Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(82)

“Now,” Ovailia continued, “the concept of manipulating wind is much the same as plant life. You must infuse the wind with your magic until you receive the ability to control it. It is through this control that you will be able to manipulate yourself and objects around you.”

I just nodded my head numbly. I knew that should make sense, but I couldn’t seem to wrap my mind around it.

“Think about how you move your magic into the plants and tell them what to do,” Ilyan said. “It’s much the same concept, except with wind, you can do more; move cars or buildings, fly.”

“We were flying that night you saved me!”

“Yes, we were,” Ilyan said happily. Ovailia however, cleared her throat.

“Sorry... My Lord,” I added hastily.

“I want you to learn this skill, so in case anything happens this week, you will be able to get away and save yourself.”

My heart plummeted at the reminder of my need to run away. I wanted to be able to save Ryland, not be a hindrance and only have to run away. I nodded strongly and focused on what was going on.

“All right,” Ilyan said, “bring your magic to the front and release it into the air around you. I want to see if you can summon wind from nothing.”

I focused intently on the air and felt my magic seep out of me like a slow leak, pleased when I felt the air softly move itself into a subtle breeze. I pushed more magic out, excited at the quick success. The more I released into the air, the bigger the breeze became, until it swirled swiftly through the courtyard, pushing into those who remained watching us and eventually knocking me into Ilyan.

“Sorry, My Lord,” I whimpered as he set me straight again.

“Don’t be. That was wonderful!” Ilyan was pleased. Ovailia looked anything but.

Ilyan grabbed my shoulders and steered me to stand right in front of the large tree.

“Okay, now, climb the tree,” Ovailia snapped impatiently, ignoring my quick success. “Show me how you accomplish these tree races that Wynifred has told me so much about.”

I felt excited for a whole moment, until I looked up into the tree branches. The tangled knot of the tree extended high above me; no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t see a way through. It was more than the impossibility of the branches though, it was the fact that I could fall. My hands moved to wrap around my back without my even knowing. My fingers spanned flat against, the fingers touching the places where broken bones and nerves had been only a week before. My painfully broken back had given me a fear of falling.

“You won’t fall,” Ilyan whispered in my ear.

“How do you know I won’t?”

“I won’t let you.” His finger moved up to trace a circle around my kiss.

I tore my eyes away from the tangled branches to look at him, stepping away from his touch and feeling guilty.

“But there is no way up, Ilyan—My Lord.”

Ilyan smiled at me softly before turning to Ovailia. “If you will excuse us, sister, I believe this lesson will not require your assistance today.”

Before Ovailia could open her mouth to rebut, Ilyan had opened his hand, the necklace flying into his open palm from within the bush. Ilyan then took my hand and began to lead me out of the courtyard. Everyone looked surprised that we were leaving so soon, but they stood and paid their respects to him as we walked by, nonetheless.

Once we had made it through the door from the courtyard, Ilyan’s pace increased until we had emerged on the other side through yet another door, this one leading to a wide expanse of untamed forest. I couldn’t see a city or town; we were surrounded by hills of forest, misty mountains just visible in the distance.

“Now, do you trust me?”

The answer to the question was obvious. I did trust him; I just didn’t trust how he acted around me sometimes. I knew that I couldn’t let my fierce loyalty to Ryland get in the way of Ilyan teaching me how to save him, so I nodded my head.

“Good. Now, do you trust me to not let you fall?”

It took a moment for me to get my wits about me. As much as I was scared of falling, scared of breaking my body again, I knew that I trusted Ilyan. He would not let anything happen to me; of that, I was sure. I nodded once in agreement, and a wide smile spread over his face.

“Good. I am going to teach you to fly the way my father taught me. I want you to use the wind to launch yourself into the air, straight up. Can you do that?”

“No,” I said, panic seizing me.

“I won’t let you fall, Joclyn. I promise you this above all else, I will never let anything hurt you. I am only here to protect you.”

“Okay.”

“Now get down and prepare to jump.”

I crouched down to the ground as Ilyan had instructed, my palms lying flat against the ground.

“Now call the wind to you,” he whispered behind me.

I closed my eyes tightly, attempting to forget that anyone was there, forgetting my previous failures. I breathed out, letting my magic come to a boiling point under my skin. My magic moved away from me easily, stretching away and bringing the wind back with it. The warm tongues licked at my feet and the tips of my fingers. I moved it around, amazed at the control I had over it. It obeyed my every thought.

“Now, jump.”

With one swift movement, I kicked off from the ground, the wind propelling me upward, my arms extending out, warm air whipping past my fingers. The sensation was amazing; I could have never guessed that so much freedom lay in this, in flight. My face rose to the sun, enjoying the warm rays and the breeze that moved across my skin. The feeling of the wind’s soft touch brought back memories of a million car rides up the canyon and a million tree races. Even through the bitter-sweet memories, I smiled. Then the wind began to change.