Storm Glass
Page 104

Unbearable pain shot up my arm and into my head. He released me and the agony ceased.
I staggered, panting in panic. This would be a good time to faint. To hide in the black comfort of unconsciousness. To not have to deal with or think about any of this. But he was an expert on bringing me to the edge of oblivion then yanking me back. Knew exactly how much I could take, what I would do to make him stop.
“Remember me now?”
The man who had come to the tent when Alea had captured me. The one who guaranteed I would obey Alea and jab Yelena with the Curare. He had worn a mask and dark glasses then, and now he wore Ulrick’s face, but there was no denying his touch.
My sais rested beside the bed. Too far.
I dived for his sword. I wanted to kill him or myself. At this point it didn’t matter. My hand closed on the handle, but he was quick. His hands around my neck, thumbs digging into my collarbone. My muscles turned to liquid. The sword clattered to the floor. The world faded and this time he let me slide into the blackness.
I woke, but resisted opening my eyes. The dreams of snow and ice preferable to the reality on the other side of my eyelids. If I kept my thoughts rooted in my dreamworld, could I ignore my situation? Only for a while.
The physical world intruded with muscle cramps along my arms and legs. Aches radiated up my back and soreness pulsed from where my body rested on the hard surface. All from being in one position for too long.
I cracked an eye open, peeking out. A wall built from wood loomed inches from my nose. Growing braver, I scanned my surroundings. I lay on my right side on the floor of an empty room. It was about four feet wide by six feet long. One closed door. Four metal clasps attached to the wall—two high and two low.
Staring at the clasps, I tried not to imagine what they were for, but as I moved to relieve the cramps in my arms, an unwelcome image came to mind. My wrists were hooked together behind my back, but my legs were free. The metal cuffs around my ankles sported bright silver clips which would be easy to attach to the clasps on the wall.
Don’t panic. Don’t panic. I repeated the phrase, but my heart had its own agenda, slamming in my chest as if I ran for my life. I struggled into a sitting position and tried to organize my thoughts, examine the situation.
I should check the door. It might be unlocked, but I might make noise. I didn’t want him to know I was awake. Not yet. I needed time to sort things out.
Pushing through the confusion and my fear on learning about Ulrick’s capture, I concentrated on Devlen’s words. He needed my help, called me his glass finder and mentioned his mentor. A Warper in hiding, he wanted to complete the Kirakawa ritual and the only people who knew the final steps were imprisoned in my glass.
Since I confided everything to him, he knew the glass called to me. I wondered when Devlen switched souls with Ulrick. Had there been a change in Ulrick’s behavior? I thought back. It was so obvious I felt a fool for not questioning his actions. Devlen must have captured him the night he had confronted his sister, Gressa. Ulrick had been alone. And since he had been my constant companion, Devlen had targeted him. I hadn’t even warned Ulrick about Devlen because I didn’t want to hear another lecture about being careful.
Horror and guilt swelled, but I squashed the emotions. Devlen would have found another person to switch souls with. Besides, it had happened, there was nothing I could do to change the past.
Right now I needed to focus on the present. I had two goals. Rescue Kade and Ulrick without helping Devlen. The thought of going against Devlen turned my resolve to mush. And how could I help anyone when I was so easily fooled? His voice had sounded different, he had been bolder, and he’d refused to work with glass. All glaring signs, and I had rationalized each one away.
My emotions once again threatened to overwhelm me. I needed an image to hold to help me concentrate. I needed glass. So I imagined my heart encased in glass. Strong, unbreakable glass to lock away the doubts, worries, fears and to protect myself from further damage. The image helped cool my molten emotions and hardened my determination.
I staggered to my feet and tried the door. Locked.
Of course, my resolve threatened to crack as soon as the lock snapped and the door swung open. Glass heart, glass heart, I repeated to myself. It still jolted me to see a calculating coldness in Ulrick’s eyes. The lips that had smiled at me and kissed me…No—glass heart. Devlen, not Ulrick stood in front of me.
“Figured it out yet?”
“Some. You want me to find your mentor’s prison and release him so you can finish the Kirakawa ritual.”
“You’re smarter than you were five years ago.”
“I’ve learned a lot.”
“So have I.” He stepped into the room.
Instinct made me move back. Glass heart, I thought. I peered past his shoulder and into a living room. “Where are we?”
“In a cabin deep in the woods. No one around for miles so you can scream all you want.” His flat tone lacked emotion.
My hands hit the wall, but I didn’t remember moving away. “Krystal lands?”
Devlen placed his hands on my shoulders. I cringed, but stayed still.
“Now you know what I want. The question remains. Are you going to help me?”
I kneed him in the groin. He hunched forward and I rammed my knee into his nose. But as he fell, he kept hold of me. His hands slid to my waist and he pressed his thumbs into my hip bones.
The pain sucked my breath from my lungs and everything from the waist down numbed. Seconds, minutes, years passed before he relaxed his grip. He had regained his breath. Blood dripped from his nose.