Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(17)

I shook my head and came at him again, this time trying for his legs. Ilyan saw my move and jumped away, his sword moving to tap against my shoulder.

“My point,” he announced, his cocky undertone grinding on me.

I jumped up, instantly going for another attack. I almost had him when an invisible barrier blocked my path. I always forgot how quick he was until he used his magic against me.

“Not fair! Foul Play!”

Ilyan smiled at my outburst.

“You can do it too, Siln?. In fact, I ask that you do. In battle you will not be restrained to weapons, if you use them at all.” He bowed deeply to me, his sword disappearing back into the air it had come from. I swallowed and let my sword fall to the floor, clanging loudly. Now I was in trouble, our sparring matches always led to this. And, I always failed miserably.

‘Attack me with magic.’ he would say… ‘Why don’t I stand still so you can land all your attacks on me without hassle?’ I would rebut.

Well, not really. I wouldn’t dare say that to him. But, it was how it always went. There was no glory in this for me, only pain and more broken toes.

Ilyan spread his hands once in a high arch and the walls shimmered as he trapped us in another protective shield. This one guaranteed that we wouldn’t destroy the tiny prison we called home.

But it wouldn’t be prison for long. I just had to mark him once and I could leave for the night. Win the match, and I could leave forever. I jumped to my feet, I could do this.

I didn’t hesitate this time. I needed the upper hand if I was going to have any chance of marking him. I sliced my hand through the air, sending a long chain of magical energy soaring to him like a javelin, with the intent to wrap him in it like a vice. Ilyan jumped back as he diminished the flow of my attack, but not before the end of the chain sliced through his shirt.

“Very nice, Siln?. But not good enough.” I saw his motion a moment too late and dove to the side as a ripple of energy impacted with the shield that surrounded us, sending a wave of colors vibrating through the protective layer.

“Try harder,” he yelled, as he sent a line of freezing water above my head. I winced as it hit the shield above me, showering me with droplets of ice.

I threw my hand out, shooting a pulse of light and fire toward him. It breezed through the bright colors that fluxed around us. I didn’t stop to see if it made contact, instead I scrambled to my feet hoping to gain my bearings. I faced him and instantly threw a handful of conjured metal beads in his direction. The pellets disintegrated against Ilyan’s personal shield, as he streamed electricity toward me. I threw a shield up just in time, the powerful magic crashing into my barrier instead.

“Fight back, Joclyn.” He yelled. “You would have won in the bathroom. You had it all, emotional force, surprise...”

“The fact that you were only wearing a towel, didn’t hurt either,” I countered, throwing another attack in his direction only to have him dodge it. Ilyan laughed boisterously at me.

“Yes, but how often are you going to be fighting someone in a towel?” He said as he shot another surge in my direction, which I countered, and the two streams collided in the center surrounding us with brightly colored sparks.

“Not often enough,” I said under my breath.

“That is why, Ryland will always defeat you, because he can play on your emotions. And he knows it.”

“Don’t remind me.” I shoved wind in his direction, smiling when he skidded away from me again.

Ilyan brought this up every day. I knew he was right. I just didn’t like the reminders. This time I realized that he had given me a weapon too. I could play on Ilyan’s emotions.

I waited for his next attack only to dodge it. I moved as quick as I could, embracing my speed, to sidle right up to him. I grabbed his shirt and pulled his tall body into me, his face millimeters away from mine.

“Don’t hurt me.” I said softly as I placed my hand gently against the skin of his neck. I let my hand grow warm with power for a moment to signal to him that I had won. His eyes changed from soft and concerned to a smoldering pride so fast I might have missed the change.

“I win.”

“That’s dirty, Joclyn.” I stepped away from him, not liking the look that he was giving me. “I am not sure if I can accept that as a win.”

“You better!” I snapped, “It had all the elements of a successful attack, plus surprise, and a play on emotions, just like you said. Although why it worked on you, I will never know.”

“I’m your protector, Siln?. I am hard-wired not to hurt you.” He released the barrier and put the room back to normal with one swipe of his hand. But I stayed still, my brain clicking together.

“My protector?” I asked, rephrasing the words. “What do you mean, My Protector?”

Ilyan stopped and turned to face me, his hand dragging heavily through his hair again. “I protect everyone, Joclyn. You included.”

I stared at him, he had said it before and I took it to mean just that, but this time his inflection was different. Something was off in the way he said it, like it was a job he took pride in. It didn’t mean wandering around and saving people to him. He was still dragging his hand through his hair, making it obvious he was keeping something from me.

“Get a better poker face, Ilyan. What aren’t you telling me?” Ilyan smiled at me before returning from the kitchen, a small box in his hands.