Abducted [W&W Book 3]

Chapter 59

Ildri was plummeted into a confusing world where all her senses were crystal clear yet she could not form the thoughts to interpret any of the information flying into her slow mind. And she started to feel afraid and the plummeting started to hurt dreadfully, like it was a part of her deeper than her bones. She wanted to scream and run but she could not feel any part of her body.

She felt like the only way out of the pain would be to just fade away, and it seemed like such an easy way out compared to dealing with the hurt any longer. It was more than physical and it was more than emotional. It hurt it hurt it hurt and she did not trust that it ever would stop.

Trust. Trust? Something about trust?

Wasn't she supposed to trust someone? Wasn't that someone Ty? She remembered him. She trusted Ty.

But he was killing her, wasn't he? He was taking her magic. It seemed that they were killing someone who needed to be killed, but surely it was not her. He said she should trust him and that seemed to be the best idea of all.

And she suddenly became aware of two quite obvious things. First, it was not really hurting anymore and she was not quite certain that it ever really had. The second was that she could feel him sort of like he was a part of her mind. He was determined to destroy Scelus if he could because he wanted them to suffer for his father's death.

He felt terribly guilty about it, too, because he had failed. He had arrived too late and his father had been already dead and he was so angry at himself and them. There were so many times he had failed to live up to what his father thought he should be, and now he could rectify that final disappointment.

She felt mild surprise that he was disgusted at himself for enjoying what he was doing right now. She did not really know what he was doing, but he was doing it anyway. It was terrible but the emperor's death might allow them the confusion to escape with their lives. It was his fault, too, that she was there. He should never have agreed to it. He could have tied up all three of them and sent them back to Wildwood in a cart.

Then she felt that he felt a great triumph because the emperor was dead and others and there was a great satisfaction that whatever happened Scelus was weakened. Now he just had to get her and the rest out to safety.

Ildri found herself on her back on the floor. "We have to get out of here," Ty said as he pulled her to her feet. She felt dizzy and tried to see what he had done.

He pulled her away. "Don't look at that."

"Did you get them all?" she asked as she ran.

"Those that were with the emperor. Possibly his heir."

"Good," she said, still feeling confused.

"I'm sorry I didn't—"

"Ty!" Ildri said, looking ahead. There was a tall, handsome man standing there and he looked quite formidable. He was also terribly familiar.

Ty skidded to a halt.

The knight spoke, "The one that got away?"

"No, he's one of the ones who was chasing us. Sir Rhys," Ildri whispered, knowing Ty would hear her.

Ty nodded. "I do remember him. Stay back, Ildri. You'll be exhausted now."

Ildri was. She did not resent Ty for what he had done, but had she not feared for her life she would have found a corner to curl up and mercifully pass out.

Then Ty was fighting and Ildri wished she had an idea how to help him. Her mind still felt like a foggy mess. None of the few potions she had secured on her person were specific enough not to affect him too. She wished she could set Sir Rhys on fire but even her accidental power seemed sadly absent.