The shape was huge. I cringed against Ilyan’s still form, fear of the unknown shape gripping me. I pulled my magic up to the center of me, dreading having to attack some monster. As it got closer, I could barely make out the shape of a man as he lumbered toward me. I sat up, not daring to hope, but terrified all the same. The figure yelled out something into the storm, his voice carried away by the wind.
Soon, the shape towered over me, his sharp green eyes digging into mine. He was an absolutely hulking figure, mostly caused by layer after layer of large fur coats. He pulled down his scarf to reveal a cleanly shaven face.
“Siln?! What are you doing here? What happened?” The man was panicked. He reached out and grabbed my shoulders with his heavily gloved hands, bringing me up to eye level.
I stared at him, unsure of what to say. I didn’t know who this man was, and his voice and manner were scaring me.
“Tell me! You are in safe hands, but I must know!”
“Thom?” I asked, hoping beyond hope that Ilyan had gotten us to safety.
“No,” he said, his voice strained. “He is coming though. Now, tell me, what has happened? Is everyone safe?”
He continued to look into me, and I felt my heart fall. No, no one was okay. Ilyan was hurt. Wyn was gone. Prague...
“Prague. They found them,” I stuttered, trying to find the right words. “They found us. Ilyan…” My voice broke and I looked toward Ilyan’s still form, scrambling out of the man’s hold and back to Ilyan’s side.
“So it has happened.” I barely registered that the man had spoken, my focus back on Ilyan again.
“Ilyan is hurt,” I said, pulling the man’s attention away from his reverie, desperate for help.
“Do not worry over your Protector, Siln?, his energy was spent in getting you here. He will be well in a few days.” He smiled, his face lighting up.
“Thom!” he yelled into the blizzard that surrounded us before turning back and grunting a bit. “The poor lad moves slowly in the snow. My name is Dramin, by the way, but you can call me Uncle.”
Seventeen
I leaned my body over Ilyan’s protectively. Dramin smiling at me, as if he was amused.
“Uncle?” I asked, my voice shaking as my body convulsed in the cold.
“Yes, didn’t Ilyan tell you?” He leaned over me, and I moved away instinctively.
“Ilyan didn’t tell me anything.” I grabbed Ilyan’s hand, my heart plunging at his lack of response.
“I told you Dramin, Ilyan wouldn’t do anything he didn’t need to, especially when it comes to her.” I turned my body toward the gruff voice, surprised at the other large shape that had appeared out of the snow. He was tall and appeared twice as wide as I was sure he was, thanks to all the coats he wore. I could just make out a long dirty brown dreadlock protruding from underneath his woolen hat.
“Put that on,” the second man said, dropping a huge fur coat in front of me. “You don’t want to freeze to death.”
He leaned over me and I caught a glimpse of deep blue eyes as he shooed me out of the way. He picked up Ilyan’s limp and unresponsive body with one big jolt. I called out as he moved Ilyan over his shoulder and covered him with a shaggy fur. The man turned to me, his stare piercing me even through the blinding snow.
“You look just like your Father,” he said, before turning away and walking away into the snow storm. I jumped up, moving to run after him, but my red shoes slipped in the snow filling them with wetness. I grabbed the coat and attempted to put it on, moving after them as quickly as I could.
“Slow down, child,” Dramin said from beside me. “You will be going nowhere fast if you continue at that pace.”
I glared daggers at Dramin and ignored his warning before continuing my trudge after Ilyan and the man I could only assume to be Thom. I could see Ilyan’s blonde hair swinging beneath the heavy fur that Thom had covered him with, the snowstorm threatening to swallow them up. I continued to slip and slide through the snow and wind, desperation filling me as they vanished.
“Wait,” I yelled, knowing my voice would be swallowed up by the storm.
“Don’t worry, child, Thom is taking him to our shelter,” Dramin said.
I continued to move stubbornly forward, even though I could no longer feel my toes. I had only made it a few steps before Dramin came up beside me and lifted me into his arms. I yelled and struggled away from him, only to land on my back in the snow.
“Don’t touch me!” I yelled, as I pulled myself up, the bulky fur coat making my movements clumsy.
“I’m just going to carry you, Siln?. Nothing more.” He waved his hands in front of me as if to show me he was safe. I shied away from him.
“I’ve got to get to Ilyan. He has to be okay. He needs to shield me so they can’t find me.”
“Ilyan? He won’t be helping you for a few days yet.” My mouth opened in terror.
“No! I need him…”
“You’ve come farther along then I assumed.” Dramin said, but I barely heard him.
My mind swam around fuzzily, terror at being found again mixing with my loss and fear over Ilyan. He saved me, as I knew he would. No matter what Cail and Ryland had said. I needed to get to him; I needed to make sure he was alright.