Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(94)

“And what do we do?”

“Rescue Ryland,” he stated quietly. “I need you to get him to leave with you. We will all serve as some form of a distraction and guard while you get him out. Once you leave, we all leave. The longer you wait, the more dangerous this mission is for everyone.”

“Get him out, sounds easy enough,” I sighed sarcastically, thinking my task sounded anything but easy.

Getting him to follow me out would be easy, as long as he was Ryland. If he wasn’t Ryland, I wasn’t sure what he would do. He had attacked me in the T?uha when he had changed. If he did attack me tonight, I was not sure I was powerful enough yet to fight him off. Worse yet, what if I got him out as Ryland, and he changed once we left.

I sighed and sank into my chair a bit, feeling completely useless.

“I hope you’re right.” Ilyan’s hands writhed; he seemed to be thinking along the same lines I was. “We will go in under Zmiz?t and make our way into the main hall; that is where Ryland will be.”

“Zmiz?t?”

“Yes, it’s a shield that can cause you to be invisible. Of course, if it works in the LaRue estate with the same effectiveness it did on you, then we are all in trouble.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked, my face squished together in confusion.

“All those times you saw me in your school, I was shielding myself with Zmiz?t. But it didn’t work so well on you.” He narrowed his eyes at me curiously. “I wonder why that is?”

I shrank away from him as his blue eyes flashed dangerously. Was I broken or something? I couldn’t get my magic beyond my necklace, but I could see people who were supposed be invisible? Definitely broken.

“You’re the king; you tell me.” I wished I could move away from him a bit.

“Manners, Joclyn.” Ilyan didn’t even flinch as Ovailia came up beside him. I, however, got the full extent of her glare and had to fight the urge to run away.

“I hate to interrupt, but it is time to go.”

“So it is.” Ilyan stood and moved away, leaving Ovailia alone with me. I had hoped she would follow him, but instead, she stepped closer.

“I would like you to know, Joclyn; I am only doing this to save my brother. I have no intention of saving you. If you get cornered, you’re on your own.” She smiled acidly at me, waiting for me to respond. Her look reminded me of the way Cynthia McFadden would use to egg me on. I shrank away from her instinctively. She glared toward me for only a moment longer before striding out of the room. I slumped back down in my chair.

I had the excited nerves of an audition, mixed with the raw, icy fear of going into the unknown. I shook my head, emptying the thought of Ovailia’s comment from the nervous strangulation that was taking hold of me. The room had emptied of everyone but me and Ilyan before he turned and gestured toward me.

“I am going to have to carry you to Ryland’s house, if you don’t mind?” he said as we walked outside to where the others had gathered.

“What?” I was suddenly appalled.

“It’s a risk for everyone if you have liquid memories of how to get back to the motel.”

“What do you mean? I’m not a risk,” I retorted, remembering all too vividly Ovailia’s words in the courtyard.

“If you are captured, I don’t need your memories to guide them to the motel. Since I don’t have time to teach you to perform a Zmiz?t, I need to be in contact with your skin.”

“And you have to carry me? Why can’t we just hold hands or something?” I suggested, irritated by the idea.

“If you won’t let me carry you, Joclyn, I will just put you to sleep.”

I grumbled in acceptance before allowing him to cradle me in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck, worried that he would drop me. He laughed at me softly; I knew full well how ridiculous I was acting, especially considering that the last time he had carried me like this, I hadn’t been able to move.

We all swept into the air in unison, Ilyan leading us to what I was sure was certain doom.

This whole week, I had been confident that this was a sure thing, that everything would go perfectly. Then, last night, Ilyan had shattered my little delusional fantasy. This was not going to be easy; it would be dangerous. What was worse—we might fail.

“You need to close your eyes, Siln?.”

I obeyed him.

“What happens if we can’t get him out, Ilyan?” I asked into the darkness.

“We will get him out.” His voice was so determined, I could almost detect that maniacal power in him already.

“But what if…”

Ilyan’s arms tightened around me, pushing my torso into him.

“We will get him; do not worry.”

I didn’t dare say anymore. I didn’t really want to think about it, anyway; thinking of failure almost seemed like a curse on this whole venture.

We landed among the lilac bushes, azaleas and roses behind the kitchen door to the large estate. Ilyan put me down, and I opened my eyes apprehensively, surprised to see only Ilyan and the two he had pointed out as our “forward guard”. The others must have already taken their positions.

I looked up at the building curiously, surprised to see nothing but pale white stone. I knew the fire and explosions must have spread to this part of the mansion, yet there was nothing damaged. Ilyan must have been right; they must have repaired the building magically.