“Ilyan, what...” Ilyan clapped his hand over my mouth as he held me still, his eyes focused on the lively party below us. My body grew warmer as his magic pulsed stronger within me, before turning into a low simmering heat that siphoned away to form a shield around me again.
“Two hours, Joclyn. That’s all it took for them to track your magic.” His face lit up in a wicked grin I knew a bit too well, and my heart beat erratically. I looked down to the dance floor as a short man with broad shoulders and dark red hair walked into the space followed by a hulking mass in black leather. Cail, and what I could easily recognize as Edmund, had found me. Their movements were slow and focused. Their static figures standing out in the torrent of activity.
“He’s come himself, I see,” Ilyan smiled with a wicked joy. “Well, I suppose he needs a challenge every once in a while.”
Only one person could track my magic. I swung my head toward Ilyan, my eyes wide. Finally he removed his hand from over my mouth.
“Is he here?” I whispered. Ilyan’s fingers moved up to touch my mark, his touch light on my neck.
“Yes, but don’t go looking for him.” My heart fell at his words.
“I need you to stay here. If anyone approaches you, fly right to me. Don’t hesitate. Don’t try to fight them.”
He looked away from me, his eyes scanning the party below us.
“I can fight, Ilyan,” I said. I didn’t need him babysitting me. I had been pushing and preparing for this day for the last three months.
“Not well enough, Siln?. Not well enough to face Edmund, not yet.” He turned toward me and wrapped his hands around my forearms. “Not. Yet.”
“But you said earlier...” I began, remembering the softness of his voice, the strength of his earlier confidence in me. I felt like he was suddenly taking it all back. I didn’t disagree with him, but changing his mind still stung.
“I know, I...”
“Stop treating me like a child!” I pulled my arms away from his touch and tried to move away from him. I regretted it instantly. The simmering heat of the shield left, and within moments, Cail’s face turned up to the roof of the cantina where Ilyan and I stood.
Ilyan grabbed my hand and took off into the air, dragging me behind him. His magic swelled inside me as he shielded me again, flying us down the street to land near a large white statue that adorned the fa?ade of the main cathedral.
“I’m not treating you like a child, Joclyn,” he hissed icily.
“Then why won’t you let me fight, Ilyan?” I wasn’t sure why I was fighting this. I didn’t even think I was ready to face Ryland. I certainly didn’t know if I would be able to fight him.
“I need to protect you, Joclyn. I have to keep you safe and this is the only way I can do that.”
“By hiding me?” I asked, wishing I could move away from him.
“Yes, until you are strong enough to fight.”
“But you just said I was…” Ilyan cut me off with one look, the desperation in his eyes deepening the blue hue.
I didn’t respond. I knew Ilyan was right. I couldn’t seek Ryland out. He would kill me. Even though I wanted to believe I was ready to fight, I was not sure I could, or if I was strong enough.
“Stay here. Don’t do anything stupid, Siln?.”
“Why would I do anything...?”
“Please.” Ilyan removed his hands and waved both over me once like he was framing my body. The heat of the shield stayed with me, even without his contact. I stared at him wide eyed. I didn’t know he could shield me without touching me.
“This shield is unmovable, Joclyn. If you move, even a step out of the way, it will shatter. It is strong, like the one I placed around the apartment, but it is fickle. I can control it when I am away from you, but it is around you, not inside you. It cannot move like you can.” His eyes were a combination of fear and excitement. He kept glancing behind him, an eagerness to fight battling with his need to stay with me.
“So, if Ryland finds me?”
“It should hold, but if you move…”
“Then it’s gone,” I finished for him, my heart beating wildly.
“And you fly right to me.”
I nodded once in understanding and Ilyan took a step away from me before moving back, his internal conflict still raging.
“Stay,” he commanded me like a dog and I fumed a bit, but pushed it away to nod at him.
Ilyan looked at me one last time before flying away, directly toward his father who stood in the middle of the busy street.
Ten
Ilyan shot through the air like a bullet to land gracefully a few steps away from Cail and who stood protectively around Edmund in the middle of the main road.
The three faced each other in anticipation. I could feel the pressure of the situation, even from a distance, their words flowing up to me much louder than I would have expected.
“Hello, Son,” Edmund crooned, and I cringed at how happy and normal he sounded. The impending battle didn’t seem to bother him at all.