Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(52)

“No!” I screamed louder than before as I fought against Ilyan’s arms, he let me move, but still not enough to fly to Ryland’s aid. Despite my reaction, I was thankful for his impeding arms. If I had gone down there, Cail would have killed me easily. Part of me knew that was the whole point of this demonstration.

My body went limp as Ryland moved the sword, having stopped it millimeters from his body. Ilyan gathered me up and pulled me back into him.

“Hmmm, I don’t think he has,” Cail said, his voice sad.

“I take it Sain has told you then?” Ilyan asked.

“Oh! Bravo! You figured it out. You will make your Father so proud. He was beginning to think you had lost your touch. I sure hope it didn’t take you the full three months to realize that we were controlling her dreams?” Cail took a step forward, his hands moving as he spoke. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them, terrified he would attack at any moment.

“Not even close,” Ilyan laughed humorlessly through his lie. “See, I know the full story. And no matter what you have done to Sain, I doubt you have managed to get it all.”

“Sain may not have told us everything, but he has been a wealth of information – both now and before. We have been waiting for her to make an appearance as long as you have, and we are willing to wait just as long to find the secret of how to destroy her. Another month or so and we will crack the lock you put on his mind. Then we will know everything.”

“I wish you luck with that,” Ilyan laughed, his deep joy rolling through the main road.

“At least you continue to make this whole game more interesting,” Cail said.

“It’s not a game,” I yelled down to him, interrupting their banter.

“Oh really?” Cail sneered, “I think it’s a game. Ryland thinks it a game. Edmund knows it is a game. Your Protector up there, seeing as he hasn’t told you everything, he must be playing the game as well.”

Ilyan pulled me back against him, and my insides went numb. Cail’s loud voice boomed as he laughed and the yard to the house suddenly lit up with artificial light as a door was opened. Cail’s attention turned to a man in the doorway, his laughter stopping as his face went hard.

“What’s going on out here?” I heard the old man yell shakily through the yard, Cail having obviously scared him.

“Nothing that concerns you, old man.” I realized what was going to happen a moment before it did. Cail raised his hand and placed his palm toward the old man. As he had with me the first time, he let the power grow, his amusement at scaring his target stronger than his intent to kill. Ilyan left my side to intercept the ball of energy Cail sent toward the old man. Ilyan’s powerful energy redirected the fire toward a field of trees off to the side of the house with only a thought. Cail’s red light connected with the trunk of the tree, sending it into a roaring inferno that spread inhumanly fast to the other trees in the small grove, the magical fire gladly accepting the timber.

The man yelled out in fear and the door closed, the yellow glow leaving the yard with the click of the door as the flickering light from the fire began to take over.

Ilyan stood before Cail, his tall frame towering over him. I turned to see the family coming out of the other side of the house and running away from whatever altercation was about to take place. I calmed a bit hoping they would get away from this.

“Do you wish to fight me, Ilyan? I told you we were not here to hurt you. Not today.” Cail’s voice was strong, but I heard the fear that lay behind it.

“Then do not attack the innocent,” Ilyan said, his magic growing and spreading through me from the ?tít, as his shield encompassed me.

Ilyan took off into the sky, presumably back to my side, before his body was pulled back down to the ground and restrained against the damp grass by Cail’s magic.

“I will attack any that get in the way of my job for my master,” Cail said.

“You serve the wrong man, Cail.” Ilyan’s body seemed to glow with golden light before he burst into the sky, Cail’s magical restraints flying off of him. He moved enough to put himself between me and the two men on the ground. Ilyan flexed his fingers, electricity crackling between his knuckles.

“I guess that is a matter of opinion.” I froze as Cail raised his hand toward Ilyan. Ilyan did nothing. He stood there as his hair danced in the wind, his muscular body lit by the firelight. I felt his magic surge through me.

Light exploded out of Cail’s hand and a half-second later, Ilyan sliced his hand to the side, sending Cail’s magic uselessly into the already blazing trees. Ilyan flexed his hand as the ground exploded around Cail, showering the yard with dirt and rocks.

I shielded my face from the onslaught of dirt, only to come face to face with Ryland when I emerged. I didn’t wait; I raised my hand to attack. But before I could do anything, his hand wrapped around my neck and forced me against the house.

“Now, now,” he said, his wicked voice cutting into me. “You know your magic has no effect on me. And as fun as a scuffle with you would be, my job is not to attack you. My job is to keep you here.”

He snarled at me and increased his hold. My vision popped and swayed from the lack of oxygen. I grasped at his hands, my magic not responding to my mind’s weak calls.

“Oh sorry,” he said, although I heard no sympathy. “I guess it would be better not to kill you yet. It was nice of Ilyan to leave you here for me to play with. I guess his desire to kill Cail was greater than his need to protect you.”