Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(43)

“Even Ilyan has killed, Joclyn. He has killed hundreds of times. He even killed Wyn’s Mother. Your best friend’s Mother. And yet, you still trust him?”

My hands flexed at Edmund’s words, strangely I didn’t doubt for a moment that they were true. It bothered me, but not as much as it should have.

“Ilyan doesn’t kill for pleasure, unlike you.” I tried to keep my jaw strong as I faced Edmund, but it was hard. I was so scared my insides felt as if they were quivering.

“And, you know this for a fact do you?” Edmund continued. “Ilyan sure does seem to enjoy a battle doesn’t he, Cail? He just can’t walk away from a fight. From a possible kill.”

Edmund smiled, his blue eyes flashing. I froze, I knew what he was referring to and it scared me. It was the face of power Ilyan always got, the look of pure crazy joy.

“You’re wrong.” My voice caught as I spoke, causing Cail to laugh. The deep sounds made his youthful frame rattle. I turned my head to face Cail, my angry glare directed into his dark eyes.

“Oh really?” Cail said, his tone making me cringe. “You know this for a fact?”

“Yes.” I tried to sound confident but I knew my voice had begun to waiver and my hands to shake.

“Trust him, do you?” He moved closer.

“Yes.” I kept my voice strong even though Cail’s responses felt like ice down my spine.

“Trust him to keep you safe?” I nodded once and Cail’s wicked smile deepened. I attempted to move away from him again only to be stopped by the ever encroaching wall of people.

“He can’t hide you from me forever.” Edmund said and Cail smiled evilly, a small laugh escaping at his joy for whatever was to come. His eyes moved from mine to a spot beyond where Edmund stood against the trees, the wicked upturn on his lips growing.

“Besides, I have something you want.” Edmund continued.

Something told me not to look, but I couldn’t help myself. Through the trees I could now hear grunting and gasping, and the sound was getting closer. I waited in fear for some wild animal to burst through and attack me, but I knew better. My heart knew better. And the pull of my magic told me I was right.

My eyes widened as I saw him being dragged into the clearing by his curls. Ryland fought the action, but his energy was drained. I inhaled sharply, something that did not go unnoticed. Edmund turned to me with a joyful smirk, and I took a step back, careful to keep my emotions under control.

Seeing Ryland like that triggered an alarm in me. This wasn’t right. I had felt it before, but now I knew it.

The dreams had always been distorted bits of a memory or expanded portions of my worst fears. They never deviated from my expectations. There were always memories of Ryland, enacted horrors of his death, torture, and visions of my own impending death. But this was different. This was something new.

Nothing about Ryland being dragged into a forest was a memory. Cail’s and Edmund’s taunting of me, yes. But seeing Ryland the way he was in front of me right now held no past meaning. Ryland looked up to me, his bright blue eyes pouring into mine, and I stopped breathing.

“He remembers you, you know.” I hadn’t even noticed that Edmund had come up beside me. My whole existence had frozen at seeing Ryland, my Ryland, there. “After all of my hard work, he still remembers you.”

“Jos…” Ryland gasped my name, his body barely strong enough to support himself when sitting. I breathed in a shaking breath, willing my feet to stay still.

“There is only one thing to do now, sir…” Cail’s hand ran down my arm, but I barely noticed.

“I leave it to you, Cail.”

“Jos, you need to run.” Ryland whimpered as he spoke and I took a step forward. My progress was instantly halted by Cail’s arms around my waist.

The contact broke me out of my shocked reverie. I turned to Cail, my face hard. This was wrong. Knowing the dream was wrong somehow, scared me, my fear breaking through my carefully crafted facade.

“Let me go.” I controlled my voice carefully, trying to keep my emotions in check.

“Oh no, no, no,” Cail said, his face impossibly close to mine. “You see, I have a message from Edmund for you.” I spun to where Edmund stood a moment before to find the space empty. Cail smiled and I felt my insides freeze. Everything seemed too raw, too real. I turned to Cail, my head held high, not wanting to give away that I was scared.

“You see Ryland there? Alive? His memories returned? You have exactly one month to turn yourself in to us before we dispose of him.”

“No!” I turned toward Ryland in a panic, but Cail’s arms held me securely in place. I fought against him, but his grip was too strong, his hold brutal against me.

“Panicked now I see. A little worried?” He pressed his cheek against mine, his body moving with me as I fought his grip. “Well you should be.”

“Joclyn, run!” Ryland screamed at me as the large man behind him produced a glimmering blade. The man didn’t even hesitate, he just ran him through, the blade glowing red. Ryland screamed and fell to the ground, his body not even fighting its loss of life.

“No!”

“Now, now. Don’t worry. This dream is only a shadow of what’s to come after all. I’m sure you have realized by now, we can’t really hurt you. Magic doesn’t work here. We can only wake you up. The same has happened to him, although I would like to kill him.” He said condescendingly, the terrible tones snaking around my insides like slime.