This was my first time back in school since everything had happened.
‘They all think you killed her. Maybe you did.’
No. It’s not my fault. She’s alive.
‘Not yet. Her death will be your fault, after all.’
I twitched at the voice, not that the guy next to me noticed. He was blabbering on about some fight that I didn’t remember.
Just like his name.
“Hey, Ryland! How does it feel to kill a girl? Did she tell you no and you just… lost control?”
I stopped at the voice, both of us turning to the group that were staring at us with a mix of horror and intrigue.
“Tyler, how can you stand next to him?” They all turned to the guy at my right.
Tyler. That was his name.
We had been friends for about six years. And I had forgotten his name. No, it had been taken from me.
‘Tell them how wrong they are.’
“She’s not dead. She’s missing. Men attacked our home.” The story my father had concocted came out as though I was a robot. They clearly weren’t buying it.
“Is that why the police have searched your home multiple times?”
‘It was the last place—’
“Of course they’ve searched my house. It was the last place she was seen. It’s a crime scene. They are looking for clues.” I was firm, or rather my father was firm. I just stood, letting him control me.
I had more important things on my mind.
Just talking about Joclyn was sending my magic into a surge. It rumbled through me like little sparks of electricity. It was just like Sain had said.
The anchor.
Focusing on her, the magic buzzed louder, swelling from that line of magic where I had hidden it. The one that connected me to the necklace, to her.
“Have you ever seen a crime scene?” My father continued through me.
“Of course not,” one of the boys countered, all of them laughing nervously. “Because we haven’t committed a crime.”
“Would you like to see a crime scene?” That statement pulled me right back, my heart fluttering at what Sain had said. At what was about to happen. “No, they don’t.”
I snapped those last words on my own, my arm twitching as I broke through.
My father’s magic zinged through me at that, snapping my spine to attention and sending what little magic had escaped back into its hiding place.
‘Do not play this game, Ryland, or Joclyn will not be the only one that is hurt.’
He didn’t need to say more for me to know what he was talking about. I looked from the foggy shape of Tyler to the others. I may not remember their names, but I wasn’t going to turn them into casualties.
‘You are weak. Your mercy makes you weak. Pathetic.’
No, it doesn’t.
‘Invite them.’
There was no chance of fighting him now, my response came almost without prompting, my voice sounding as boisterous and happy as it always did. “I’m having an early graduation party. Next weekend.”
“You gonna kill us too?”
“No, but you can check out the ‘crime scene’.” They actually looked interested at that. “Or work your way through my father’s wine cellar.”
“Now that we can get behind.” They laughed and pounded fists, already turning to spread the word of the party.
“You really going to invite the whole school to your house?” Tyler asked, catching up to me as my feet trudged me toward my first class. “I mean, I haven’t even been past the pool house.”
“Then this is the perfect time to check out my digs.” Digs?
My father may be controlling me, but if he kept that up it was only a matter of time before someone caught on.
‘You are a fool. No one will, because no one cares enough to see you. Pathetic.’
Jos does. Again, my magic reacted.
‘No one who will be alive much longer.’
My heart tightened, arm twitching. Tyler turned to me in confusion, but I could see the same look in his eyes as the others. Fear, maybe.
He thought I had killed her too.
“See you later, Ry.” He went to clap me on the shoulder, but stopped short, as though skin contact would kill him instantly.
He walked away without another look, confirming my father’s taunt. His laugh echoed in my head as I watched him go.
‘No one cares about you.’
He was wrong though, because someone did care. Someone who mattered.
My magic attempted to break free at the thought of her, of her smile, but I held it at bay. I may not be able to stop what was coming, but I might be able to warn her.
If I was going to do that, I was going to need all the magic I could get.
Forty-Six
Joclyn
After my flying lesson, I spent the next two days in the air, although it wasn’t exactly by choice. Ilyan had insisted that once I had grasped the concept, I perfect it. I knew it was all with the pretense of my need to escape, and it made me mad. I had perfected moving wind, even under the barrier the necklace gave me, for short distances. It wasn’t enough for Ilyan; he insisted I do better. He demonstrated ways I could use the wind defensively, and I learned them easily, my skills improving swiftly now. Moving around pebbles and benches wasn’t enough for me, I needed to be stronger. Be better. I needed to do my part in rescuing Ryland.
Which is why I had worked through dinner, attempting to throw anything I could against the lines of targets Ilyan had built me. Rocks. Tree trunks. I had even accidentally grabbed a rabbit, luckily I noticed before I had hurled the terrified thing through the air. I only came back to my room when it was too dark to see and my stomach was trying to eat itself for want of food.
I sat in the windowsill that overlooked the courtyard with my head against my knees. I looked out into the yard, seeing nothing except a green haze as the light of the moon streamed through the green leaves of the massive tree.
I had been throwing a button back and forth across the room for the last thirty minutes, only stopping when the news had come on a few minutes ago, my ears perking up at the sound of my name. It seemed I was still big news, and what was more, Ryland was giving another press conference—live this time.
I tried to keep my focus off the screen, terrified of the condition I would see him in, but my ears were tuned to it intently, my heart thumping in anticipation. The possibility of hearing his voice had electrified my senses. I grabbed the necklace from its resting place on the table, desperate to be close to him in any way possible.
“And now we go live to the LaRue estate where Ryland LaRue will be addressing the press.”
I reluctantly turned my head to the screen, my heart beating in eager, terrified, fear. The “Live” icon lit up the bottom corner of the screen and I couldn’t help but think of how he was right there, standing on the steps of that massive house. My heart longed to be next to him. I clenched the necklace tighter as Ryland walked out of the door to the small podium that stood at the bottom of the front steps where the press had gathered.
I would like to say he looked like he had healed a bit, but I knew better. His right arm still hung lifelessly beside him, his right shoulder larger than the left one thanks to some bulky bandages. His bruises appeared to be better, and the cut was almost gone, but he was twitching more than he had been the last time. Each jerk was so subtle that most people wouldn’t have noticed it, they shot through me like I was being punched.
Ryland paused and shifted the papers in his left hand before looking at everyone in front of him. His bright blue eyes met the camera, and everything stopped. Ryland was terrified; I had never seen him look so scared. Seeing him on the screen shoved Edmund’s magic-enshrouding blanket completely off me. My uncovered magic surged, the energy prickling my skin like a thousand needles. I expelled it from me, surprised to find it willingly going into the necklace that I still held in my hands. I looked at the ruby, reluctant to take my eyes from
Ryland for too long. My magic flowing into the ruby had increased its warmth, the heat comforting against my skin.
“It’s okay, Ryland. You can do it,” I spoke softly to myself, wishing I could help him.
On the screen, Ryland shifted, but it wasn’t the twitch of the Vymȁzat; that was something different. His eyes met the camera again, and his mouth turned up in that coy, little smile that always caused my heart to skip a beat.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have asked you to gather together today with the intent of addressing an assumption that has been prevalent among the press. This assumption concerns the disappearance of Joclyn Despain.”
A twitch.
“Fight him, Ryland, please. Fight him for me.”
He smiled again. “I know it has been inferred that I may have been involved in her disappearance.” A bigger twitch. “And I would like to state again, that I was not involved with this tragedy in any way. I am proud to say that I love Joclyn Despain with all my heart, and her disappearance has taken an even bigger impact on me than she may ever know.”
He looked right at the camera, his eyes shining with tears. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you, too.” The necklace dug into my hand as my magic continued to surge into it.
“I know you do. And that’s why I need you to listen very carefully.”
I froze, focused on the necklace, on the warm heat that I instantly recognized as not being my own.
“You need to...” He paused when a twitch so large came over him that he had to hold onto the podium tightly, his knuckles turning white before he could raise his head.
“Fight him, Ry.”
“I’m... trying... Jos... Stay... where you are... Don’t come... Stay where you are...” He twitched so intensely that his head slammed into the podium. I could hear the press yell and call out in alarm in the background. He rose slowly, and I could tell he had lost. The blue from his eyes was gone, the pitch-black filling them once again.
I yelled in fear, the necklace falling to the floor.
“Ryland!”
“I’m coming to get you,” Ryland’s voice hissed angrily.
I screamed out just as the door to my bedroom burst open and Talon rushed in. He caught me right before I fell to the ground. I fought against his hold as I yelled, reaching toward the screen in vain, my voice echoing around the room. Wyn had followed Talon in and grabbed a pillow from the bed, she covered the necklace with it, her hands pushing it hard into the floor.
“What’s going on?” Ovailia yelled angrily, her agitation at being interrupted apparent.
“Get Ilyan!” Talon yelled, his arms wrapping around me protectively.
“Don’t you dare talk to me that way,” Ovailia scolded, affronted.
“Get Ilyan, now!” he amended, his voice loud enough to reach over my screams.
Wyn came up beside us, her arms wrapping around me tightly, her head resting against my back. Her cold magic flowed into me, the iciness shocking me, my panic stopping immediately. She withdrew her magic, leaving my own residual warmth to boil through me angrily at the absence of the necklace around my neck.
“Thanks, Wyn,” I whispered.
“It’s okay. He’s okay.” Wyn’s soft voice vibrated through me.
“Did... did you see?”
“Yes, we saw.”
“Saw what?” Ilyan’s voice was laced with worry.
I heard the door close and footsteps approach as Ilyan rushed over and pried me away from my friend’s strong arms. He pushed his magic into me, concerned that I was injured in some way.
“I’m fine, Ilyan,” I sighed as I shifted, breaking the contact with his hands. “It’s just... I mean...” I stopped. I didn’t quite know how to explain what had happened.
“Ryland spoke to you through the television, didn’t he?” Talon said.
Ilyan’s head whipped around to stare at me as I nodded. He exclaimed something in Czech before turning to face me head on.
“I need you to tell me exactly what happened, Joclyn. Everything. Don’t hold back, not now.” Ilyan grasped my hands tightly in his.
I jerked my hands away from him. I didn’t want him; I only wanted Ryland.
“I saw him on the TV; it was a live press conference. Seeing him there... I could feel everything. I pulsed my magic into the necklace and then Ryland started talking to me... and then... he changed... and...”
“Ovailia!” Ilyan yelled when I was done. She opened the door, obviously having listened from the hallway the entire time. “Get me a copy of the press conference, as quickly as you can.”
Ovailia walked away, leaving the door to my room wide open.
Ilyan began to pace as Talon filled him in on what they had seen in the press conference and how Ryland had begun to talk directly to me. I filled in the gaps on my end when needed, glad I didn’t have to say much.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the pillow that Wyn had used to smother the necklace. It called to me, my heart thumping at my need for it. Before I knew what I was doing, my hands were hovering over the pillow, desperate to remove it.
“Joclyn, don’t.” Talon’s voice was stern, and I froze.
“Why not? I just... Can I put it back on?”
“No,” Ilyan said simply. “He may be possessing the necklace.”
“He?”
“Edmund.” Ilyan’s voice was like ice.
“So he knows now?”
“I’ll have to see the video to know for sure.”
I nodded, my eyes rolling back over to the pillow involuntarily.
“If he has, I need you to teach me how to block him from the necklace, from controlling me?”
“I can try. As I said before, Joclyn; it involves magic you don’t understand yet.”
I sat up straighter, still staring at the pillow.
“None of that matters, I’m going to try.” I had mastered flying and throwing more than he expected me to. This should be easy.
“If anyone can figure out how to do it, I am sure it will be you.” He seemed way too confident in me, but I used it like a fuel.
“It’s queued up in your room, Ilyan.” Ovailia spoke from the doorway, making it obvious she did not want him to stay in here. Ilyan stood and dismissed her before walking over to stand next to me.
“May I borrow your necklace, Joclyn?”
I nodded and let him take it, although I did not move from where I sat on the floor.
I just sat in silence, staring at the carpet where the impression in the plush pile still marked the place the necklace had landed. I could hear Wyn and Talon shift and whisper behind me, but I ignored them stubbornly.
So, I could speak to Ryland through the necklace; I could connect directly with him. While the possibilities were exciting, Ilyan was right, the bigger problem was what Edmund could do to me.
I was only vaguely aware of the whispered conversation occurring between Wyn and Talon. Their voices were like chicken scratches in my head, blocking most of my thoughts. The buzzing under my skin had reached an all-time high, I was sure I could throw more than just a tree. Maybe I could make something explode.
Just as I was about to give it a try, the door opened and Ilyan charged in, necklace swinging before him.
“I can wear it?”
“Yes. I think Edmund went on a whim with his comment. I can’t sense any connection with Edmund; it’s all residual through your bond with Ryland.”
I took the necklace from him greedily, eager to put it back on.
“Just don’t purposefully push any more of your magic into it, all right?”
“Why not?” I spoke in a panic; not allowing me to push magic into it was hindering any exploration, any contact with Ryland. My heart froze uncomfortably in my chest.
“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“How could I...?” I began to ask the question but Ilyan shook his head, unwilling to give me an answer.
“I’m leaving,” he announced instead.
“I will be back on Thursday, so everyone needs to keep preparing for Friday night.”
“Is everything okay?” Wyn asked quietly.
“I am not sure; I need to check on a few things. But don’t worry; I’ll be back soon.” He smiled sadly at us, his eyes lingering on me before turning to go out the door.
“Oh,” Ilyan added, his head peeking around the doorframe, “I’m terribly sorry, but Ovailia’s in charge.” He winked before disappearing and I felt my insides plummet. I wasn’t the only one.
“Great,” Wyn groaned, flinging herself back on my bed. “There goes my week.”
Forty-Seven
Joclyn
“Again.”
I flinched at Ovailia’s voice. I had never really liked her, but now, I felt something akin to pure hatred toward her. I grumbled and flexed my fingers, hoping desperately that the magic I knew was hiding inside me would finally come out. It was no use, my body was already exhausted.
Ovailia had awakened me early yesterday morning, pleased at her chance to train me since Ilyan had left the night before. She dragged me unceremoniously out to the courtyard and demanded I begin producing the energy orbs that I had seen Ilyan and Cail create. At first, I was ecstatic for the opportunity to learn something useful, but it quickly became apparent that she was going to be a relentless teacher. Ilyan had been kind and patient, even going so far as to make the lessons into games so that I could learn more quickly. Ovailia demanded instant satisfaction and results without even bothering to explain what she wanted me to do first.
To make matters worse, she insisted I keep the necklace on and work through the barrier before even learning the new tasks. I had worked hard all day yesterday to break through the blanket the necklace put over my magic with no results. I was exhausted. I had struggled for hours without meals, only eating a small amount of stew before crashing into bed and falling asleep.
Imdalind Ruby Collection One: Kiss of Fire | Eyes of Ember | Scorched Treachery Page 32