Descending Darkness(84)

When she finishes the enchantment, I hear a tiny click and then the magic stops flowing. Opening her eyes, she looks up at me, searching. “How do I know if it worked?” she asks without taking her eyes off of me. Someone moves behind me, breaking me out of my trance.

When no one responds, she moves toward Liam and grabs his arms, repeating what she just did. Like me, Liam jumps when he feels her magic flowing through him. I’ve never felt anything like it before. She continues this process on each person in the room. Tom, Larkin, and Kyril are the only ones left, and I can tell that Ryanne is getting very tired. Grabbing onto Tom’s hand, she begins chanting.

A minute later, she lets go and slowly walks over to Larkin. Tom follows her with a frown on his face. Holding onto Larkin’s hand, she closes her eyes and repeats the process.

“She doesn’t have enough energy to do any more,” I whisper to Liam. He looks exhausted as well. She lets go of Larkin’s hands and stumbles over to Kyril.

“Ryanne, you don’t have to—” Kyril protests as he takes a step back.

“Give me your hands,” she whispers angrily while trying to grab onto this hands. He moves his hands, and she falls forward into him. She rests her arms on his chest and pushes herself back so she can talk to him. “Please Kyril.”

Kyril gives Ryanne his hands and lets her do the enchantment. She finishes the enchantment and slumps forward into him. He catches her before she falls to the ground and cradles her against his chest.

Walking over to them, I reach out and let Kyril place Ryanne in my arms. Her hair falls over my arm as I move her closer to me. This has not been an easy day for her.

Ryanne sighs and snuggles into my chest. “I’m going to go lie down with her,” I tell everyone as I move toward the stairs.

“Colton, make sure you stay with her. She’s not protected like the rest of us are,” Liam says. “I don’t think Valdus will try anything tonight, but you know how persuasive Dravin can be.”

“Yeah, I know.”



*****

Sunlight is streaming in through the window on the far side of the room. Tilting my head up, I look toward Colton, who is still sleeping. I try to move out of his arms to go take a shower, but the arm around me tightens, pressing me closer to his chest. Not that I’m complaining.

I settle back down against him and let sleep claim me.

“Ryanne?” I open my eyes and look around. I am sitting in the middle of the field again. Liam is standing off to the side. “I didn’t know if you were still sleeping.”

“I just fell back asleep. Is this about what I asked you earlier?”

“Nothing is going to happen to you, Ryanne,” Liam says.

”You don’t know that for sure, Liam. I’ve died once and come close many other times. You have to keep that promise. If something happens to me,” I tell him as I walk closer to him.

“Nothing is going to happen—”

“I need you to make sure Colton doesn’t do anything dangerous. He can’t hurt himself over me. You have to watch out for him. Please.”

Liam walks up to me and pulls me into a hug. “Why are you talking like this?”

I bury my face into his shirt. “Because they’re getting closer. I can feel them all around me, Liam. I feel like they’re always watching me; that they know my every move. More danger is coming, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop it. If I do, I’m not sure if I’ll come out of it alive.”

“Have you had any visions of the future?”

“One, but you know that my visions aren’t permanent. Everything changes.” I look up at him and plead again. “Just please promise me that if something goes wrong, you’ll help keep everyone together. Keep everyone safe, even from themselves.” He has to promise me. I need to know that everything is going to be fine if something were to divulge from the plan. Liam rests his head on top of mine.

“Okay,” he whispers at last. “I’ll do my best.”

“Thank you, Liam,” I say as I start to feel the pull. “I’m starting to wake up,” I tell him.

“I know.” Dropping his arms from around me, he takes a step back. “I don’t like this, but I know why you want to do it,” he tells me.

“I don’t like it either.”

I sigh as I enter back into my real body. I can feel Colton humming beneath me. I move my arm across his chest, wrapping it around his side, hugging him closer to me. He chuckles as his arms tighten around me as well. “Good morning,” I whisper to him.

“It’s not morning anymore, Ry. It’s afternoon.”