Eyes of Ember (Imdalind Series #2)(92)

Ilyan stood at her arrival, his arms wrapping around her without question.

Ovailia looked the same, perfectly poised, not a hair on her head out of place. She embraced Ilyan awkwardly, looking thoroughly out of place in jeans and a silk top.

“Ovailia!” Ilyan finally released her but kept a hold on her shoulders. “I’m so glad you are okay!”

Ilyan’s voice was so pained, so relieved. I felt bad. Especially given what the situation was. The planned double-crossing suddenly felt like acid on my tongue.

“You too, Ilyan. You have no idea. When I saw them... in Prague...” Ovailia broke off, and I was suddenly worried we were going to hear a play by play of what had happened. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that. I didn’t want to hear traumatizing accounts of what had happened to my best friend and what she had gone through because of me.

Ilyan pulled away from her and brought up a chair, prompting her to sit down. The waiter approached and Ilyan ordered something in Italian before sitting. The entire time, Ovailia kept her face down in an emotionless mask. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her, the sight of her carrying Ryland down the hall still fresh in my mind.

“Ovailia,” Ilyan said as he sat down. “I need to know what happened. You have to tell me who betrayed us?"

Ilyan’s voice boomed with his normal regal air, a sound I hadn’t heard in quite some time. It was obvious he was putting on the front with Ovailia in an attempt to get the information he needed from her. I tensed as I turned toward her, my body stiffening in expectation of whatever truth or lie was going to spew out of her mouth “It was Talon.” I gasped at her words, her head whipping around to glare at me.

“Talon?” Ilyan asked, his voice just as stunned as I was.

“Yes,” she said, her voice strained. “I don’t know how and I don’t know why. But he was leading them down the hall. There were so many. I don’t know if anyone else escaped, Ilyan. I couldn’t find anyone else.”

“No one else got out?” Ilyan asked his voice loud in his heightened fear. The waiter jumped a bit as she came up behind him, placing another glass of wine and another plate of mushrooms on the table. Ilyan apologized in Italian, before turning back to Ovailia.

“No one?” He repeated, his voice catching as the emotion of this new reality pushed its way up. Subconsciously I reached my leg out toward him from underneath the table, pressing my calf to his. He looked up to me gratefully, his eyes shining.

“I couldn’t find anyone. I was too scared to stay. Father was there and I... I...” Her voice tensed to a stop and Ilyan reached out gently to take her hand.

“Why would Talon do that, Ilyan?” I asked softly, “It doesn’t make sense. Why would he do that to Wyn?”

“She was screaming to her Father when we last spoke with her, it must have been his call. Besides, I don’t see Talon allowing them to kill her. She had to have been taken.” Ilyan’s logic made sense, but something still did not fit.

“But Ilyan, I saw...” I stopped myself, having been about to reveal something I had seen during my first sight.

“Oh, what would you know about it?” Ovailia snapped, her icy blue eyes digging aggressively into me. “And what in the world gives you the right to call him by his given name?”

I opened my mouth to reply but closed it quickly. I needed Ovailia to believe me weak and incapable still.

“Ovailia,” Ilyan scolded soundly, “Joclyn is as much of a piece of the puzzle as we are now. I do not keep anything from her anymore. And as for the name, she is free to call me anything she chooses.”

He smiled at me and I looked away, placing another of the gritty mushrooms in my mouth. My body was angry with me, it needed Black Water.

“So, you have told her everything, then?” Ovailia asked, her voice awed. I kept my gaze away from her, fully aware that her eyes were boring into me.

“I have.”

“Odd. She doesn’t seem worried, and you don’t seem to be as hands on as I thought you would be.” I kept my head down. I was not enjoying this reminder as to why I did not enjoy Ovailia’s company.

“Unless that is due to her hygiene. I had assumed you knew how to take better care of yourself, Joclyn. Though this look does suit you, it’s disgusting.”

I flinched at her words and sunk into the chair, my body aching as I looked away from both of them and toward the café.

“Be polite, Ovailia,” Ilyan scolded her loudly his leg moving against mine more. I looked toward him, grateful for the contact. “We’ve been hiding in terrible places since someone ratted us out in Santa Fe. There hasn’t exactly been a shower available.”

“And yet, you stay perfectly poised.”

I fought the urge to yell at her. To tell her that Ilyan had been unconscious for three days whereas I had been working and training almost nonstop. I hung my head forward and let the clumps of hair fall around me. I was beginning to realize why Thom kept his hair in the dreads.

Ilyan and Ovailia spoke in Czech, their tones quick and irritated, before I felt Ilyan’s hand on my chin. He lifted my head and I closed my eyes, not wanting to be looked at.

“I think she is beautiful.”

His chosen words in front of Ovailia caught me off guard and I opened my eyes.

“Not now” I reminded him, my voice caught between pleading, worry, and joy.