One Hundred Three
Joclyn
I yawned and took another long drink from my mug. It had been hours since my sight, hours since I had replayed it for all of them with Dramin’s help, hours of them bickering... and they still hadn’t come to a decision. The bickering had gone on and on. Part of me wished I could use my sight and then tell them what to do, but Dramin had informed me that it didn’t work that way.
So I sat and drank deeply of what was now my only food source, letting their conversation roll around me as I avoided sleep, yet again. Although this time it wasn’t all my fault. I highly doubted I could sleep with all the noise they were making.
“I’m telling you Dramin,” Thom snapped. “If she shows up in Isola Santa and no one is there, she is going to think both of them have died.”
“I don’t see the problem with that,” Dramin countered, his usual chuckle strained.
“There are two problems with that, old man. First, Edmund has control of the wells of Imdalind. If he thinks the Silnỳ is dead, he will do whatever he wishes with the power without fear of repercussions. I don’t fancy trying to clean up that mess, do you?” Thom paused, glaring Dramin down, but the man said nothing. “And second, if Ovailia is working with them she knows every secret Ilyan has trusted her with. We don’t want Edmund knowing where we are, he has been after our heads for centuries.” Thom finished with a theatrical wave and sat back down on his white couch, his dreads swinging wildly.
“You are forgetting the biggest problem of all, if Ovailia is working with Edmund again, then she knows about Sain. Which means she knows that Ilyan has been lying to her,” Dramin countered, he gestured wildly and spilled some Black Water which Thom glared at evilly.
“Only if she is working with my father,” Ilyan countered, his words seemingly unnoticed. I wanted to remind him what I had seen, but I had done that a few times already. Ilyan was stubbornly holding out hope that Ovailia hadn’t completely betrayed him. Again.
“So she knows about Sain,” Thom said, his hands writhing as he stared into the fire. “If she knows about Sain, then she is going to go above and beyond the things she would normally do for Edmund, just to seek revenge.”
“And with Ovailia that is the issue.” I had to agree with Dramin on that. Ovailia on a regular day was a pill. I would hate to see her unleashed.
“At least we are on the same page now,” Thom barked and leaned back, as if somehow their agreement had solved the issue.
“We?” Ilyan gave a harsh laugh and I almost rolled my eyes. “Why are you including me in this? I am not even sure she has ‘crossed over’ as you two so eloquently put it.”
“Of course I am including you in this, Ilyan,” Thom snapped. “You’re the one who kept Sain from her for hundreds of years. If it wasn’t for you then this whole mess may not have happened!”
They were talking in circles; they had, yet again, gotten themselves off topic and were focusing more on mud-slinging than the actual problem. This fight was not helping anyone.
“Oh, placing blame, are we? Don’t even get me started on your little debacle at the university!”
“At least I was able—” Thom began.
“Will you guys shut up?” I yelled loudly, stopping Thom in his tracks. They all turned to me as I glared them down. Someone needed to stop them and get them back on topic, all this bickering was driving me bonkers. “Listen, what if we used the sight to our advantage? What if we made it happen by giving her a job? Something important to do for Ilyan. Then she wouldn’t realize that we know… might know that she is a traitor, and then, if she doesn’t know we know, she wouldn’t go out of the way to do anything, but we could get what we need anyway. Besides, if she has a job, we can use it to our benefit.”
“What in the wells of Imdalind are you talking about, child?” Dramin’s eyes narrowed at me in confusion. In fact they were all looking at me like I had lost it.
“Okay, so hear me out—”
“We will as long as you make sense this time.” I gave Thom a look before I continued.
“In the sight Ovailia was carrying Ryland down the hall in the LaRue estate, no one was stopping her.”
“Yes, yes, you have showed us this, mi lasko.” Ilyan said, although he was thankfully calming down.
“Well, if she is working for them in the sight, and we assume she is now, we just ask her to get Ryland out for us now? We know she gets him out, so what if she brings him to us? It’s an important job and is something that Ilyan would only ask someone loyal to him, and strong enough to do…”
“We feed her ego,” Thom said, catching on.
“Then not only can she bring Ryland to us so we don’t have to worry about rescuing him on our own, but she is proving to us that she is on our side, even though we know she really isn’t. She will think that we believe she is, so she will also think we trust her, and then…”
I stopped; they were all looking at me like I had cats growing out of my head.
“Well, that’s a brain twister if I have ever heard one,” Dramin chuckled after a moment.
“Look,” I continued pursing my lips at Dramin before running my hand through my gross, greasy hair. What a stupid habit to have picked up from Ilyan. “We know she carried Ryland out of the estate, and if she brings him to us then we can save him. We get what we want, and she thinks she gets what she wants. Everyone is happy; some more the others,” I added softly, knowing what it would mean for Ilyan to not only lose trust in his sister but to have me back with my mate again. Not to mention the fact that Ovailia would get nothing other than double-crossed in this plan.
Which, you know, wasn’t exactly tearing me up inside.
“It could work,” Ilyan said softly, his hand squeezing mine.
“I know it will.”
“Joclyn and I will go to Isola Santa tomorrow to meet with Ovailia. We will instruct her to get Ryland and tell her where we are going…” Ilyan stood up as he spoke and began to pace, but he didn’t get very far.
“Why does she need to know where we are going?” Thom jumped to his feet, alarmed. I put down my mug on the side table; so much for calming everyone down.
“Well, if she gets Ryland, she has to be able to bring him somewhere,” Ilyan argued. Thom just continued to fume.
“It’s risky.” Dramin remained sitting, but I could hear the uneasiness in his voice.
“Of course it’s risky! Having Ovailia anywhere near us is risky! She is going to kill us!” Thom spat, the fire growing abruptly as his magic surged, causing everyone to jump.
“Tomorrow we will go to Isola Santa, we will find Ovailia, tell her to get Ryland, and tell her where we are going to meet her. We will all go there, all four of us. After all, she will soon find out you are alive anyway.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere; I would prefer to stay here. It’s nice, warm, and claustrophobic. It suits me here.” Thom sat down, his body language practically closing the deal.
“Thom,” Ilyan whispered. “Please, I may need you.”
The room went quiet, everyone staring at Ilyan.
“Not right now you don’t.” Thom snapped, jumping up again. “But when you do, you know how to contact me, and when you call me, I’ll come running to your rescue. Right now, however, I am fine here.” He sat down and turned away, his eyes closed as he ended the conversation.
“Thom.”
“I have spoken my peace, Ilyan. I am staying here.” And I thought Ilyan was stubborn.
“Dramin?” As Ilyan turned to his old friend, I felt my insides clench, I didn’t want to witness Ilyan being undermined by two people in one night. I was surprised he hadn’t pulled out his ‘king’ voice yet.
Dramin didn’t answer right away; he took a long drink before lifting his eyes to meet mine, then turning to Ilyan.
“I will come with you because she will need me.” His voice was darker than usual and I felt my magic spark up my spine in warning.
“Well, that was awful cry
ptic. Care to elaborate?” I narrowed my eyes at him. He, of course, chuckled.
“Ah, child, sometimes one’s sight is for personal use alone.” Dramin grinned before he continued to drink from his mug, his unfocused eyes staring at the fire. My uneasiness grew.
“I don’t like how that sounds.” I gave him one last stare down, but he wasn’t going to budge. I knew there was a way that I could pull the sight out of his head, but Dramin hadn’t taught me that yet.
I had a feeling that oversight was done on purpose.
“Well, at least now we have a plan.” Ilyan sighed before he too moved to sit back down. At least everyone had finally calmed down. “Worst case scenario, Ovailia doesn’t bring Ryland, betrays us all, and we are dead by morning. Best case scenario, she brings Ryland, isn’t a traitor, and everyone lives happily ever after.”
“Don’t forget Ovailia brings Ryland, still works for Edmund, brings his army right to us and kills us all,” Thom grumbled from where he was still pretending to ignore us all.
While I was happy that we were finally going to have a chance of getting Ryland back, I couldn’t help feeling a sense of loss at what we were going to be leaving behind.
And who I had forgotten in this grand plan.
“What will happen to Wyn if we take Ryland?” I asked, my heart tightening. “She was their bargaining chip. You don’t think they’ll…?”
“They have Wynifred?” I jumped at the startling panic in Thom’s voice. The guy had jumped off the couch so fast he nearly knocked it over.
“Yes? Do you—”
“Thom, we can talk about this later,” Ilyan interrupted me, that thick royal tone streaming into his voice.
“But, she said…” Thom pleaded, his hand waving wildly between Ilyan and I. Okay, now I was really confused.
“I know Thom.”
Their eyes locked daggers. I looked between the two of them before looking to Dramin for answers, but he wouldn’t even meet my eyes.
“They will not hurt Wyn,” Ilyan stated firmly. I wasn’t certain if he was assuring me or Thom. “They will still need a bargaining chip to get you to turn yourself in. Without Ryland, Wyn is the best they have.”
Thom nodded and sat down, Ilyan followed suit as he grabbed my hand. I looked at him in confusion. Wyn had told me that she’d never met Thom, but Thom’s reaction clearly stated otherwise. Ilyan shook his head, like he thought that was enough of an answer. I would get answers later, besides it wasn’t just Wyn they were holding captive.
“And what about Talon and my dad?”
“One thing at a time, child,” Dramin said, his voice low and comforting. “You saw her carry Ryland, so we know she will bring him. Maybe the others will be mentioned tomorrow, but at least we know of one who will be returned to us.”
I just nodded. This was war; there were always casualties in war. I already knew I was going to be one of them. My anxiety peaked at the thought and Ilyan’s magic instantly moved to calm me. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, but I ignored him.
“We will get them back, Joclyn.” Ilyan leaned forward, his voice low and meant only for me. I knew the others could still hear him, but I didn’t care. I was grateful for his comfort, his support. “But if we don’t, please do not forget what you and I have seen. No matter what happens, I will always be there for you.”
“Well then,” Dramin interrupted loudly. “If that’s all settled, I am going to bed. I have been awake for seventy-eight hours, and my body is a little tired. Seeing as Joclyn’s eyes are dragging, I don’t think she is ready to face a full two days without sleep.”
Dramin stood and made his exit, his long black bathrobe dragging on the stone floor.
“More water, child, more water!” he called as he walked away toward his bunk.
“Good night, Dramin,” I yelled after him before taking an obligatory sip.
“Well, if Dramin’s leaving then I sure as hell don’t have to be here to watch this gush fest.” Thom didn’t wait for anyone to say anything. He stood and strode away; his hands plunged into his pockets.
“Goodnight, Thom,” I called, although I knew he wouldn’t care either way.
“Whatever.” He grunted as he disappeared behind the blanket he had hung over his bunk.
I watched the blanket for a moment before turning back to my Black Water, letting it warm me.
Ilyan sat silently next to me, watching me as I took sip after sip. After a few minutes, I began to feel uncomfortable, mostly because I knew he was aware of what I was doing. I took another long drink, staring him right in the eye.
“Are you ready?” he asked, softly.
Honestly, I would never be ready. I looked back to the fire and set my mug down with a gentle clink.
“After so long, you would think that I would be more ready,” I whispered, not wanting anyone but Ilyan to hear. “You would think that I could plunge into the nightmares and take Cail down like a bad wrestling match. Not that I haven’t tried…” We both gave a half-hearted chuckle at that.
I watched the fire, the magical flames burning and crackling in a rainbow of colors. I kept my focus on the flame, not wanting to meet Ilyan’s eyes.
“But every time I close my eyes, I am still scared of what Cail is going to do to me. I’m scared of what he is going to make me witness. It’s the same with the Tȍuha. I’m scared of it, too. I never know what Ryland will do to me the next time or how long he will let me stay in.”
When I turned to Ilyan and extended my hand, he grabbed it eagerly, wrapping my hand in his. He leaned forward, his torso close to me as he absorbed my words.
“I wish I could control it.” Ilyan’s magic surged through my shoulder and I smiled.
“I understand, Joclyn, and when you wake tonight and your heart is aching and your mind is screaming, I will still be here.” I leaned toward him and wrapped my arms around him, the chair awkward in between us.
“I know, Ilyan. Thank you,” I whispered in his ear, surprised when he lifted me up and swung my legs up over his other arm.
“Plus, if you punch Cail in the face, I will be the first to cheer you on.” We both laughed at that, the sounds echoing over the stone as Ilyan carried me to my bunk and sat me down softly, his hand sliding up to rest against my neck. His finger touched my mark and the now familiar jolt shot through me. I closed my eyes at the touch, my heart hammering, unsure of what I felt or what I wanted to feel.
“That is why I am here,” Ilyan whispered, his lips millimeters from my face. “That’s why I was born. I have waited the last thousand years so I could protect you.”
I closed my eyes and exhaled softly, his proximity making it hard for me to focus.
“Someone has to help me hold up the world.” I spoke softly, more to myself than to Ilyan, however Ilyan smiled anyway.
“Ah, you’ve been talking to Thom.” He smiled and moved to sit on the side of the bunk. He pulled the heavy blankets over me, his hand resting softly on my knee.
“It took some doing to get it out of him, I’ll admit.”
“He is a very smart man. He just has a lot of pain in his heart – a lot of regret.” He shook his head, his own pain pulling down his lips. It was the same frown as his brother’s when I had mentioned Wyn.
“How does he know Wyn?” I asked.
“He doesn’t.” His eyes darted to mine, his voice strained. “He knew her mother.”
“Oh.” I guess that made sense, but that had been quite the reaction he had produced earlier for someone he didn’t even know.
Ilyan looked at me, my eyes drooping further the longer he stared at me. Finally he shook his head and gently helped me to lie down, his hand smoothing over my hair. I was suddenly very worried that he was about to leave me.
“Sleep well, Jos.” I smiled at his use of my nickname before panic set in.
“Ilyan.” My hand shot out to grab his, desperate to stop him from leaving. “Will you stay with me, just for tonight? I don’t mean… but I…
Someone’s got to celebrate with me when I wake up with a broken hand from punching Cail.”
Ilyan smiled as he came back, his fingertip tracing the lines of my face.
“I’ll be right here to break out the champagne.”
My eyes began to droop again at his touch; at the gentle magical pulses that he weaved through my body. His finger left my face as he moved, my eyes opening as I watched him shift to the foot of the bunk, his strong arms hoisting him up to settle near my feet.
“I will stay here, Joclyn. Sleep now.”
I felt his magic grow in my shoulder, the strong energy moving through me as he put me to sleep. I didn’t even fight him. I gave in, letting the world of sleep and the horrors that it held take me.
“Good night, my love.”
One Hundred Four
Joclyn
Isola Santa was a tiny tourist trap of a village in the high Alps of Italy. It consisted of one restaurant, a small hotel, and the few homes of those who worked in and ran the small businesses. Each house was made of grey brick with the trademark alleys and small walkways that were the signature of the renaissance. The whole thing was nestled up against a beautiful lake, the high mountains surrounding us on all sides.
It was exquisite. I looked around in wonder as I sat in one of the many outdoor tables of the town’s café and forced down my perfectly sautéed mushrooms. I was sure to anyone else they would taste delicious, they were making my stomach turn. The crisp mountain air breezed through my hair, moving the clumps around awkwardly. I just hoped I didn’t smell too bad; I didn’t need any more of the tourists cringing in my direction. I already had a few.
Ilyan looked around uneasily before his magic surged through me. Even though I could now easily manage my own shield, Ilyan wasn’t going to take the risk. It was probably better anyway, I could already feel my body ache from being outside the Tȍuha so long. I should have been calm and collected in this beautiful place, but instead I was so on edge that I could barely function.
Imdalind Ruby Collection One: Kiss of Fire | Eyes of Ember | Scorched Treachery Page 76