Defiance Rising (30 page)

“Note to self: don’t tick off Illyria,” Eamon says.
 

“That’s a good point.
 
How do we keep her under control?” Toren asks.

A growl rises in my throat as I glare at him.
 
“I’m not a dog you can put a leash on, Toren.”

He raises his hands in defense.
 
“I know. I’m not implying that.
 
It’s just…there are a lot of people that live here, Illyria.
 
Do you want to risk their safety?”

I grind my teeth as I shake my head.
 
“No, of course not.”

“I’m in agreement with Illyria,” Kyan says, silencing the murmurs flitting around the group.
   
“A cage will only fuel her anger.
 
I think we need to let her be herself.”

Toren wraps his scarf tighter around his neck as the wind whips through the trees, sending gusts of snow swirling among us.
 
“It’s nothing personal, Illyria.
 
We just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“Yeah, I get it.
 
Thanks for your vote of confidence,” I grumble under my breath.
 
It hurts, more than I want anyone to know.
 
Eamon pulls my hand into his and twines his fingers with mine.
 

From across the clearing, I sense a storm brewing within Bastien.
 
The hairs on my arms rise as I look up to see Kyan and Bastien locked into a silent staring contest.
 
My breath catches as Aminah’s face drains of color. She must be listening in.

What’s going on, Kyan?
 
I ask tersely as Eamon and Toren continue to debate the implications my presence may have on the camp.
 

His face remains expressionless when he finally answers.
 
It’s nothing to worry about.

Bastien’s thunderous face betrays his words.
 
Tell me!

Kyan breaks off his staring match with Bastien to look at me but I am drawn toward Bastien.
 
I gasp, shocked by the anguish marring his face.
 
What did you tell him?

The truth.

I stare at Bastien, knowing this pain is the same I will be forced to endure each day that I pick Eamon over him.
 
I want to smile at him, to give him some small reason to hope, but I can’t.
 
My destiny forbids it.

Bastien’s face darkens as he turns and melts into the forest.

I’m sorry,
Kyan whispers to my mind.
 
He’s not coming back.

“No!”

Eamon’s fingers stiffen around my hand.
 
“Illyria?
 
What’s wrong?”

Rage mingles with disbelief.
 
Bastien is the only one that truly believes in me.

Someone is shaking me but it’s hard to think past the aching in my chest.
 
I can’t lose Bastien.
 
I’m not strong enough right now to let him go.

“What’s wrong?” Eamon shouts at me.

“He’s gone,” I whisper.
 

Eamon looks around, confused.
 
“Will someone tell me what the heck is going on?”

“Bastien left,” Kyan informs him flatly.

“What do you mean he left?”
 
Toren steps into the center of group, searching the woods where Bastien stood.
 

“Why would he…”
 
Toren trails off as he notices for the first time how intimately Eamon holds me.
 

The Shadow is coming and there is nothing I can do to stop it, even if I wanted to.
 

“Illyria?”
 
Eamon calls.
 
“Talk to me.”

The whispers rise and fall in my mind and a sense of foreboding calm falls over me.
 
I swivel my head to the side just before the Shadow takes over.
 
“You need to run.”

Eamon flinches back.
 
“What?
 
Why do I need to…” his face drains of color as the lavender in my eyes fades to obsidian.
  

“Good riddance, I say,” Zahra snorts, examining the dirt under her nails.
 
“I don’t think I could stand another minute of Bastien’s moping.”

“Zahra, no!”
 
Kyan’s warning comes too late.

Eamon flies through the air as I shove him out of my way and turn on Zahra.
 
Energy flows through my veins and my hair crackles as it rises from my shoulders.
 
I grin and stretch out my arms, curling my fingers.
 
Zahra gags, clawing at her neck.
 
Her eyes begin to bulge as I lift her high into the air, laughing at the gurgling whimpers that spill from her lips.

“You will never speak his name again,” I growl, slowly closing my fist.

“Illyria, no!”
 
Kyan throws himself between us.
 
Only the dilation of his pupils betrays his fear.
 
“You don’t want to do this!”

“No?” I cock my head to the side, my voice low and guttural.
 
“I’m pretty sure I do.”

“This isn’t you.
 
It’s the Shadow controlling you.
 
You must fight it,” he pleads.
 

My lips peel back as I bare my teeth at him.
 
“I don’t
have
to do anything.”

With a flick of my wrist, Zahra careens through the air and slams into a large pine tree.
 
Her screams cut off as she tumbles down through the boughs and falls limply to the ground.
 
She groans, but doesn’t move.

Kyan takes a step toward her but I snatch him in my grasp.
 
“I don’t think so.
 
It’s not nice to spoil my fun.”

“Can you even hear yourself? This isn’t the Illyria I know.”
 
Kyan struggles against my hold as thick dark clouds spill over the mountain and encircle us.
 
The gentle winds become gusts as clouds swirl overhead.

“What is happening?” Toren shouts, cradling Aminah in his arms.
 
Eamon inches toward Zahra on his hands and knees.
 
A large welt has begun to form over his right eye where he hit face first against the ground.

Electricity crackles in the air, forking through the clouds overhead in brilliant white streaks.
 
Thunder rolls in near constant waves.
 

“Toren,” Kyan cries over the winds, “get them out of here!”

My head swivels toward Toren and he shrinks back.
 
“Oh god.”

I raise my hand and Toren tackles Aminah to the ground, rolling her behind a tree.
 
“Fool!
 
Do you really think a mere tree can stop me?”

I toss Kyan aside as I focus on the tree, easily yanking the ancient roots from the ground.
 
Dirt pelts the clearing as I raise the tree and hurl it directly at my friends.
 
Aminah’s shriek lances through my mind, but I ignore it, watching gleefully as Toren struggles to keep her out of harm’s way.
 

I uproot a second tree and take aim as Toren and Aminah reappear at Kyan’s side.
 
“Get the girls out of here,” Eamon screams as I’m tackled from behind.

The instant he touches my skin, a jolt of electricity floods through his body.
 
He cries out, rolling off me.
 
I grab a handful of his shirt and raise him into the air before me.
 
“I told you to run.
 
You should have listened.”

With a mighty howl, I hurl Eamon into the forest.
 
The sound of his bones snapping against a tree trunk is lost to the winds.
 

Kyan glances up as I bear down on them.
 
“Toren, go!
 
Now!”

Aminah wraps her arms around his neck and they blur out of sight.
 
I roll my head as I release a growl of rage that makes the trees shudder.
 
Birds take flight as I throw out my hand and carve a path straight through the woods in the direction of the camp.
 
Trees fly into the air, crashing back to the ground.

“They’re gone, Illyria.” Kyan says.

I turn and glare at Kyan.
 
“Your bravery will get you killed one of these days, Kyan.
 
Perhaps today is that day.”

He struggles to his feet, battered and bruised.
 
His approach is slow and cautious.
 
His gaze flickers over my shoulder, hardening at the sight of Eamon’s broken body.
 
Both legs lie at awkward angles, one arms appear to be dislocated and a deep gasp across his forehead pours blood.
 
“Let him go.”

“Why should I?”
 
I throw out my hand and send a gust of wind and snow slamming into Eamon, propelling him back into a tree. His nose spurts with blood as I release him and he crumples back to the ground.

Kyan takes another step, but I mentally shove him back fifteen feet.
 
He slams to the ground, grunting as I hear some of his ribs crack.
 
He struggles back to his feet, grimacing around the pain.
 
“You love him, remember?”

Even through the torrent of whispers in my mind, I remember the truth of his words.
 
“Yes.”

“Then why are you hurting him?” Kyan asks, struggling to rise to his knees.

I grin.
 
“Because it’s fun.”

“This isn’t you!”

I swirl my hands overhead, gathering icicles from barren tree branches.
 
Like a game of darts, I toss them at Kyan, savoring his pathetic dance with death.
 
“You’re wrong, Kyan!
 
This is
exactly
who I am.”

He cries out as an ice dagger penetrates his palm.
 
Blood drips from his wound, staining the snow crimson.
 
He rises slowly to his feet, clutching his hand to his chest, keeping it above his heart.
 

I lift my face to the sky, holding my hands aloft as the clouds darken, bringing night to the land.
 
Lighting lashes out at the trees that surround the clearing.
 
Blue flames race down the dampened trunks, searing the bark as it rapidly combusts.

“Take her!” Kyan shouts.

My head drops in time to see Toren rise with Zahra in his arms.
 
He sends a pointed glare at me before disappearing again.
 
Enraged, I sweep my hand and level an entire row of flaming trees.
 
One slams into the ground only a few feet away from Eamon.
 
Kyan lurches forward, hands outstretched toward him.

“Please stop,” he begs.
 
“You’re going to kill him.”

A buzzing fills my ears as I look toward Eamon.
 
For the first time, the whispers diminish and I see the destruction I have caused.
 
He looks broken, like a child’s toy tossed aside.
 
A tear slips down my cheek as flaming branches fall from the trees all around, spreading the flames to areas beyond the clearing.
 

“What have I done?” I whisper.

A loud splintering from above sends scorching debris raining down on Eamon.
 
The top half of a tree rocks in the wind, groaning as it snaps free and plummets to the ground.
 

“No!” I wave my hand and redirect the winds to shelter Eamon.
 
Kyan falls to his knees, stunned.
 

“Toren! Get them out of here!” I scream.

A blast of wind seconds later announces Toren’s arrival.
 
His glare is unforgiving and I choke back a sob.
 
“I don’t know how long I can hold the Shadow back.
 
It’s too strong.
 
You need to save them.
 
Get as far away as you can!”