“Yes, I have heard this story since the day I was born. My Mother and Grandmother would tell it to me at nights when our home was lit by candlelight. My Mother also told me as she lay dying from the loss of my Father’s magic.”
Ilyan turned away from me, looking toward the church, but I could tell he wasn’t seeing anything. I knew that look. I had been trapped in that look for months, trapped in my memories. I reached up and placed my hand on his shoulder. At my touch, he turned to face me.
“Which is how you knew what was happening to me, all those months ago?” He nodded once.
“But you would let me help you. My Mother let herself waste away.” He sighed heavily and my heart tensed. I knew exactly how he felt.
“I’m sorry.” I let my hand fall from his shoulder, not knowing what else to do.
“It was a very long time ago, Siln?.”
“I am still sorry.”
The silence between us stretched uncomfortably. I willed myself to look away from him, to ignore his warm hand wrapped around mine. I finished my food, shoving the wrapper in my pocket, and turned to him, unsurprised to see his unfocused eyes on something beyond me.
“So,” I began, desperate to end the silence and break Ilyan’s intense gaze. “If you believe that your kind came from this mud, do you believe there is a God too?”
“Not particularly,” he said, coming back to himself.
“If you do not believe in a God, then why do you spend so much time in churches?”
“Because of how humans act when their souls are so close to God. They care for one another beyond how they would normally. They help, and support, and love one another. It’s amazing to watch.”
“You must think me an uncaring, hateful person then.” I shifted my weight, wishing I could remove my hand from his. He must have sensed my discomfort because the heat from his hand around mine increased as his magic pulsed.
“Not in the least. You are one of the most caring, brave people I have met in quite some time. You willingly risked everything to save Ryland, handled ultimate losses with grace, and...”
I snorted and Ilyan stopped to look at me, his forehead furled in confusion.
“I wasn’t graceful, Ilyan. I refused to move and then practically let my body kill me.”
“But you didn’t,” Ilyan said.
“Because you’re stubborn,” I said, shoving our entwined hands into his chest. Ilyan smiled, I glowed assuming I had won.
“Not as stubborn as you.” My mouth dropped, odd clicking noises coming from my throat. Ilyan laughed deeply, the happy sound ricocheting off the people around us. Several people looked toward us, smiling at the exchange. I could only guess what was on their minds. First date, young love, newly married, and it got worse from there. I instinctively sunk into my sweater, pulling the hood up around my face with my free hand. Ilyan’s laugh stopped but his smile remained.
“When are you going to stop hiding?”
“As soon as people stop looking at me,” I said, affronted. Ilyan raised an eyebrow at me and I crinkled my noise at him in frustration.
“I don’t see that happening any time soon, Siln?.”
“Then don’t count on me coming out of hiding anytime soon,” I spat, grumbling a bit.
“And you say you are not stubborn.” Ilyan smiled, his eyes shining. I shied away from him, my reaction increasing his smile and causing me to fume a bit more. Ilyan dropped my hand then, his warm magic and the protective shield leaving my body. Now it wasn’t a question of if Ryland would find me, but how fast. Suddenly I felt unprepared to be attacked, to fight, unsure if I could come out of a fight still standing.
I stiffened in fear, my eyes darting around the street as if Ryland was simply going to step out from behind a garbage can. My panic softened when Ilyan placed his hands on either side of my face, forcing me to look at him.
“Calm down, Joclyn.”
“What if they find me, Ilyan?” I said, struggling to keep the stress out of my voice.
“Then they find you. You are brave enough to fight them now. You are strong enough to face him.” He didn’t need to elaborate. I knew who he was talking about.
“Ilyan, I...”
“I know you are,” he cut me off, not letting me give voice to my fears. His words were so soft, his eyes so gentle, that against my better judgment I felt my anxiety dissipate, replaced by a heavy confidence I wasn’t used to.
Ilyan moved his hands from my face to move the hood down from around my head, releasing my hair to fall down my back. “And then we will know if they can track you and how fast.”
I cringed. Being unshielded made me uncomfortable. This was worse than having people looking at me. I couldn’t hide under a hoodie to escape. I wasn’t even sure what would happen if they did find me, or if I really wanted to know if they could. Having that knowledge didn’t seem like something desirable to me.
“I need to know so that I can keep you safe. And, if they do come, I will be here to protect you.”
“My Protector?” I said.
“Yes,” he spoke softly, his hands trailing around my neck to rest on my shoulders, the soft touch of his forefinger grazing my mark. “Now, let’s go have some fun.”
Nine