Horse Stone (Book 1 of Ilyrian Series)

Chapter 49

I pushed Liam back until he was pushed up against the wall. My heart pounded hard in my chest, and a scream bubbled in my stomach and wanted to come out but didn't. Instead, it choked me a little before I coughed and cleared it out.

The creature kept stalking us, goading and gloating because we were trapped with nowhere to hide and nowhere to run.

"Reino," I said again, even though I knew that it was futile.

Inen wasn't going to come, and I had no idea why it couldn't. It said that it would protect me if I ever needed it, but when I needed it the most, it didn't.

Or it couldn't...

I took a deep breath and gasped when I felt my bag start to grow heavier as if there was something in the bag that could help me.

My hands shook while I moved my bag closer to me so that I could reach into it. I grabbed the thing that felt heavy, keeping my gaze on the thing that was slowly getting closer to us.

I looked down and saw that the thing was the book with the name "Adrianna" in it. "Please let this be able to do something," I prayed and stuffed the book on Richard into my bag before I opened the book to a random page.

There was a spell on the page that I had it turned to, and I looked at it and licked my lips. Please let this work, I prayed before I cleared my throat and pushed Liam further back, even though we could get no further.

Taking a deep breath, I took a step forward and released the breath. I looked at the book and sent a silent prayer before I started to read the spell.

"Stop, oh darkness that has fallen on us," I said, my voice not quivering like I thought it would. "Stop monster of the dark with a soul of black. Stop for the power of the light and the maker of lore. Release your binds and ties on this place and go forth back to your hole. You shall not win nor claim the souls you want, for the power of good and just is strong. Now, begone and away from this place. Begone. Begone. For the power of light is strong."

I lifted my hand at the last bit and took a step forward, looking at the creature that was starting to cower away from me. A light burst from my hand and broke whatever spell that had fallen on Liam and me.

There was a silent scream that sounded through my mind, and Liam and I fell to the ground as the dark power dissipated around us but not before it rammed into us, not as strong as it would have been before I had said the spell.

And as the light faded and my vision became blurry, I saw the shape of the wraith standing over me, and I knew that I would be safe until someone found us. So, with a silent "thank you," I blacked out and let Inen do the protecting.

***

I sat up in a bed with a scream and blearily looked around with a blurred vision, throwing my fists in a defensive manner.

Gentle hands grabbed my shoulders and pushed me down, not getting hit by my flying fists. "Easy, Hadley," the relieved voice of Dr. Wilson said, and I instantly relaxed. "You are safe and sound in the clinic. Nothing is going to get you here."

I stopped screaming as quickly as I started and coughed. I rubbed my eyes and blinked, feeling drained in a way that I had never felt before. "Liam?" I asked, my voice hoarse. "Where's Liam?" I rubbed my eyes and looked around the room to see if I couldn't see him, but I didn't.

Dr. Wilson pushed me down again, his strength impressive for an old guy. "He's safe," he said in a tone that meant I should lay still and gain my bearings before I fell from the bed. He studied me, and I knew that he wanted to ask me something but couldn't because of someone else in the room.

"Well," someone said, and my heart just dropped into the pit of my stomach at the sound of his voice, "I see that you have gained consciousness, Miss McCormick. Must you have screamed your awareness?"

I looked at Dr. Wilson, petrified to be in the same room as the Headmaster. My voice left, and I started to shake from either fear or the drowsiness; I didn't know which. All I knew was that the Headmaster was in the room with me and Liam was not, and I couldn't have my questions answered until he was gone.

Dr. Wilson scowled and held back an eyeroll. His face became dark, and I could feel this pricking in the air that made the hair on my arms stand at attention. "Must you come in?" he asked, his tone a bit harsh. "I thought I had said that I would tell you what she said later."

"I didn't want her to lie," the Headmaster said. "You and I already know that there can be... traces of something connected to a person."

I kept my gaze on Dr. Wilson, but my heart skipped a beat. All I wanted to do was figure out what had happened while I was out, where Liam was, and why Inen couldn't come when I had called it. I did not want to talk to the Headmaster, especially about what I knew about the "forbidden world."

"That doesn't concern you, Headmaster," Dr. Wilson warned. "Leave before I make you leave. Not a word shall be spoken about this, is that understood?"

"I-"

"Is that understood?" he asked in a tone so harsh that it had me flinching away from him. There was a loud boom, the lights flickered, and the magic that came off of him started to pour towards the Headmaster.

The Headmaster sighed. "Fine," he said in a tone that told us he was not satisfied with the response he received from the doctor. "Do not think that this is over, Miss McCormick," he warned. "I will find out what you are h-"

"I said, leave," Dr. Wilson snapped and turned towards the Headmaster. The windows banged open and started to flapping while Dr. Wilson released some of his magic. He glared, and I became more scared of him than the Headmaster because he was closer to me, even though a part of me knew that he wouldn't hurt me.

"Doc," I said my voice barely above a whisper. I sat up in the bed and pushed myself against the wall. My heart pounded hard in my chest because I had never seen the doctor this angry, not even when the Headmaster did something to make it that the whole world couldn't see him nor me.

Dr. Wilson turned his gaze to me, and his gray eyes were silver and filled with fury. He must have caught the petrified look on my face because he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let out a slow hiss. "Go, Thorne, and do not say a word about this to anyone. Is that understood?"

"It is," the Headmaster said. And without another word, he turned around and left, leaving the angry Wizard and me behind without a single glance.