of the time they had now mourning a future that might never happen? Tears shimmered in her eyes. "Rain .. ."

"Ssh. Nei avi.” He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her tears away, then took her mouth in a sweet, slow, tender kiss that robbed her of all regret. When he pulled back, his lips curved in a slow smile, and in ancient, courtly Feyan, he said, "So, shei'tani... wilt thou swim with thy beloved in a river of dreams?"

Her lips trembled. He was dying now because of her, because she could not complete their bond. And yet, as his skin touched hers and his emotions flowed freely into hers, she could not detect a single trace of remorse or regret or blame. He loved her unconditionally, even if that love would lead him to his death.

She blinked back the tears he would not have her shed. Never could she have loved anyone more. Never had she felt more undeserving of him. "Aiyah." She stood up on her toes and found his mouth with hers. "Kem’san. Kem'reisa. Kem'shei'tan." She murmured the words against his mouth between kisses and sang them to his soul across the threads of their bond. "Ke vo san. Rainier Feyreisen. I love you."

His eyes glowed warm lavender. "Te ke vo, shei'tani," he answered. "For the rest of this life and every other life that follows." He kissed her thoroughly. "No matter what happens, never doubt that. No one—mortal or magic—could be happier than I am to be your shei'tan."

She managed a slightly watery smile and treasured the small surge of joy it gave him. That reaction gave her the strength to thumb away her tears. "Veli, Rain. Let's find out how magical this river really is."

She spun a quick weave of Earth to shed her leathers and steel, and dove into the water. A kaleidoscope of color lit up around her as she cut through the current, and she surfaced in an explosion of shimmering pink and blue light. Her feet settled on the crystal sand of the riverbed, and a tingle rippled through her body. Oh, yes, there was magic here.

She traced her hand through the water, swirling magic in her wake, and a dazzling color lit up the waters in response as the river amplified the glow of magic like a million tiny prisms.

On the shore, Rain shed his war steel and the padded silk tunic he wore beneath, baring the smooth, silky strength of his leanly muscled frame. Tall, unearthly beautiful, Rain shimmered silver in the moonlight as he walked into the river. A small wake trailed out behind him, ripples of scarlet, green, and deep violet.

Droplets of water tracked trails down her skin. The autumn night air kissed her damp br**sts with tantalizing coolness and brought her ni**les to tight peaks.

His eyes began to glow as he reached for her, but she laughed and danced just out of reach. She cast a teasing look over her shoulder and began to circle him. Ribbons of yellow, pink, and summer blue streamed out behind her.

The colors around him flared with sudden brightness as he spun arms of Spirit that caught her tight and pulled her towards him. "Veli taris, fellana." Come here, woman.

She laughed again and let him pull her close. Her lashes fluttered down as his real hands closed around her, and her laughter changed to a slightly breathless moan. "Taris ke sha." Here I am. Her head tilted back, and her hair fell freely to her waist. She loved the feeling of strength and protectiveness that always came with even the simplest touch of his hands to her skin. Adoration . . . even reverence . .. mingled with the hot stamp of desire. Never had there been a woman born who felt more cherished than she did when Rain Tairen Soul took her in his arms.

"Rain ..." She murmured his name deep in her throat as the burning heat of his mouth closed around her and his tongue and teeth teased the sensitive skin of her br**sts until a mere breath made her tremble. He hadn't summoned his magic, yet he ensorcelled her as surely as if he'd spun a Spirit weave to captivate her mind and set her senses afire. He purred against her skin, and the vibrating hum made her body convulse in pleasure. Her fingers knifed into the thick, inky silk of his hair and clutched his head, holding him to her.