My chest loosened, although just briefly. I was not walking into a surprise party – I may as well be walking to greet my death.
“Tell me what I need, Talon, and I won’t hurt her.” I froze at Edmund’s words, his voice dark and chilling, as I turned toward him, worried he had seen me.
His focus was not on me, it was on Talon, whose face was already swollen and bloodied at Edmund’s hand. I restrained a gasp as Edmund pulled his arm back, his fist glowing white, before a strong sucker punch to the gut winded Talon with one shot. I froze as Talon grunted in pain, my hand flying to my own stomach as anger lurched up my spine.
“What about the rest of your men, Edmund? What would they do to her? I know how your deals work.” Talon’s voice was broken and pained, blood spattering around him as he forced out the words.
“Oh, we won’t kill her if that’s what you are asking,” Timothy said, my father’s voice full of pure enjoyment. Edmund only smiled at his response, before wiping his hand on a bright white cloth, smearing it with red.
I moved toward the back of the room, my magic crackling under my skin as it kept the shield in place. The angry energy rippled through me in a raw need to defend my husband. My toes curled as I begged myself not to react and to wait until the most opportune time. If I began an attack now, I would be dead before I could get within reach. It was all about the timing. Running in to face the three most powerful people in the room was only a death sentence. Hell, attacking them on my own was a death sentence. But I wasn’t scared, a fool yes, but not scared.
I stared at Talon’s face as I moved; my conviction growing as my magic surged. I would protect him, just as he would me.
“And the others? Will you hurt them too?” Talon asked, his voice continually fading. I fought the urge to run to him, choosing instead to knot my fingers around each other, hoping the tension in the small joints would dispel the panicked anger that was building in my heart.
“Oh, what do you care?” Ovailia snapped from the chair she sat in. “It's not like you are their rightful leader anyway.”
“Very well put, Ovailia,” Edmund said with true pride in his eyes. “She was always my good child,” he said, more to himself then to anyone. “Took us a bit to break through Ilyan’s spell and get the information I needed, but we got there in the end.”
“Will you hurt them?” Talon repeated, his jaw tightening.
“Save whom you can, Talon. Don’t worry about the others. They will be in capable hands, I promise.” Edmund leaned down close to him, his lip sneering only millimeters from Talon’s face.
“Give me what I need, Talon,” Edmund snarled.
“You better make it look good, Edmund,” Talon laughed deeply, his voice loud as he taunted him, Timothy strengthening his hold at the sound.
Talon’s eyes widened and he attempted to fight against my father’s hold, yelling out. The struggle only lasted a moment before Edmund placed his hand against Talon’s skin, his struggle for release turning to one of agony as Edmund’s magic seeped into him, the powerful attack torturing him.
No. I couldn’t let this happen anymore.
The time was now. Talon had risked everything for me, but I had done nothing for him. Now I would.
I slipped my right shoe off, letting my skin come in contact with the floor of the cave. Even through Ovailia's carefully preened wood floors, I could still feel the energy of the caves. It prickled up my spine and down into my arms. I smiled as it seeped through the rock of the cave and into me. It flooded me as the power controlled me. That was why I always had to wear shoes in this space, why I could never risk skin contact with the walls of the caves. The magic that rested in the belly of this mountain flooded through the rock and, in turn, me. It was only here, in this mountain, that this much energy was at my disposal.
Now. I lifted my toe and let it drop to the floor, a rumble spreading out from me as I shook the floor. Edmund swore as the energy hit him, the power rushing up into him. I focused as my magic spread from the floor and into Edmund and Timothy. It moved right into their bones, shaking them within their bodies. They called out as their bones grew and vibrated, the pain of my attack sending them to the floor.
Ovailia stood in fear just as I took a step forward, each hit of my skin against the ground sending more ripples of energy across the surface and into Ovailia as well. All three writhed with pain as I lifted Talon with my magic and pinned them to the ground. Their calls of surprise mixed with those of agony as his body lifted into the air in front of them.
"Wynifred!" My father's voice yelled as he fought against the painful restraints my magic held him in.