39 Harinder Solba

Psymuk walked back into his office to see the dark hair of a man sitting on the couch. After Misty healed him, he had a feeling his soul tie would visit.

"What brings you here Harinder?" he asked as he continued to his desk to sit before looking over to his visitor.

"Your pain is gone." Harinder Solba peered at him. Psymuk touched the back of his head and blushed. He hadn't told Misty just how much his head hurt. Knocking a dragon shifter unconscious required a lot of power. In fact, if he hadn't been a dragon, he probably would have died from the blow. Harinder, being a strong soul tie, had been able to take on some of the pain of the blow, which is how he had been able to stay conscious long enough to notify Misty's family of the abduction as quickly as he had.

The blow to Psymuk's head was brutal. Healing it was taking a lot longer than it usually did. Psymuk, like most light users, could use his mana to heal, and the external contusion had healed for the most part. Internally, though, he had been left with lingering pain from the experience. His soul tie was able to absorb some of the pain through their link, but his body still had to mend itself. The fact that Misty had waved her hand and fully healed something that would typically require a month-long recovery amazed him. Her light magic was warm and gentle.

"The woman who was kidnapped, Misty, she came to finish her assessment today."

"The one who has all mana types?"

"Yes." Harinder sat back in the couch. Psymuk scrutinized his expression. Even though they were very close, sometimes Harinder still did things that surprised him.

"I don't think any of the temples have seen a person with that much mana and aptitude ever."

"Not in recorded, history, no." Psymuk confirmed. "She is surely blessed by Tamult."

"And she healed your head. I'm grateful to her. Your pain was getting on my nerves." Psymuk struggled with the urge to ball up the paper he was currently writing on and throw it at the other dragon's head.

"She is dedicating herself to Tamult during the festival tonight." Harinder gave Psymuk a sharp glance.

"Is that wise?"

"It was her request."

"How much does she know about the ceremony."

"Not much."

"Aren't you worried and excited?" Psymuk shook his head.

"No one has united with a soul tie during the ceremony for hundreds of years."

"That doesn't mean it is impossible."

"Just unlikely. Misty has a dominate mate mark."

"You think she is safe because soul tied dragons usually have the dominate mark." Psymuk nodded.

After being tied to Psymuk soul for so many years, Harinder could see his interest in Misty. It was a shame. No one had ever caught the eye of the High Priest. Harinder had met a few people who were interesting, but not enough to maintain his interest for long.

That was the problem with dragon soul ties, thought Harinder. Both shifters had to have interest in the same person and be compatible for mating to occur. He looked over to his soul brother. He had met Psymuk almost twenty years ago when they were five years old.

Their mothers had known each other for a long time. In fact, you could even say that they were rivals who intensely disliked each other. Psymuk's family were from several generations of powerful light magic users. Many joined the temple to become healers and doctors. Even their soul ties were light users.

Harinder's family were little more than mercenaries for hire. Dark mana was good in battles and for fighting unruly creatures in the forest. Harinder's family was not well off either. Even though Tamult never said that dark mana was bad, lot of people tended to avoid dark mana users.

Harinder smiled. It is probably because people are more afraid of what they can't see in the dark than what they see when a light shines on it.

When they were brought to the temple for the soul tie ceremony, Psymuk and Harinder gravitated toward each other. They were almost perfect opposites. Their mothers questioned the authenticity of the pairing, but everyone knew that you don't get to choose your soul tie. It was truly like gaining an adopted sibling, but with their parents always at each other's throats, Psymuk and Harinder had joined the temple as soon as they were old enough.

At thirty, Psymuk was the youngest High priest in records, but it was hard for the temple to make any other choice. He was really good at the job. Harinder, on the other, had more fun messing with the other priests and causing drama any time he could. He often left on missions or volunteered for monster clean up.

Harinder looked over at his soul brother and could still see the flush of red at the ends of his ears. Just as he was starting to say something, Psymuk waved his hand to keep him from saying anything more.

"We'll know for sure at the ceremony." Psymuk nodded and bent his head to the paperwork in front of him. Harinder stared at him for a few moments before he jumped up and headed out of the room.

He was curious about the women who could stir up the sensibilities of his normally levelheaded brother. He considered whether it would be a good idea to try and track her down to get a feel for her before the ceremony tonight.

He decided against it. The only places she could be were the courtyards and the bathing ceremony before the dedication. The courtyards were too crowded for his taste and sneaking into the women's bath was not something he wanted to explain to other people later.

Tonight is soon enough, he thought before heading deeper into the temple. I have plenty to do before the ceremony tonight, anyway. Waiting a few more hours won't change the outcome.