“That is good news, indeed.” Pharus Amhoset Nephelcheres smiled. “And your studies into the Basilik’s Kiss and its effects on those turned into Stumblers?”
“I wish I had better tidings to report, my Pharus.” Ennolar’s expression grew grim. “Most of those turned into Stumblers are too far beyond our abilities to restore. Many were given the Basilik’s Kiss weeks or months ago, and their minds, bodies, and internal functions are decayed or corrupted. Extreme starvation and thirst are the primary causes of death, but total organ failure follows close on their heels. The death toll continues to climb despite our best efforts.”
The Pharus’ expression darkened.
“But,” Ennolar continued, “there are many who were only recently given the potion. While it is only a fraction of those affected, perhaps one in every fifteen or twenty, there is hope that they will make a full recovery. My priests are working in close coordination with the Ministrants of the Bright Lady and the Bloody Minstrel’s Trouverers to administer aid to those who are likely to recover, as well as ease the suffering of those too far gone.”
“We thank you,” the Pharus said, inclining his head. “It is always good to know that we can rely on the wisdom and skill of the Temple of Whispers in our time of need.”
“It is nothing more than is expected of us, Bright One. By our city and our goddess.” Ennolar’s round face hardened. “Our divine mandate was to protect this world from black alchemy, such as that used by the treacherous Groebus. We only seek to rectify our failures to prevent this evil from spreading.”
“The fault lies not with you or your priests, Arch-Guardian.” Lady Callista spoke up. “My own people never suspected the truth of Groebus’ intentions or the full extent of the Iron Warlord’s plans. Groebus was among the most cunning men in Shalandra, and the Iron Warlord…” She shrugged. “A demon is one enemy none of us expected to face. Thankfully, we have dealt with one of our enemies. And, knowing Invictus Tannard, he and his hand-picked Blades will hunt down Groebus before long.”
“Without a doubt.” Ennolar nodded. “Already, the Secret Keepers I have sent to find him have reached Voramis, Praamis, and begun the journey across the Frozen Sea to Fehl. The cowardly hunchback may have fled the city once his army of Stumblers was brought down, but he will not go far.”
“Again, you have our gratitude.” Pharus Amhoset Nephelcheres inclined his head. “We will encourage our people to beseech the Long Keeper to aid you in your efforts, both to restore those affected by the Iron Warlord’s evil and to bring Groebus to justice.”
“My Pharus does me honor.” Ennolar bowed. “But perhaps we might speak of the real reason you summoned us here, Bright One?” A crafty smile tugged at his fleshy lips. “Your concern for your city does you honor, but that is not why you desired to speak with me…and Lady Briana.”
A wry smile tugged at the Pharus’ lips. “Suroth always said you could be too smart for your own good, Ennolar. Which is exactly why we want you to have a seat on the new Council we are forming in place of the Keeper’s Council. The Council of the People’s Voice, formed by a representative from each caste in Shalandra, each with equal voice and influence. And, alongside them, members of the Venerated, the high-ranking clerics of the thirteen gods to lend their counsel.”
His face grew solemn. “For too long, the Necroseti have controlled our city, used their influence and power to line their pockets. No more will the Keeper’s Priests grow fat on the suffering of our people. They shall be given equal voice in the organization and reconstruction of Shalandra, but there must be balance.” He clenched a fist. “There must be balance!”
The fervor and intensity of the Pharus’ voice surprised Evren. Most men in the monarch’s position would take advantage of their newfound freedom from the Necroseti yoke and seize full power for himself. Yet it seemed this particular monarch cared more about his people than Evren had given him credit for.
“The Long Keeper has blessed us with the gift of rebirth.” The Pharus’ words rang out in the luxurious chamber. “He has blessed us with a new beginning. Even now, land that was barren now flourishes. The Four-Bladed Winds carry seeds of hope that fill the once-desolate ground with life. That which was dead lives anew. And we must embrace that newness, for the sake of our city, our people.”
His eyes roved over each person in turn. “No longer will we seek divisions, the disparities that set us apart and drive a wedge between our good people. No longer will one lavish in luxury while others die of hunger and thirst. Shalandra was destroyed, but from the ashes will rise a new Shalandra, a better Shalandra. When we stand before the god of death to give answer for our lives, we will meet his gaze and stand tall, saying, ‘Your gift was received and heeded. From the fires of destruction came the flame-hardened steel of unity.’ We will stand together, a proud people of a glorious city. Out of this tragedy, let a new unity be born!”
“We stand with you, Bright One,” Ennolar signed.
“All of us.” Lady Callista said. Beside her, Issa and Hykos saluted, fists clanging off their breastplates. Even Killian stood, a look of admiration in his eyes.
The Pharus turned to Ennolar. “So you will serve on my Council of the People’s Voice?” he asked.
“I am honored, my Pharus,” Ennolar’s fingers replied, “but I believe there is one better-suited to such an endeavor.” He turned to Briana. “You, Lady Briana, daughter of Arch-Guardian Suroth.”
Evren’s eyes flew wide, but his surprise paled next to Briana’s. The Shalandran took a shaky step back. “M-Me?”
A part of Evren rejoiced at hearing her voice—she hadn’t yet undergone the mutilation to become a Secret Keeper—yet the rest of him was too stunned to spare it a second thought.
“Yes, my lady.” A beaming smile broadened Ennolar’s rotund face, making his bald head appear perfectly circular. “What the Pharus proposes will require drastic changes, a complete retooling of life in Shalandra as it has been for centuries, millennia. I am old and set in my ways. Age has made me stubborn, my mind far less flexible than the intellect of one as young as you.”
“B-But—” Briana began.
“What you believe you lack in experience,” Ennolar cut her off with a shake of his head, “you more than compensate with nobility, resolve, and strength of spirit.” He stepped close and fixed her with a kindly gaze. “You are every inch your father’s daughter, and you have your mother’s courage, her heart. You faced loss, heartbreak, death, and destruction, yet you never wavered, never doubted. Anyone who could sacrifice as much as you have for the sake of Shalandra is someone I believe is capable of shepherding us into the new, better Shalandra of which the Pharus speaks. In tandem with the wise counsel of your elders, of course.”
Tears sparkled in Briana’s eyes. She seemed taken aback by his words. “Ennolar, I…” She swallowed. “I don’t know what to s-say.”
“Bright One?” Ennolar turned to the Pharus. “What say you, my Pharus?”
For a long moment, the Pharus’ expression remained solemn, his eyes fixed on the two brown-robed Secret Keepers. Then his thoughtfulness gave way to a brilliant smile. “As always,” he said, inclining his head, “I heed the word of my Arch-Guardian.”
Briana seemed at a loss for words, too stunned to react.
“My lady, I have only one regret in this life,” Ennolar signed. “That your father and mother were not here to see who you have become. They would be as proud of you as I and all in the Temple of Whispers are.”
Briana finally found her voice. “But my oath…I swore to the Mistress…”
A sly smile played on the Arch-Guardian’s face. “They were not witnessed by another Secret Keeper, so they cannot be binding.”
Briana threw her arms around him and buried her head in his chest. Evren had to swallow hard to push down the lump rising to his throat.
Ennolar’s face seemed to melt, warmth spreading from his smile to his eyes, and he wrapped his arms around Briana. When the girl finally pu
lled away, Ennolar spoke in the silent hand language. “Live your life, Briana. As your father and mother would have wanted.” He placed a gentle, paternal kiss on her forehead and, with a bow to the Pharus and Lady Callista, turned to stride from the chamber.
Evren was too stunned to move, to react. What in the bloody hell just happened? Had it all been his imagination? Had he truly witnessed the thing he hadn’t believed possible? Suddenly, his dread gave way to something new: hope, faint, barely a glimmer, but there.
Kodyn said everything Evren was thinking. “Thank you.” He held out a hand to the Secret Keeper.
With a nod, Ennolar shook Kodyn’s hand. “Until we meet again.” Evren’s gut clenched as Ennolar turned to Hailen, but the pudgy Secret Keeper only gave Hailen an enigmatic smile. “Shall I be seeing you soon, young man?”
“I-I don’t know. I…” Hailen’s eyes darted toward Evren, a shadow filling his gaze. “I haven’t had a chance yet.”
“Ahh.” A knowing look flashed across Ennolar’s face. “Our offer stands, from now until the end of your days.”
“Thank you, Arch-Guardian.” Hailen bowed.
Ennolar glanced once at Evren, a hint of a smile in his eyes. Then he turned and strode from the chamber, the door clicking shut behind him.
Evren’s mind whirled, his heart hammering a furious beat in his chest. Ennolar’s cryptic exchange with Hailen filled him with concern, left him perplexed. Yet it faded beneath the emotions that swirled within him at the Arch-Guardian’s words to Briana. He thought he’d found something special with her, a chance at a spark of happiness in their lives, lives that had been filled with suffering, loss, and hardship. That chance had been ripped away from him the moment he heard of Briana’s oath to join the Secret Keepers. But now…
His eyes went to Briana. What would she say? What would she do with her newfound freedom from the priesthood? A fist of iron gripped Evren’s chest, and his breath caught in his lungs as he waited for her to speak.
“I thank you for the honor, Bright One.” Briana’s voice was quiet, almost strangled. She didn’t look at Evren, Hailen, or any of the others, but kept her eyes fixed on the Pharus. “And I accept, gladly.”
The Pharus’ smile glowed bright. “We are pleased to know that you will work beside us to usher in a new era of unity and prosperity in Shalandra. And that you will once again reside in the mansion that once belonged to your father, and which will now belong to you.”
Briana seemed taken aback. “M-My father’s…”
“I owe Suroth my life and more.” Pharus Amhoset Nephelcheres inclined his head. “The least I can do is ensure his daughter has a roof over her head.”
“Thank you, my Pharus.” Briana swallowed and hesitated a moment, her lips pressed into a tight line. Slowly, the uncertainty faded from her face. “But I have a request to make of the Crown.” She stood straighter, her voice growing stronger. “A request that I believe is well within your power and graciousness to grant.”
Lady Callista’s eyes narrowed, but the Pharus cocked a perfectly-plucked eyebrow. “Speak, Lady Briana. We are listening.”
“I would ask for the dagger from the Tomb of Hallar to be given to Evren.” Now she turned, her eyes locking on Evren’s face. “As a reward for his courage and the instrumental role he played in bringing down the Ybrazhe Syndicate.”
The words froze Evren in place. He hadn’t known what to expect from her, but not this. Surprise rooted him to the ground, clamped his lips tight. For a heartbeat, as the Pharus cast a questioning glance at Lady Callista, Evren seemed unable to draw breath. The world seemed to stand still around him.
“The Blade of Hallar belongs to Shalandra,” Briana continued. “Handed down by the founder of our great city from Proxenos to Proxenos, to be wielded in defense of Shalandra whenever it is needed.”
She seemed to grow taller, stand straighter, her head lifting and her voice ringing with confidence. Once again, she was the Dhukari Evren had met all those weeks ago, and she met the Pharus’ gaze without hesitation.
“But the Im’tasi dagger recovered from the Tomb of Hallar has no such purpose, no such value to our city.” Steel and determination edged her tone. “Evren came to Shalandra to steal the Blade of Hallar, but you have seen for yourself the reason, the threat that drove him to such extremes. You came face to face with the very creatures of darkness he has dedicated his life to eradicating, and in doing so, protect all of Einan from a danger that until a week ago, we had no idea existed.”
The Pharus and Lady Callista’s expressions shifted, just a fraction, but softened from stubborn refusal to a hint of contemplation.
“That dagger could very well be the key to our survival,” Briana continued. “We have not seen the Great Devourer with our own eyes—”
“I have,” Hailen whispered, though thankfully quiet enough he didn’t cut off the flow of Briana’s words.
“—but we have seen the threat of demons, the power they wield in our world.” Briana fixed the Pharus with a stern gaze. “You have in your hands the weapon that could balance the scale in our favor, give our world a fighting chance against forces ancient and evil. I humbly request that you honor his sacrifice and loyal service to Shalandra, a city to which he owes no allegiance.” She swept a bow. “That is, I believe, a fitting reward.”
From the corner of his eye, Evren caught a flash of movement. Aisha stepped forward. “You promised me a reward, Bright One, for saving your life in the Stumbler attack. I ask not for myself, but for Evren.”
“Without Evren,” Kodyn put in, moving to stand beside Aisha, “we would never have learned of the threat of the Keeper’s Council, or defeated the Iron Warlord.”
“I’d be dead if it weren’t for him,” Killian added, inclining his head. “So would my Mumblers and half of Shalandra with us.”
“He came to our aid,” Aleema added, “when the odds were hopeless and death certain, yet he stood beside my Nytano without hesitation.”
“I’d still be locked in the Hall of the Beyond if it weren’t for Evren.” Issa’s voice rang with a strength to match her mother’s. “Without Evren, our city would be ashes and corpses.”
“We are all here because of him.” Hykos turned to Evren with a broad smile. “Loyal, courageous, and stubborn as a Voramian mule—precisely the qualities needed to bring us through the Final Destruction alive.”
Evren wanted to speak, even opened his mouth to say something, but he found he could not. His throat thickened and emotions cascaded over him with such force that words failed him.
A hand gripped his, small yet filled with strength. Glancing down, he found Hailen at his side, beaming up at him. Confidence, reassurance, and love gleamed in his violet eyes.
Tears brimmed and heat burned within Evren’s cheeks. All his life, he had felt alone. An only child to a mother that had died and left him an orphan. An apprentice forced to fight, a street rat stealing and scrounging to survive. He had only had himself to count on, his strength, tenacity, and willpower.
But that was no longer true. He wasn’t alone. He had friends. Friends who had battled at his side, impossible odds be damned. Friends who stood up for him. Friends who had become like the family he’d always dreamed of having.
No matter what happened, no matter what came next or where he went, he would never be alone again.
The Pharus’ solemn expression never changed as he turned to a nearby table and picked up a long, slim wooden box. With a nod, he held it out to Briana.
Puzzled, Briana took the box, opened it, and gasped. Smiling, she turned and held it out to Evren.
Evren nearly wept as he saw the dagger lying in a velvet cushion within the wooden box. Long, with a curved blade and a solid steel crossguard, it bore a transparent gemstone set in its hilt.
The Im’tasi dagger from the Tomb of Hallar.
With trembling hands, he reached out to lift the dagger from the box. He scarcely dared to believe the evidence of his eyes, yet excitement burned b
right and hot within him. All the effort, all the hardships he’d endured, it had all led to this moment.
He had fulfilled his mission. Unexpected outcome or not, he had succeeded.
A broad smile spread his face and joy blossomed in his chest, lifting the burden from his shoulders. Yet as his gaze lifted to Briana’s face, he found sorrow glimmering in her eyes.
His brow furrowed in confusion. He thought she’d be happy for him, happy to see him succeed at the mission that had brought him from a thousand leagues away to Shalandra. The mission that had caused their paths to cross, had led them to find each other.
Suddenly, the truth struck him. He understood the reason for her sorrow. That same mission would take him away from her.
Once again, Evren was at a loss for words, his breath caught in his lungs. She knows that, he realized. She knows that I will leave once I have this, and yet she made certain I got it anyway.
In that instant, Evren felt torn between two all-consuming desires. He knew his mission to help the Hunter hunt demons and sustain Kharna was important; the entire world was counting on them to succeed. And yet the thought of leaving Briana, of traveling away from her, of risking never being able to see her again, it felt as if it would rip his heart from his chest.
His eyes locked with Briana’s. Those beautiful eyes, dark as the richest Vothmoti kaffe, eyes that held the promise of hope, of happiness, of a future he’d never dared to dream of. He saw his feelings mirrored there, yet the same acceptance that he’d felt when he thought of her becoming a Secret Keeper. She knew he had a purpose and was determined to be happy for him, no matter the pain it brought her.
“You know,” Hailen spoke in a quiet voice beside him, “we can’t exactly leave Shalandra today. Probably not for a few more weeks at least.”
Confusion twisted Evren’s brow. His mind struggled to comprehend the meaning to Hailen’s words.
“The Iron Warlord might be locked away in the Chamber of Sustenance for now, but it might not be safe to leave him there.”
Heirs of Destiny Box Set Page 202
