Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(106)

“It’s okay, Ilyan; she’s just hurt. She doesn’t mean what she’s saying.” Wyn’s voice was tiny; I could barely feel her hand against my shoulder.

“I know, Wyn.” There was a pause and I heard Ilyan exhale deeply, his magical restraints peeling off me a bit. “It’s time to go. You and Talon are going to carry the tail of the western evacuation and go home through Los Angeles.”

“And Joclyn?” Wyn’s voice was hesitant.

“Joclyn will be going into hiding with me. Ryland marked her, the Z?lství is complete. I am not sure if Edmund is going to use their connection to track her down or not. Until I know for sure, she is staying with me.”

“Then I am staying with you, too.” Wyn’s voice was forceful, but sad; I couldn’t imagine what it had cost her to say that, to commit to leaving Talon. I unwound myself from my cocoon of pity to look at her, my heart melting.

“You can’t leave Talon, Wyn.” My voice was soft and broken. “I left Ryland, and now he is gone. Please, for me, stay with Talon.”

Our eyes locked as she reached forward to take my hands. A million thank yous, a million emotions passed between us before she stood, our hands extended between us in a last goodbye.

“I’ll see you soon,” I whispered. She could only nod. The phrase “going into hiding” did not bode well for quick reunions.

She squeezed my hands before turning away from me and then she and Talon took off into the inky night sky.

“It’s time to go, Siln?.” I looked up at Ilyan, surprised to see tears falling down his own cheeks.

Ilyan didn’t expect me to stand; he leaned down and lifted me securely into his arms. He didn’t cradle me as he had before, but held me against him in a bone-crushing hug that took my breath away. He pressed me against him as we soared into the air, the wind whipping his hair and what was left of mine around us. My emotionally drained body sank into him, a few soothing lines of his calming melody sinking into me before I fell fast asleep.

I woke up the next morning in a gray apartment. The walls were gray, the curtains were gray. It was an ugly gray palette that I had no interest in seeing. I rolled over and pulled the covers over my head, trying to block out the light. I breathed deeply, but it came out ragged and torn. I had cried all through the night.

“Did you get everyone out?” Ilyan’s voice was calm and even. I could tell he was on the phone by the way he switched back and forth between Czech and English.

“We made it to the third safe house. I made everyone go before us, so they all should be safe.”

I rolled over to lie on my back, throwing the blanket away from me. As I moved, the necklace shifted onto my skin; I had almost forgotten about it.

“Yes, get everyone to Prague. I will start the evacuation on my end. The more of a trickle we can form, the safer everyone will be.” He came around the corner, surprised to see me awake.

“I am still keeping her with me, Ovailia; we have a lot of work to do and she is safer with me.” He snapped his phone shut and leaned against the wall.

“How are you doing?” he asked, his voice tentative and quiet.

I looked at him before turning away, fixing my eyes on the ceiling.

“I’m sorry, Joclyn.” His voice was deep and soothing, but I brushed his condolences away. I just wanted to be mad. “Everything will be all right, Siln?.”

I just nodded at him; I didn’t trust myself to say anything polite.

“We are going to be staying here for a week, maybe two, so make yourself comfortable. But please, stay inside. It’s not safe to go out right now.”

I nodded again, my head falling to the side, looking blankly at nothing. Ilyan smiled sadly at me before leaving, calling behind him his plans to take a shower. I heard the door click and desperately hoped there was another bathroom I could hide in; somewhere I could lock the door. Judging by the fact that I could see the kitchen from the bed I lay in, I wasn’t holding out much hope.

I exhaled heavily, my voice shaking at the action before beating my head against the pillow. My tears came strong, my heartbreak increasing the more I tried to ignore my emotions.

“I’m sorry, Ryland. I failed you.”

I didn’t want to be here; all I felt was an overwhelming sense of loss, of failure. I continued to bang my head against the pillow until my head began to ache, my temples throbbing. I focused on the pain until a new throbbing interrupted me.

The necklace was beating.

I sat up in one movement, desperately clawing at the fine chain around my neck. I didn’t care about what Ilyan had told me; I didn’t care about the danger. I just needed to see him, to know he was okay. I plunged my magic into the necklace, my efforts draining me. I closed my eyes as I fell back against the bed, the white room appearing before me.

“Ryland! Ryland!” I screamed the second I entered the open space.

“Yes?” I spun around, eager to face him, and saw nothing.

“Who are you?” a little voice asked.

I cried out, falling to my knees as my eyes came level with his. My heart broke as I looked at him. He was only a child, younger even than when I had first met him. My hand flew to my mouth as I sobbed, his blue eyes growing wide at my reaction.

“It’s okay,” his little voice was soft as he placed his small hand on my shoulder. “Are you hurt? I can make it all better; my mommy says I am very good at making things all better.” He smiled widely, his mop of curls bouncing.