by Mike Shelton
Shaeleen didn’t say anything, but turned her head and tried to convey an apology with her eyes. Shem didn’t look altogether convinced.
Orin arrived at the next landing before the guards caught up to him—which Shaeleen thought must have been on purpose because Orin was quick enough to outmaneuver them, even without his powers, she was sure.
At the top of the landing stood wall-sized windows, looking south into the Bay of Jalen. Light from the newly risen sun, in the east, sparkled along the top of the blue water, and, in response to the light, Shaeleen felt her powers rise up within her. But surprised onlookers—from below them and on their floor—stared at the group of five soldiers holding on to the two youths.
Shaeleen turned her head up. She could see three more levels of rooms above her. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, she called the light to her TruthStone and felt the entire castle around her. She used the morning sunlight to search for Justyn. While still struggling with the guards, it was difficult.
Without giving her full attention to the light, she used both of the stones to use the light to sense where TruthSeer Justyn was. With a few interruptions to keep the guards at bay, she found Justyn, in a far corner of an upstairs room, just before Orin called out to her.
“Shae, Shae,” he whispered loudly, still struggling against the guards—both real and pretend.
She opened her eyes and looked at Orin.
“You’re glowing again,” he said.
Everyone below, on the main floor, and those on the landing, with them, were staring at her. For a moment, all was quiet.
Then, on the floor below them, Erwin strode in. He walked with arrogance and confidence, but his face was stern, and his cheeks were red.
He is not happy.
“Bring the prisoners down to me!” his voice bellowed.
Shaeleen couldn’t let that happen. In a moment of silence, she pulled away from Aaron and dug deep inside herself to reach the power of the TruthStone. “I call upon TruthSeer Justyn,” she said, her voice echoing off the walls. At the same time, she had pushed her wishes of truth into the light and up the stairs.
“I am a TruthSeer,” Erwin said, his rage seeming barely held in check. “Bring her to me!”
“Erwin!” an old, yet strong voice sounded from above.
On the landing three floors above Shaeleen stood a man that looked like the oldest person she had ever seen. He had long, white hair that was flowing softly down over a blue robe, his thin arms poking out the edges. His face was calm, but his light eyes—even from three floors away—flashed in anger over the assembled crowd.
Erwin took a few steps toward the bottom of the stairs and, looking up at his master, said, “TruthSeer, the prisoners have escaped.”
“Bring them to me,” Justyn said.
“But, sir, you don’t need to worry about these small children,” Erwin whined. “You need your rest.”
“TruthSeer,” Shaeleen said, speaking for the first time since Justyn’s arrival. “I need to speak to your queen.”
Justyn glared down at her, and she could feel his penetrating gaze probing her mind for the truth. Such power he has!
“I will see you first, my dear, before the queen,” Justyn said in a softer voice, with a trace of admiration. “You did call out to me.”
His words brought a smile to Shaeleen’s lips. It worked again.
“Erwin, please have your guards take their shackles off before they leave,” Justyn said. “I have this handled.”
“But…” Erwin tried to push things. But Justyn beckoned Shaeleen and Orin by crooking his fingers. They held still for a moment while a nearby guard took a key out and unlocked the shackles around their wrists.
Shaeleen rubbed her wrists with her hands while looking back down at Erwin. She saw the tendrils of darkness around him once again and, in the lightened room, knew them for what they were—powers of the shadow. She had read about that power somewhere in the TruthSeers’ Journal. But she would have to deal with that later.
Before leaving the landing and moving up the stairs, Shaeleen leaned in toward Harold. “Thank you, Harold. Thank you for all your family has done. I won’t forget it. I bid you safe travels.”
He smiled at her and then motioned for Aaron and Shem to follow him. The two other guards also descended the stairs behind them. Shaeleen hoped nothing would happen to her newfound friends. She felt grateful for them.
Orin walked next to her as they ascended the wide staircase, floor by floor. Servants stopped and stared at them, whispering to each other afterward—as if wondering who these two were for them to be summoned so by the ancient TruthSeer. Each floor up grew in its adornment and wealth. Shaeleen noticed that thin flooring turned into plush carpets. Simple walls turned into walls filled with expensive portraits and paintings. And basic wood furniture became exquisite woodwork. Shaeleen ran her hands over the smooth banister lovingly. The wood grain in the maple had been stained to standout perfection.
After three flights, she was breathing harder but finally standing in front of the TruthSeer. But he turned and walked down the hallway.
Orin turned to Shaeleen with a questioning glance, and she shrugged before following the TruthSeer down the hallway into a room. The room had a group of plush-cushioned chairs set against the backdrop of a large window overlooking the Bay of Jalen, to the south. Two floor-to-ceiling curio cabinets, full of rare seashells and obsidian rocks, took up one wall. Another wall held a tapestry depicting Mount Eyvindr, on Verlyn, with the image of a man standing at the base of the mountain—a man all knew to be King Wayland, the founder of their kingdoms.
“Please sit.” Justyn motioned both of them toward the chairs. Off to the side was a tray, holding cups, some type of drink, and a few pastries. Shaeleen turned away so she would not be tempted by these. Orin rolled his eyes at her and sat down in one of the chairs. Now is not the time to think about food.
The TruthSeer turned to Orin first. “I hear you caused quite a bit of trouble for the commander.” The man’s voice seemed to hold a hint of amusement.
“He wasn’t very nice, and we needed to get away,” Orin said matter-of-factly.
The TruthSeer smiled more fully now. “Well, I’m glad you enjoy telling the truth. Doing so will be much easier on me and on your friend here.”
With that, he turned to Shaeleen. He stared deep into her eyes for a moment. And it took all the courage she had to hold his gaze, but she did. She knew she had to tread carefully around this TruthSeer. Traveling with Erlinda had taught her a few things.
“It was you who reached out to me, wasn’t it?” Justyn said.
“It was,” Shaeleen admitted.
“A skill most TruthSeers take a lifetime to learn, if they ever even do,” Justyn said. “Many never discover the connection between truth and light. But that conversation will have to wait for another time. I fear my apprentice will not let matters drop so easily. Why do you need to see Queen Victoria?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Shaeleen took a deep breath. She had told the TruthSeer of her trip to North Bay, of Prince Calix’s plans to attack Stronghaven, and of Commander Kerr’s traitorous deeds and his plans to ally himself with Prince Calix. She had also mentioned traveling with Erlinda and her well-wishes to Justyn himself. Throughout the story, she had left out any mention of the stones, the secret about Prince Basil and Prince Calix, and Orin’s speed, though she did suspect that the TruthSeer knew about Orin’s speed already.
“You bring us grave tidings,” Justyn said. “The commander’s influence has been growing in strength recently. I fear that even my apprentice believes him to be the solution.”
“I think your apprentice may be the power behind Commander Kerr,” Shaeleen said.
“No. That can’t be right.” The old TruthSeer steadied himself against a doorway, the pain of his words obvious to Shaeleen. “Erwin is just a young TruthSeer apprentice.”
Shaeleen took a deep breath to steady her own pain. �
��Twice I have seen black tendrils of power coming from your apprentice. He is more dangerous than you have realized.”
Justyn nodded. “I have spent much of my time with the queen, and have ignored my apprentice and his apparent greed and growing powers.”
“Speaking of the queen, I must see her.”
The TruthSeer shook his head. “I’m afraid she is too weak to see you. Now that you’ve brought this news to me, I can take care of things.”
Shaeleen did not feel any lies in his words, but she did feel he was hiding something. “You’re not telling me everything.”
Justyn smiled. “And neither are you, I surmise.”
Shaeleen blushed and looked down. Turning her mind inward for a moment she thought about what to do. Suddenly she felt a new sensation in her mind. Another stone. Her powers were pointing her somewhere—to a place of strength. She stood up promptly and turned around with her power focused outward now.
Orin jumped up also, as if ready for danger. “What is it, Shae?”
As Shaeleen took a few steps around the room, the TruthSeer watched her from his seated position. All of a sudden, she knew the source of what she was looking for. She felt strength radiating from nearby. The Red Jasper StrengthStone—it was near!
Now more than ever, she knew she needed to see the queen—the owner of the StrengthStone. She walked over to Justyn and looked down on him in the chair. “I really do need to see your queen, sir. I cannot take no for an answer. I will not!”
Justyn stood and pulled himself up to his full height. He was thin but tall. His pale blue eyes flashed darkly at her, but she held her ground. “A TruthSeer is second only to the queen or king. I assure you, things will be taken care of.”
“Orin!” Shaeleen called out to her friend. “I need your assistance.”
Orin rushed to her side and reached for her hand. By the look in his eyes he knew what Shaeleen wanted.
But Justyn was quicker, and he grabbed her wrist instead. He brought his eyes down to meet hers, and she felt his power trying to enter her mind.
“How dare you!” She tried to pull away, but he held her tight.
“You will tell me the truth of why you want to see the queen, Shaeleen,” the TruthSeer demanded.
Shaeleen felt this command begin to control her mind. She wanted to obey him. She needed to obey him. The compulsion was becoming too strong for her.
She’d opened her mouth, to tell Justyn all, when Orin grabbed her other hand and, with the other TruthSeer also in tow, used his power of speed. Orin pulled the two of them with him, back out into the hallway. Then he ran in and out of each room’s doorway, searching for the queen.
They soon reached the northeast corner of the castle, where two guards stood in front of a door. But that barrier was nothing for Orin. Through the door he went, with both Shaeleen and Justyn still in tow. Then Orin stopped.
Shaeleen stood up with her mouth agape. They were in a dimly lit room with an enormous four-poster bed in the corner. Two servants were in attendance, and they yelped at this intrusion, backing away into a corner. One servant had been putting linens away, while the other had been tending someone on the bed.
“This is outrageous!” Justyn’s face was beet red. He stared hard at Orin. “You have no right to interrupt Her Grace’s intimate privacy. You will be punished for this.”
“No, he won’t,” Shaeleen said more calmly than she felt. “I told you I needed to see the queen. If you were as strong as a TruthSeer as you should be, you would’ve known I had spoken the truth.”
Justyn’s face went from red to pale white, and he put a hand on the edge of the large bed. “I hadn’t noticed…”
The two servants skittered around to the other side as Shaeleen walked around the bed. Reaching the head of it, she looked down. The woman lying there with closed eyes must be Queen Victoria, longtime queen of Gabor. Her hair was short and gray. A tint of rose makeup on her cheeks was the only other color on her face. And a red blanket was pulled up and tucked under her chin.
Shaeleen reached her hand tentatively forward, and one of the servants let out a gasp. The queen’s eyes flickered open—and were empty for a moment—but then she held Shaeleen’s eyes with her own. A thin smile crossed her lips.
Justyn came up next to Shaeleen. “I am sorry, Your Highness. I tried to stop her. I apologize for this intrusion.”
The queen motioned for her servants to help her sit up in the bed, and then she dismissed them out of the room. After doing so, she pulled her attention back to Shaeleen.
Shaeleen bowed to the queen—her presence seemed to palpably demand respect. “Your Highness, I bring you news of Commander Kerr’s treachery.”
The queen eyed Justyn for confirmation, and he nodded his head.
“Where is your heir, Your Highness? The heir should be here running things for you in your weakened condition.”
The queen coughed a few times then, in a low voice, said, “My heir is my granddaughter. She has been on Verlyn preparing to become a queen, and is to be engaged soon.”
Flashes of intelligence flowed into Shaeleen’s mind, and she understood. “To Basil,” she whispered in understanding, but felt a growing pain in her gut once again.
“To Prince Basil, yes,” Queen Victoria said, subtly chastising Shaeleen for not using the prince’s proper title. “To the heir of Galena.”
At that, Shaeleen almost fell to her knees in pain. Doubled over, she put her hands on the side of the bed to keep from falling.
“Shae!” Orin rushed to her side and held her up.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Justyn also was bending over—pain evident in his face. Then he glared at her with eyes wide and round.
“Tell them, Shae,” Orin said. “Maybe they can help us.”
Shaeleen was torn inside. It is not my secret to tell.
She’d purposefully avoided thinking about it—revealing the secret would have too many painful outcomes. Even now, her head and gut seemed about to burst. She tried to push the pain down, something she was learning to live with.
Orin helped her to stand back up, saying, “I hate to see you in so much pain, Shae.”
“If some secret involves my granddaughter, Diamonique, you must tell me. She is my only kin left and is the hope of Gabor,” the queen pleaded. “If something happens to her, Commander Kerr will take over the kingdom and take all the remaining strength with him.”
Justyn glared at Shaeleen as if daring her to not tell the truth now.
Shaeleen took a deep breath and decided to speak the words that could shatter Galena, Gabor, and all of Wayland.
“Prince Basil is not the true heir; Prince Calix is the oldest,” Shaeleen said, having to push the words out past her lips quickly. The truth in this matter hurt no less to say than a lie might have. How am I ever going to tell Basil?
The queen coughed again, and Justyn moved to her side to comfort her.
“That monster,” Queen Victoria whispered. “We’ve heard of his deeds even here in Riverton. Why isn’t anything being done?”
“Only a few know the truth,” Shaeleen whispered. “It could rip apart Galena.”
Justyn turned to Shaeleen and said, “And Gabor with it.”
Tears came to the queen’s eyes. “My kingdom! I have failed her. I don’t have enough strength left.”
The queen’s words pulled at Shaeleen’s heart, but they rang true. “Show me your StrengthStone, the Red Jasper. It is here, isn’t it?”
Justyn sucked in a breath. “No one sees the stone.”
The queen sat up a bit more and put her hand on Justyn’s arm. “It’s all right, my faithful TruthSeer. It is time for all secrets to be revealed.”
Justyn looked at his queen questioningly and shook his head. “No. We can’t. It will destroy us.”
Just then, the sun streamed in through a window, sending a stream of light into the room. The light settled on a portrait in the corner, and they all turned their heads.
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“It’s in there,” Shaeleen said, her words barely audible.
The queen nodded and then turned to Justyn with stern eyes. He walked slowly toward the portrait and took it carefully off the wall. Behind it stood a small cupboard in the wall.
“Please, young man, help me over there,” the queen said to Orin, who snapped instantly to the queen’s side. He held her hand as she swung her legs around and put her feet on the floor. Shaeleen retrieved a pair of golden slippers that sat in the corner and put them on Queen Victoria’s feet.
With Shaeleen and Orin on either side, they escorted the elderly queen to the small cupboard. Her elegance showed forth even in her weakened condition. “It needs to feel my power to open,” the queen said, running her fingers over the wood.
There was a slight click, and then a small door swung open. Reaching inside, the queen pulled out a little bag with a drawstring—not unlike the one that Prince Basil had kept the IntelligenceStone in.
Shaeleen took a deep breath and leaned closer. She could feel the pulsating power of the StrengthStone calling to her TruthStone. The queen emptied the contents of the bag into the palm of her own hand. A reddish glow grew out from the center of her palm, where there sat a small Red Jasper stone—it was hardly bigger than the blue Labradorite IntelligenceStone Shaeleen had received from Prince Basil.
Tears dripped from the queen’s eyes. “This is all that is left. We have given so much away through the years. Now I fear it is not enough.”
Shaeleen reached into her own pocket and took out her bag. Opening its drawstring, she reached her hand inside and pulled out the Moldavite TruthStone. A bright green light pulsated from it.
Justyn gasped. “It’s so large. How did you…?” The power of the stone dropped him to his feeble knees.
“She is the one, Justyn,” the queen cried. “The one I told you about. She is the one to save the kingdoms. The prophesied one!”
Shaeleen reached her other hand down to raise Justyn back upon his feet.
He moved over and sat on the edge of the bed. “But there is only one TruthSeer per kingdom.” He put his hand on the footboard to steady himself.
