Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(53)

The steps and swaying increased significantly before the wind returned and the rough movements stopped. I watched through open eyes as stars, street lights and buildings soared past us, faster than I thought possible, the shining orbs becoming blurs in my line of vision. The wind in my hair relaxed me even further and I felt myself move into the ever-present blackness once again.

No! I needed to stay awake for Ryland… and for me. I would never be sure, but I swear my arm jumped uncontrollably as I tried to force myself out of the comfortable warmth that the blackness provided.

“It’s okay, Siln?,” Ilyan said, his accent rolling out his vowels again.

I did want to believe that, but everything was so confusing. Even in my foggy, hazy mind, I was having trouble understanding what was going on. I couldn’t get the images of flying furniture, my aggressive attackers and my mother’s body out of my mind. My heart shuddered at the thought of my mother’s limp form. It sounded more like I called out to her. Ilyan looked down at me, shocked to see me looking at him.

“Your mother?”

My eyes grew wider.

“I’m sorry, Joclyn. I wish I would have gotten there earlier. I wish I could have saved her.” He looked down at me again, and I saw the sympathy hidden in the chasm of his eyes.

My whole world had broken apart in one wild blow. The truth of Ilyan’s words was a wrecking ball against my soul. I saw her frozen body in my mind, and I knew he was telling the truth; that she was gone. Even though my brain accepted it, my heart simply wouldn’t. It fought and screamed inside my broken body. It begged me to hit and yell, and beg to know that Ilyan was lying. I could almost feel my body jolt as I attempted to act out what I needed to do.

“Calm, Joclyn. I need you to stay still. Try not to think about anything now.” Ilyan exhaled sharply. The raw emotions that coursed through me boiled my blood aggressively, causing my body to jump and twitch. I wanted to yell, and cry, and demand answers all at the same time; but in the end, it was just another pain to add to all the others that encompassed me, and the numbness swept it away.

The wind stopped, and I felt Ilyan’s hand run comfortingly against the bare skin of my back. The warmth inside me increased and my mind became fuzzy, Ilyan’s touch taking everything away.

“I know things are becoming clearer, but you need to relax. We will have time for questions and answers when your body is healed.”

The wind came back into my hair again, blowing it across my face. The sensation made me think of my many trips up the canyon with Ryland. I loved to roll the window down all the way and feel the air across my face, smell the scent of the trees, the water, the fresh mountain air; they all had a magic of their own. That’s what this reminded me of—magic.

The wind decreased to nothing again as Ilyan’s feet hit against something hard and brought us to a stop. I lessened the strain on my eyes and let them fall toward the light in front of us. I recognized the balcony door of Wyn’s apartment immediately. The large couch and overstuffed chair sat exactly where they had been only yesterday.

“It’s probably best if you don’t see Wyn right now.” Ilyan’s hand covered my face and lowered my eyelids. “It may only upset you more.”

I felt him take a step forward and then heard the click of the patio door as it shut and locked us into the apartment. Wyn’s frantic steps came up in front of us. I tried desperately to open my eyes, but the lids wouldn’t budge.

“Oh! Goodness, please tell me she is alive, Ilyan?” Wyn’s voice was panicked and deep, but something else had changed. I could almost detect a hint of an accent, an accent almost identical to Ilyan’s. I almost didn’t recognize her voice.

“She can hear you, Wynifred; please watch your tones.”

“I don’t see how that matters anymore, My Lord. Your little cover has been blown wide open.”

Ilyan grunted angrily.

My Lord? My mind flashed to the text message. “My Lord” was not a standard nick-name for a brother. And cover? I knew I had missed something, but my fuzzy brain couldn’t place anything together properly.

“The bath is drawn,” the distorted voice of Wyn continued.

“Seal the door,” Ilyan commanded before walking away, his arms still holding me tightly to his chest.

“What happened, Ilyan?” I heard Wyn’s strange voice come up from behind.

“I’m not exactly sure. All I know is that Cail and Drummond were trying to kill her.” Ilyan’s voice sounded like poison.

“Cail?” Wyn asked.

I heard a door open and we moved into a humid room, the air strong with a deep smell of lavender, lilac, sandalwood and mint. Ilyan bent down and laid me on the bathroom floor, the tiles hard and cold against my bare skin and through my torn shirt. He shifted his hand from my back to my face, his hand never losing contact with my skin. Another set of feet entered the room, the impact vibrating the floor.

“Close and seal the door, Wynifred. I don’t want anyone to hear her screams.”

Screams? What was going on? I tried to pull understanding through my fuzzy mind, but nothing came.

“How did they find out about her mark?”

“I have no idea. But if it wasn’t for Ryland saving her life and Jeffery finding us, she would be in much worse condition.”

Jeffery? My father?

“It’s a miracle she is still alive.”