Crown of Cinders (Imdalind #7)(96)

Wyn’s face, however, fell as soon as he said stutter.

“As fun as that sounds, I’d really rather not be ripped into a million pieces and rearranged. There wasn’t any teleportation in Firefly, and I think there is a reason for that. I stand with Captain Mal.” Wyn’s face was as pale as the snow that surrounded us.

“Actually,” Thom said, his voice the deep grouch that I knew from him, “there is quite a lot of teleportation in Firefly. Both in the battle—”

“Come on, Wyn,” I said with a smile, stopping that argument in its place. We really didn’t have time for it. “It wasn’t that bad.”

Wyn glared in response, the look split between Thom and me. Obviously, she didn’t agree with me nor him.

Thom glowered deeper, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, his long dreads clumping awkwardly.

“Do you really think that’s wise, Ilyan?” Ryland asked, his eyes wide with a fear I didn’t quite understand. “That involves touching, right?”

Oh, yeah, that.

“Don’t worry, we’ve done this. And all without destroying the alley we were in. I’m pretty sure we will be explosion free, Ry.”

Ilyan’s lips twitched into a smile, his eyes moving between the two of us, humor clear on his face. “Well then I guess we shouldn’t worry then. And seeing as Sain was terrified when he saw Wyn, alive, in Prague two weeks ago; there is something there. If you two can restrain your magic for a second of time, then I am sure you will have the best chance of keeping him at bay until the rest of us get there, if not defeating him altogether. I know Wyn considers herself first in line to destroy him.”

“If all I have to do is restrain myself for a minute in order to kill Sain,” Wyn said, the fire coming back into her eyes, “then I can do that … for Rosy.”

“And Ovailia?” Thom asked, the growl in his voice making it clear that he wanted no one connected to his father’s murder to survive.

“She will find us, Thom,” Ilyan said, the irritation swinging right back into his voice. “She will be allowed to live until a trial can be held.”

Thom glowered, clearly hoping for a different outcome, one he was not going to get.

“You better find him fast, Joclyn,” Thom warned, his eyes still focused on Ilyan. “Someone needs to pay.”

I knew he was talking to me, but I barely heard. My mind was too focused on the sight, on that moment in the cave that had haunted me for so long.

My recall slammed into my head, putting pieces together where they didn’t belong.

Ovailia disheveled in Imdalind.

Ovailia killing Ilyan.

Ovailia searching for Imdalind.

Ovailia needing a blade.

Everything flashed before me, each piece out of place, not quite fitting together.

I knew there was something I was missing, but I didn’t know what.

It will be fine, Ilyan interjected, his voice strong, although I could sense the worry in his soul. Even if she tries to destroy me, I can face her. I have before.

I looked at him, wishing desperately that it was enough. It wouldn’t be, not really. Not with the way his blood-soaked body kept replaying in my mind.

Ilyan smiled, anyway, running his finger down the side of my cheek. The touch that was meant to be comforting filled me with more fear, instead.

I couldn’t lose this.

I couldn’t. I had to do something.

“Ready?” Wyn asked, slipping her shoes and socks off, leaving the bright red Converse sitting alone on the ice-covered grass, the kitten socks balled up on top. “I can’t say I’m eager to be massacred by your teleportation magic, but if it gets me closer to Sain …”

“Be safe,” Ilyan said, bending down for one quick kiss against my jaw bone. “Don’t go ripping a hole in time and space.”

“Why do I have a feeling this is going to end very badly?” Thom asked, his voice lost to me due to the fear and the focused look I was giving Ilyan.

“Be safe,” I said to him, knowing he would take it seriously, knowing he knew what I meant.

Without looking away from him, I grabbed Wyn’s arm, my magic flaring against hers as I pulled her into the stutter. The sound of her screams followed us into the camp on the other side of the city, a million more joining hers.

“Yep, I still hate that,” Wyn gasped as she tripped over her own feet, doing her best to stay upright, something that was very needed right now.

I had stuttered us right into a battle. Everything around us was chaos. From on top of the hill, I hadn’t realized it was so bad. Being down here … Everything was exploding.

Tents were on fire; Vil?s were ripped apart bodies left and right; mortals and Chosen ran past tents to get away from the creatures that would stop at nothing to destroy them.

“Here.” I pulled Wyn into one of the few remaining tents, the canvas ripped and burned in places. I knew it wouldn’t last long, but it would last long enough for me to find out where Sain was, and that was all I needed.

The canvas closed behind us, trapping us in the chill of the tiny space. The smell of filth smacked against us, making my head spin. I tried to breathe past it, but it got worse. My magic flared as it pulled at me, stretched away from me, soaring beyond tents and farmland, leading me right to where I needed to be, as if it knew what I was looking for.