Powers of the Six (46 page)

Alec yanked back. “Don’t touch me.”

Nolan stared, and then reached again. “It will only take a minute.”

“Stop it, Nolan. I don’t
want
healing.”

“You don’t what?” Nolan hadn’t heard him right. But when he reached for him a third time, Alec smacked his hand away.

Alec glared at him in warning, even as the Guardians entered, all three shining with their brilliance. Hakan and Emery backed away, shock and fear coming from them.

“Master Nolan, forgive me,” Greer said. “The soldiers outside grow restless.”

“Sweet father of light,” Hakan said. “What are they?”

Greer bowed. “It is good to see you well, Hakan.”

Hakan’s mouth dropped open; he stammered, then said nothing at all.

“The Rol’dan are confused,” Greer said to Nolan. “In their eyes, since you defeated Alcandor, the throne belongs to you.” He held the king’s circlet in his open palm. “It is yours, if you wish it.”

Nolan stared at the circlet, the same one the king had worn since Nolan could remember. “No … no … no. I can’t be king.”

“They are expecting you,” Greer said as he offered the crown again.

Nolan took the crown and fingered the stone and the delicate intertwining gold band.
This is ridiculous. Sure, the Rol’dan would be afraid of me; I hold all the powers, just like Alcandor did. I barely have myself together, let alone the skills to be a king. They need someone to respect, not fear. They need someone who knows how to lead.

Emery had sacrificed himself, giving up power and leadership to leave the Rol’dan. He risked his life daily for others, uplifting them, leading them, empowering them. It was an obvious choice.

Nolan held the crown to Emery. “This belongs to you.”

Emery’s eyebrows went up. “Nolan? You defeated Alcandor, not me.”

“But don’t you see? They only want me because I have all the powers.”

“Yes, you are powerful. But you also have leadership abilities. I’ve told you—”

“No. They’ll follow me because they’re afraid of me. They’ll follow
you
because you’re a great leader.” Nolan held out the gold circlet.

Emery paled. “I can’t take it. I’m a traitor here. They’d rather have Alcandor back on the throne than me.”

“Once, a good man told me, ‘Many times, the most humble people make the greatest leaders of all.’ Emery, Adamah needs
you
, not me.”

Emery searched the room as if desperately seeking disapproval. His gaze locked on Alec’s, questioning him. Everyone’s emotions shifted. They all saw Emery’s potential, too. Everyone except for Emery.

Alec pulled his sword and knelt, holding back a grimace. “My sword belongs to you.”

Maska lowered to his knee. “And I would serve you with pride, my king. You are the obvious choice.”

“You have my sword as well.” Greer drew his glowing sword and bowed; the other Guardians followed. Emery gawked at the Guardians and took a small step back.

Nolan handed the crown to Emery. He took it, though hesitantly.

“I’ll do this,” Emery said as the purple light of Empathy shone from his eyes. “I’ll do it only because
someone
needs to.” He placed the circlet on his head, his dirty hands trembling. “And if the army doesn’t accept me, my reign might be the shortest in the whole history of Adamah. And please … stand up. Let me take this one step at a time.”

They smiled as they rose. Maska congratulated him while Greer waited his turn.

Alec approached Nolan, curiosity on his emotions. At least his sorrow was distracted, for now.

“You don’t want the throne?” Alec said.

“Why? Should I have taken it?”

Alec snorted. “Darkness, no! How am I supposed to beat you in swords with you wearing a crown? Wouldn’t that be considered traitorous or something?”

“Definitely,” Nolan said. “Then I’d have to kill you.”

Alec laughed, though it sounded forced. “You’d
try
to kill me,”

“I could do it,” Nolan said. “I defeated a Guardian on my own. I think I could take you on.”

“A Guardian?”

“Alcandor is a Guardian.”

“Alcandor is a … Guardian?” He whistled, but stopped, wincing with pain. The cut across his lip pulled open, oozing fresh blood.

“Crows, Alec. Let me heal you.”

Alec took a step back. “I told you: I don’t want to be healed.”

“Why not?” Nolan asked, frustrated.

Alec’s eyes drifted to Kael, and guilt flowed from him. “I want to look at myself in the mirror and remember to never lose my temper again.”

“Your Majesty,” Greer said to Emery, “you should address the Rol’dan before their patience breaks any further.”

“Yes, I suppose I must.” Emery stepped toward the exit, Greer following at his side.

Emery paused, obviously startled by the Guardian standing next to him, but curiosity laced his emotions. “Forgive me, sir,” Emery said, “but what
are
you?”

Greer laughed. “I am a Guardian.”

“A Guardian? How remarkable,” Emery said. “All these years I wanted to believe Jared, but found it harder and harder to do so.” He paused to study Greer. “I know it may seem odd, but I feel as if we’ve already met.”

Greer laughed again. “Master Emery, I am sure you will be surprised at how true that observation is.”

They left, their laughter echoing down the corridor. Alec turned to follow, but Nolan grabbed his arm. Self-loathing and guilt was so thick on his emotions. “Alec, can you do me a favor?”

Alec shrugged him off. “What kind of favor?”

“In the center of the dome there is a place where all the stones fit together, one on top of another. Back at the village, I put a few stones in and I found a message hidden in the light.” Nolan shrugged, feigning indifference. “Perhaps it’s nothing, but Greer thought it was important, that the stones must be combined. Can you do it for me?”

“Why can’t you do it?”

“I should stay out of sight for now.”

Alec nodded, irritation oozing from him. He yanked the bag from Nolan’s hand. “Sure. I’ll do it … in a bit.”

“And take the Stone of Healing to Alcandor and Megan.”

Alec sighed and swung the bag over his shoulder. “I’ll tell you what happens.”

Nolan watched the others leave. Hopefully, the Rol’dan would receive Emery well. He had a hard road ahead of him; some would still look at him as a traitor. How long would it take before one of them tried to kill him? Where would Adamah be then? Leaderless. Kingless. They didn’t even have a general.

Nolan studied Kael’s broken body. If Kael were still alive, would he protect Emery? Would he lead the army to follow? Nolan remembered the tower and how Kael had strangled Emery. Maybe Kael would kill Emery himself; he sure didn’t like him.

He’d gone through so much before death. Nolan knew that now. He only wished it could’ve ended differently. He wished he could’ve saved Kael, somehow. Kael had still
wanted
to be good; Nolan felt that from him in the end. He would’ve done the right thing, despite his feelings for Emery. Nolan was sure of it. But it was too late now. Kael was dead.

Nolan stared down at his blood-smeared hands as an epiphany stirred inside him, making his blood run cold. Though Nolan couldn’t be Emery’s general
—
the Rol’dan would treat him as king even though Emery wore the crown—Nolan
could
help. Emery
needed
Kael.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

ALEC DEVERELL TOOK OFF with Speed, beating the others outside. He stopped abruptly, staring at the largest gathering of Rol’dan he’d ever seen. The courtyard teemed with soldiers. They crowded around the base of the steep steps to the castle and continued on, filling the space until they met the huge walls. Even without Empathy, Alec felt tension in the air. He could see it on the Rol’dan’s faces and their uptight postures, and by their loud-mouthed groans and complaints. Alec huffed. He still hated the Rol’dan.

As the doors to the castle opened, the hum drifted into silence. The fidgeting stopped and the crowd became still.

Greer’s light emerged well before he did, as well as that of the other two Guardians.

The crowd leaned forward expectantly.

Greer spoke, his voice amplified louder than a normal man. “Nolan Trividar has declined to take the throne.”

After a shocked silence, a curse rang out, followed by a chorus of others. Hostility spread like flames. Greer held out his hand, and the crowd grew reluctantly silent. Greer waited until the last complaint dribbled away before he spoke.

“However, Lord Trividar has chosen your king. He is one who led you once, and recently led the army who won this day. I present to you Emery Cadogan, the new king of Adamah.”

Emery stepped forward, and a swell of angry voices greeted him.

Alec placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his heartbeat increasing. He could take quite a few of them, if he needed to, though his injuries would slow him. Maybe Emery was right about the shortest reign ever. Alec tightened his grip and flared his Speed, and then a strange calm fell over him.

And it wasn’t just Alec, the entire courtyard relaxed. Fists fell limp and the angry voices faltered. Alec scanned the crowd, confused yet calmed. Then he saw Emery; the light of Empathy blazed brightly from him. His eyes roved the crowd, soothing them. Emery was good.

“I know you were expecting someone else,” Emery said. “Frankly, I expected someone else as well. But it seems our fates have taken a different path.

“I don’t come to you with vast powers, except to sense your happiness or pain.” He hesitated. “And perhaps refocus you, when needed. But I know what you have endured. I have been there myself.”

A murmur in the crowd swelled and then calmed again.

Emery walked along the landing, hands behind his back. His stained and torn clothes looked as if they’d been worn for a week. His tangled hair hung in his dirty, thin face. Even with this haggard appearance, he looked like a king.

Emery continued, “For the past six years I have gathered many who had the same goal as myself: to use our Shay powers to better ourselves and our world, and to live free of the king’s tyranny and control. We have strived to be as normal as we can, to love and to laugh, to live life, and to better the lives of our fellow man.

“Together, we can continue this goal. We can make Adamah safe and build a land where the Rol’dan lead and protect. Not because the people fear us, but because they respect us. If you will have me, I will repair this land. Starting with our own hearts, the healing of Adamah can begin.”

There was silence, then a few grumbled protests. But the murmuring dimmed as a solitary soldier pushed through the crowd. Alec recognized him, had met him before. The first time was at the Trial of Awakening—he’d healed Alec more than he wished to remember. The second time was the day the coward stood and watched while General Trividar killed him.

Tiohan climbed the steps, his shoulders hunched with age. When he reached Emery, he slowly lowered himself to one knee.

“I will serve you,” Tiohan said, “with whatever years I have left to serve, Your Majesty.”

The crowd mumbled, all with varied states of emotional highs and lows.

Emery touched his graying head. “Tiohan, it’s good to see you.”

The old man smiled. “I’m
very
glad to see you.”

Gradually, they approached, each bowing on one knee. Emery touched them, his eyes flaring violet. They didn’t deserve him.

Alec pulled in a deep breath and scanned the crowd, still seeing scowling faces. Groups held back, clustered together as they whispered. Hopefully, they would appreciate him … eventually.

Hakan’s barrel chest appeared, pressing into Alec’s face in a bone-crushing hug. When he finally released him, the cut on Alec’s face screamed.

“Did you ever see such a beautiful thing?” Hakan sniffed and brushed away a tear. “And I’m so proud of you too, my boy. You took out that general, all on your own.”

Alec stiffened, his face still blazing. He’d only won because Kael had stopped fighting.

“He was the best swordsman in the land,” Hakan said. “I guess you get the title now, eh? It’s not like it’s unexpected …” He snuffled again, his tears welling up. “Though I’m sad Taryn is gone, I’m happy to see you again.” His eyes crinkled into a sad smile. “You know, if Taryn hadn’t done what she did, none of this would’ve happened.”

Alec stared at Hakan. “W-what did you say?”

“Well, you’d be dead, and Taryn would still be trying to get back to the village or Galva. Nolan wouldn’t have known about our capture and, more than likely, Emery and me and Meg would all be dead too.” He sniffed. “Taryn was such a sweet lass.”

Alec’s vision shifted. He hadn’t considered it that way. Not only had Taryn given her life because she cared for Alec, but because it was the only way to save the others. She wasn’t fast enough to reach Nolan and the village in time. But Alec was.