Helgrom bit off whatever he was going to say. Aquilan remembered Declan saying something about Vex thinking about killing him.
Would Vex see Declan as a threat?
“Declan’s always been special,” Finley whispered grimly. “I didn’t realize how much. Being the son of… of who he is, people will come to kill him or try and recruit him. Won’t they, Rhalyf?”
Rhalyf looked grimmer still. “I’m more worried about… someone closer to home.”
Does he mean Vex? I think he does. No. Vex couldn’t hurt his own son!
“Good gods, Declan, you just had to be an overachiever. Helgrom is right that you rung the bell. Everyone heard it,” Rhalyf muttered to the young man with a touch of genuine affection, but also exhausted worry. His best friend scrubbed his face with one hand then to the rest of them, he said, “His magic is, in fact, the issue or rather the glamour that’s fighting it. More than a bloody glamour. It’s almost like he’s been restrained. His appearance. His memory. His magic. It wasn’t just to disguise him, but to keep him from using magic and… and doing this.”
Rhalyf gestured to the now completely clear cavern.
“So that’s why he looks human?” Darcassan asked, eyes narrowed.
“Yes, Darcassan.” Rhalyf cast an even more narrow-eyed glance back. “Brilliant observation. But that’s the least of what this spell is doing. Didn’t you hear me? Or rather, didn’t you understand what I said?”
Darcassan flushed. “I… I heard you! I just don’t understand how it’s still restraining him after–after that!”
“There are just shreds of it left, but as his own magic seeks to eliminate the restraints, it’s harming him.” Rhalyf shook his head.
“Can you undo the spell? Or will it just fail on its own?” Finley asked.
“His magic will explode out of him if we let it fail on its own,” Rhalyf warned.
“Explosion bad,” Snaglak nodded sagely.
“Exactly, Snaglak. You understand better than Darcassan. No, we have to release the pressure,” Rhalyf said, but he was stroking his chin anxiously and his eyes flickered all over Declan’s body. “But how to do that without… This should never have been kept on him for so long! We’re lucky he didn’t lose it during the war and take out a continent.”
“You’re not serious?!” Darcassan stared.
“Never more.” Rhalyf pinched the top of his nose. “They must have been bloody desperate to… fools. Fools…”
“But can you fix it, Rhalyf?” Aquilan asked intently.
We’re all looking at Rhalyf as if he has the answers. He normally does. But about this? Yet he sounds so sure. And in my heart, I feel he is right.
“Whoever did this didn’t plan on leaving him alone this long. Couldn’t have,” Rhalyf explained vaguely. “He’s gotten way too strong and… damnit!”
Declan’s body arched again and his feet beat a tattoo against the ground. He pulled himself completely out of Aquilan’s arms. Aquilan gasped and tried to grab him and pull him back down.
“Declan, hang on!” Finley cried even as he gripped his best friend’s shoulders, trying to do the same. “Rhalyf, can you do–”
“Rhalyf, please do something!” Aquilan begged, adding his voice to Finley’s.
Rhalyf whispered a spell and his fingers went a brilliant green. He swiped them over his eyes, leaving trails of glowing green light. His gray eyes went red. Those eyes flickered over Declan’s shaking form. More muttering then Rhalyf reached down and plucked something in the center of his chest. There was a bright flash of red light.
“There! That should relieve some of the pressure until I can figure out how to unwind all this,” Rhalyf gasped.
Declan let out a long sigh before falling back supine against Aquilan’s chest. The eye movement slowed then stopped. The unearthly chill that had been radiating off of Declan eased as well. Aquilan ran his fingers down Declan’s forehead, cheeks and chin, murmuring gentle words to him. Finley stroked his hair as well, breathing hard.
“You’re all right. You’re safe. We’re here with you, Declan,” Aquilan said over and over again.
Rhalyf leaned back on his heels and passed a slightly shaking hand over his forehead. What he’d done had appeared easy, but Aquilan knew it hadn’t been. “That’s as much as I dare try here.” His eyes–gray again–flickered around them. They landed on the city and his lips flattened. “He needs to be away from this place. Illithor is a power booster for his family.”
“But where do we go?” Elasha cried. “There are monsters everywhere. And if, as you say, what Declan did will bring others here to investigate then–”
“We need a rift,” Helgrom cut her off firmly. He was staring at Rhalyf. “To get back to Tyrael.”
