The forest was quiet, the silence making the dying landscape even more terrifying. Desperate to get away from Cail, I ran for a while before realizing that my hurried steps would give away my approach.
Magic may not work as a defensive tactic here, but it could work to my benefit. At least I hoped it would. I took off into the sky, thankful when my magic supported me as I sped through the trees.
I caught a glimpse of something dark ahead of me and I slowed to a stop, my heart hammering in my chest as I hovered directly above Edmund. He stood tall in the middle of the forest, his dark curls slicked back. He did not move, his eyes not wavering from the direction I had just come.
Seeing him stand there, I knew he was one of the surprises I was supposed to find. Cail had sent me into the trees on a direct route to Edmund, practically a guarantee that he would be able to torture me and send me back. I didn’t doubt that Ryland would be here too, but he would be hidden.
I found him, about a hundred feet behind Edmund, his body limp and leaning against a tree. I dropped from the air, barely able to catch myself before I hit the ground.
I stood, coming to face Ryland. I wasn’t even sure it was him, this was a dream and not a T?uha after all, but I couldn’t ignore the fire that was steadily moving through my veins.
I moved toward him, stopping at the bright blue eyes that met mine. He smiled at seeing me there, his hand coming up to rest against my face as I knelt beside him, his thumb lightly tracing my bottom lip.
“Is it you?” I whispered. I knew I should bask in the fact that he was here, but I had to know. I was terrified that this was just another trap.
“I don’t know,” Ryland’s voice was forced, his tones strained. My heart dropped as I fought the need to run away.
“I think it is,” he continued. “I remember a lot, but not everything. My brains messed up. I...” He stopped as his eyes met mine, the blue looking deeply into me.
“It’s okay.” I said. I placed my hand on top of his, leaning into his touch. I didn’t feel my magic pulling toward him as it always did, but part of me didn’t care if it was him or just another way to torture me. I wanted to listen to the little voice that was begging me to give in to the simple joy that we were together. That was the part that won.
“I love you, Ry,” I whispered. “I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too, sweetheart.” His weak body reached up and pulled me into him, his arms draping over me limply without the strength to hold me to him.
“I am going to save you, Ryland.” I made my voice as powerful as I could make it. I wasn’t foolish enough to tell him how strong I was now or where I was hiding, but I could tell him that I was going to save him.
“I wish you wouldn’t.” I sat up abruptly at his words, his weak arms falling to the side.
“What?”
“I don’t think you can, Jos. And I don’t want you to get hurt. Please, stay with Ilyan. He will protect you.”
It was the rebuttal he had given me since the beginning, but it broke my heart to hear him say it again. Both of us had been through hell. If there was a chance I could save him, I was going to take it. Especially since Edmund and Cail were using him to manipulate and torture me every chance they got.
“I can save you. I can’t let them hurt you anymore.”
“While they what? Give you beautiful dreams and magical fantasies in our T?uha? I won’t let you go through it anymore. I am going to break the Z?lství. I am going to break our bond.” Ryland’s voice had gained some confidence, but his body was weak. I didn’t know what was involved in breaking a connection but I knew he didn’t have the strength to do it.
“No, Ryland, I can’t let you do that. If you do, you will kill me. Do you understand that?” He balked a bit at my words before sitting himself up, his hand reaching forward to grab mine.
“Not if we do it at the same time.”
“No.” I pulled my hand away, disgusted with what he was saying.
“It’s the only way to save you, Joclyn. I have to do it. They are going to keep torturing you, can’t you see?”
I stood up and moved away from him, shuffling my feet into the ground. This couldn’t be him. Ryland had sacrificed everything to complete the connection. He would never suggest breaking it.
“No,” I said. “This isn’t you Ryland. This isn’t...”
“Besides,” Ryland interrupted me, his voice even stronger than before. “It probably won’t even hurt you. You don’t truly love me anymore. If I break the connection, it won’t even affect you.”