Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(83)

I had flown too high. The air zoomed past me as I began to fall. I looked around desperately for a branch large enough to land on, my instinct from the tree races kicking in. There was nothing, not even a stem big enough to support my weight.

I had been here before. I had fallen. I had almost died. I screamed in fear and agony as gravity pulled me toward the earth again. My body tensed, preparing for the awful impact that waited for me below. Instead of hard dirt though, I felt strong arms. My body clenched further as I looked into Ilyan’s face, his arms cradled around me as he propelled us upward. His wind moved around us as we flew toward a tree, a large branch stretching out before him as if welcoming us. Ilyan landed on the branch safely, his arms still wrapped around me.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you fall.”

“Thank you, My Lord.” I moved away from him, careful to keep myself standing on the tree branch.

“I am just Ilyan now, Joclyn.”

“Thank you, Ilyan.”

“You are very welcome.” He smiled softly. “Now, we are going to do it again, but this time I want you to focus on the wind. Set your mind on what it is doing and how I am controlling it. Do not let fear enter your mind. I will be here, always.”

I nodded and closed my eyes, calling the wind again. The warm breeze came almost instantly, but it wasn’t just my magic controlling the movements of the wind. Ilyan’s magic intertwined with mine as the wind swirled around us. It was not my magic that eventually forced the wind to push us off the tree branch. Ilyan’s magic surged, sending us flying into the air. My body tensed in panic as my feet lost contact with the branch.

“Relax your body; do not think of the movement you are about to accomplish.” Ilyan’s voice was soft in my ear as his hands moved to grip my waist. “Focus only on the wind. Focus on its movement, on its warmth. Focus on how your magic will bring it to you. And do not worry, Joclyn; I will never let you fall.” With that, he threw my body into the air, the wind he controlled pushing me up and away from the tree.

I screamed for only a moment as my body left the security of his arms, terror grabbing hold of me. Before I could act on the fear, Ilyan was there again, his arms wrapped around me as he kept me safely against him, our bodies floating through nothing. He stayed there just seconds before throwing me in a different direction, spinning me through the air away from him.

As I twirled through the air, my magic moved away from me, my calm body giving it leave from its prison underneath my skin. My magic mingled with Ilyan’s as he controlled the wind that supported me, our combined magic flowing and dancing. I continued to fly forward as our magic worked together to guide me. Ilyan grabbed me gently and continued moving us through the open air.

As Ilyan threw me away from him again, I understood; all trace of fear was gone. I knew exactly what to do. I grabbed the wind that Ilyan had surrounded me with and pushed it another way, my body moving alongside it as I controlled it.

This was the feeling I got when I climbed the trees with Ryland; this supreme happiness and freedom. It was just as Wyn had said; I had used Ryland’s magic to climb the trees, except now, it was my magic giving me those same feelings. Even though I missed Ryland’s comforting warmth, there was something empowering behind doing it myself.

“Now catch me,” Ilyan’s voice called after me. I turned my head to see him speeding away through the trees in the opposite direction from where I was headed, dodging in and out of the high branches. I laughed happily before easily changing my course to fly after him. Ilyan moved swiftly, his powerful arms propelling him further, his wind racing him ahead of me. He moved with an ever-increasing speed as he changed his course several times. His smiling face continued to look back at me as I desperately tried to catch up to him. I followed behind, not making much headway before he changed his course yet again.

As he moved, I saw a path that would give me a straight shot right to him. I smiled at the idea of winning the game before plunging myself down into the lower branches of the tree. It was harder to move here with the branches growing smaller and closer together, but being out of sight gave me the opportunity to cut across a corner that led straight to him. I broke out of the lower branches, a rush of wind pushing me up to where Ilyan flew. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing him off his course, and slamming us into a large branch of a tree.

“Got you,” I said.

I rolled onto the branch as my body began to register the effort that was involved in not only flying, but also propelling through branches. I leaned up against the trunk of the tree and looked at where we had ended up, my breathing ragged and forced as I attempted to catch my breath.

“Very good,” Ilyan said. He leaned forward and placed his hand gently against my face. I stiffened as his warmth moved into me, moving right to my back. It spread comfortably down my spine, wiping away the small aches that had popped up from our impact.

“I didn’t break my back again, if that’s what you’re checking.”

“I know, but it’s always best to double check.” He smiled before removing his hand, letting his fingers trace the kiss again.

“Why do you do that?” I said, moving swiftly away from his touch.

“Do what?”

“Touch my kiss. It seems you take every opportunity to touch it.”

He withdrew his hand. “I’m sorry. Does it bother you?”