Kiss of Fire (Imdalind, #1)(99)

“You couldn’t wait to seal her to you until we had gotten you out of here?” Ilyan yelled as he ran through the crowd, his hair long and blonde again.

“You knew you weren’t getting me out of here in the first place, Ilyan!” Ryland yelled back. I turned in Ryland’s arms to see Ilyan approach us, his skin glowing with energy.

“Ha!” Ilyan laughed without any humor. “You always did underestimate everyone, Ryland.”

“You walked right into his trap and you accuse me of underestimating! You...” He stopped abruptly, his body twitching violently.

“No!” I yelled, clinging to him; he twitched again, his arm flying away from me.

“He’s close.” I heard Ilyan mumble from somewhere behind me.

The Trpaslíks who had walked into the room before had begun disentangling themselves from the wreckage around us. I looked around in a panic as more of them began to appear around us; from beneath the rubble on the main floor, on the balcony that surrounded the large room, in front of every doorway. Tace, Zilla and the other guards appeared out of nowhere to encompass the three of us in a wide circle, each of them with their hands palm side up, prepared for an attack.

The Trpaslíks began to approach us, their steps slow and measured. They kept looking from one to the other, gloating as if they were overjoyed with the prospect of battle.

I clung to Ryland, scared for both of us. He twitched again, the violent motion sending him flying to the ground. I sank down with him, my hands hovering uselessly above him; it was like the first dream all over again.

“Fight it, Ryland,” I pleaded.

“Get him out of here, Joclyn,” Ilyan said as sparks flew from his fingertips.

I grabbed Ryland and hung on to him, a gust of wind swirling around us as I prepared to take flight. My wind vanished in fear as an explosion rocked the room. The main doors flew off their hinges, the large slabs of wood flying right toward us. Ilyan raised his hand and stopped them in mid-air before shoving them in another direction, both doors now flying toward the Trpaslíks who were approaching us. The screams of the teenagers who were still in the large hall increased as they watched what was going on.

“Well, well, well.” I jerked away from Ryland at hearing that detestable voice, my eyes searching for him in the mass of people standing in the doorway. Edmund stood in the middle of them, his tall frame and shortly-cropped hair giving him an almost militant look. Next to him stood Timothy and Cail, both of whom looked pleased, anticipating the events about to take place.

I felt Ryland flinch again. I threw my body over him, foolishly thinking I could protect him.

“My prodigal son has returned!” Edmund clapped his hands together in joy, an ominously pleased smile lighting up his face.

“No,” Ilyan interjected powerfully, “I just came to save my little brother.”

“Ryland!” I yelled out as Ryland flinched in my arms again, the reality of it all jerking at my magic again.

“Oh, look!” Edmund called out joyously. “Little Joclyn came, too! What fun! You sure have grown up since the last time I saw you. So beautiful. Such a pity to destroy you, but then I destroy things all the time.” He smiled cruelly at Ryland who jerked again, his voice calling out in an agonizing scream.

“No! Leave him alone,” I pleaded with Edmund, but he only smiled at me like I was the most pathetic thing he had ever seen. Ryland jumped again.

“Fight it, Ryland, please,” I begged him, my hands pressing against his back. I desperately tried to push my magic into him, not sure if I was succeeding. Ryland lifted his head to mine, resting his hand against my face.

“You’re so beautiful. I always thought so... with those eyes... They are just like diamonds.” Ryland’s body jerked again, and he screamed out in pain, his body tensing and convulsing as he fought his father.

“Fight it, Ryland!” I repeated, but I barely got the words out before Ryland’s hand shot out to wrap itself around my throat. He lifted me up in one swift movement, my feet leaving the ground as he stood.

His black eyes looked into me with a look of evil pleasure that did not match his face. He smiled his beautiful half-smile, but this time, it held no pleasure for me. I clawed at his hand as my lungs called out for air, my chest heaving as it attempted to inhale.

A ball of light hit Ryland’s side, shooting him across the large room. His hand lost its grip on my throat, and I went flying, Ilyan’s wind bringing me right to him before I had a chance to hit the floor. He wrapped his arm around me securely, his eyes never leaving his father’s.

“Well, that was fun.” Wyn came up to stand next to me, wiping her hands against her jeans.

“Wynifred!” Timothy’s deep voice had taken on a panicked quality I wouldn’t have thought to ever hear from him. I jerked my head around to see the panic evident not only on Timothy’s face, but on Cail’s as well.

“Isn’t this a veritable family reunion,” Edmund commented in a bored voice. “Didn’t want to bring Ovailia, I see; didn’t think she could handle being near me again?”

Ilyan smiled, that look of power covered his face as a visible wall of energy moved away from us, shooting across the ballroom and ramming into Edmund and his men. They all stumbled back a step; many fell clear to the ground.

“Oh, I’m here, Father. I just prefer not to get my hands dirty.” Ovailia’s voice echoed around the room from somewhere behind us.