Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(34)

I placed my head against his chest and listened to his heart thump for a minute. The rhythm never changed, the comforting beat steady and strong as it echoed through my head. I felt myself falling asleep again but shook it off. It was too cold for me to sleep without risking hypothermia.

“I’m sorry, Ilyan,” I whispered into him, sure he could hear me.

“For what?”

“For ruining our noncommittal night out to dinner.” Ilyan laughed and I couldn’t help but smile a little. “I wish Ryland couldn’t track me so easily. I wish he...”

I stopped myself. We had been over this before.

Ilyan sighed heavily and ran his hand over my bare arm.

“At least we know how fast he can track you now.”

“Which is?” I didn’t want to hear the answer, but my curiosity won me over.

“Too fast for me to be comfortable.” He said and I knit my shoulders together, that didn’t sound promising. I was going to be locked away in hiding forever.

“I am sorry you got hurt. I should be there to protect you at all times. I shouldn’t have to fight them every time they come after you. I didn’t know how many there would be, or how well Ryland could track you. I failed you.” He ran his fingertips over the tender skin of my wrist, his magic flowing through my skin to check the healing bones.

“Does it hurt much?” Ilyan asked.

“No.” I watched as he traced over the bones, his touch soft against my skin.

Ilyan didn’t respond, he only wrapped his hand around my wrist as his magic surged. I watched as the surges of his power began turning into something tangible. A sturdy cast formed over the broken bones, immobilizing my wrist.

“You should heal faster than before, now that your own magic flows through your veins, but this will help to speed up the process.”

I looked at the cast Ilyan had placed over my wrist, the heavy plaster still pulsing with Ilyan’s magic. It was odd to think that something so simple and rudimentary was still needed, even with the magical possibilities that were available to us.

“Thank you.”

“Why did he do this to you anyway?”

I looked at my wrist, his long fingers were running over the skin of my fingers that peeked out above the cast. It didn’t hurt anymore, but just like when Ryland dug the knife into my chest, I wasn’t sure I would ever forget it. Every time Ryland hurt me physically, he scarred me internally too.

“His magic didn’t work against me,” I said. “I only absorbed it. He never actually did any damage.”

“What?” His voice was alarmed, putting me on edge.

“I felt the pain initially, but it would disappear. The same thing happened at the... the... party.” I struggled to say the word, surprised at the fresh wounds the memories still held. “Every time he attacked me, nothing happened.”

“And what about him, does the same thing happen to him?” Ilyan asked, his words hard and controlled.

“Yes. In the end he didn’t even react, that’s why I pushed him off the roof with the air conditioner.”

“This is bad,” he said, his arms tightening around me.

“What? Why?” I tried to twist around to look at him, but his arms held me in place.

“First and foremost, it is limiting you. Ryland will always go after you. He will never choose to fight me. He will seek you out until he kills you, and if your magic will not work against each other you are even more limited in your ability to fight him. Ryland would gladly enclose you in a fiery building or drop a semi-truck on your head. But would you do the same to him?”

“I threw an air conditioner at him. Isn’t that enough?” I was offended, I had pushed myself way beyond my comfort level, and he didn’t even see it.

“And the second you did, you worried for him.” His statement was a little too true to life. I felt my chest stiffen against it. “I can guarantee you, he did not do the same for you. If I had not taken you away, he would have crumbled the building underneath you, hurled a fiery car toward you, or flung your body into a telephone pole. What would you have done in return?”

I didn’t know what to say, I knew every word that Ilyan had said was true. I had worried about Ryland every time I attacked him. I had watched for signs of life after I had launched him off the roof. If we had not escaped, I would have done the same thing I had always done – acted in desperation to save him, even as he attempted to kill me.

I needed to be stronger, but I didn’t know how to be. Saving him is one thing, fighting him is another one entirely “I can’t do this,”

“You can, Joclyn.” Ilyan gently moved my head up to look at him, my body still tight against his as we cut through the air. “We just have to change our game plan.”

“And, how do you suggest we do that?”

“Oh, I have ideas.” Ilyan smiled the powerful grin that was so natural for him and I fought a shiver from moving up my spine. I don’t know if it was from the icy air or worry about what he had planned, but either way, I was uncomfortable.

I pulled away from his gaze to move back against his chest. I fought to keep the ‘ideas’ that Ilyan had floating around inside his head from occupying my thoughts. Ilyan stayed silent, which helped me to keep my mind clear.

We flew until I could see the sliver of dawn’s first light peek over the horizon. The dim light crept into my brain and I yawned, hating the reminder of how little sleep I had been able to sneak in. I was glad for Ilyan’s supportive arms, without them I am not sure I would have been able to keep myself airborne.