Micah resisted the urge to stand up in the boat and call to the people, telling them that everything was going to be all right. Pip and Griffen had good hearts and once they got used to the idea of exactly where their destiny had taken them, they were going to be wonderful rulers.
“Show them who you are,” said one of the oarsmen, noticing the way the people were scanning the faces of the strangers on board.
Pip and Griffen looked at each other, then Pip held the glowing amethyst above her head, sending a colorful beam of light reflecting off the surface of the water. Griffen did the same.
A roar erupted from the shoreline and more people were running into the water to catch a glimpse of their new rulers.
“Release the children!” a woman shouted as the boat continued to make its way to the shore. “Set our children free!”
Micah tried to catch the woman’s eye to send her reassurance but the ripple of excitement crashing over the crowd was too much and she quickly lost sight of her.
“Stand back,” shouted the oarsmen.
They reached the dock and one of the oarsmen clambered out of the boat and tied it to the dock.
A circle of guards cleared space for them, pushing the crowd back by waving long-bladed knives at them, until the dock was clear.
“Please! No violence,” shouted Pip, her words drowned out by the noise of the crowd.
“Ready the royal carriages,” said the oarsman, sending one of the guards rushing off down the dock.
Griffen was the first to disembark, refusing any offers of help, before reaching out for Pip, gently pulling her up to the dock. He stood next to the guards, towering over them with his impressive height.
“Your Majesty,” said the guards, bowing deeply.
Micah climbed out of the boat next, followed by Raphael, then Lily then Azrael.
They took their time walking down the dock, following behind the shell-shocked new leaders who waved at the people, trying to send them their reassurance of a better life through their nervous smiles.
When they got to the end of the dock, the crowd hushed and the people stood staring at them with open mouths as if waiting for something.
“They want you to speak, Your Majesties,” said one of the guards, leaning toward Griffen and Pip.
Micah saw Griffen look to Pip to see if she wanted to speak. These two had a lot to figure out that went far beyond deciding how they were going to rule this kingdom, if indeed they accepted this role that was being thrust at them. Griffen had always been Pip’s protector, ready to serve her in any way required. If he were to be her husband, and indeed the King of Feldspar, their relationship was going to need to settle into a new and more equal kind of partnership, much like the one that existed between Jeremiah and Rose.
Pip stepped forward, threw back her shoulders and cleared her throat.
“This change in leadership has come as a surprise, as much to us as it has to you,” she said.
“Free the children!” someone called from the crowd.
Micah was pleased to see that this was the issue that troubled the people of Feldspar most. They needed as little resistance as possible to set the children free.
Pip held up her hand to silence the murmur of agreement rippling through the crowd.
“My name is Princess Philippa of The Bay of Laurel,” she said, projecting her voice. “Beside me here is Griffen, a Guardian and sworn protector of the crown. But it seems that now we’re King Griffen and Queen Philippa of Feldspar.”
“How do we know you’re loyal to Feldspar?” shouted someone from the crowd.
“We’re not loyal to Feldspar,” said Griffen, much to Micah’s surprise. A collective gasp sounded from the sea of people. “We’ve had no reason so far to be loyal to this kingdom. You stole our children and when we came to bring them home, you locked us in a cage and threatened our lives. We did not choose to be your rulers. We were chosen. But if you give us a chance, we can see if we can make this work. Together, we can build a kingdom that’s worthy of your loyalty. One that’s worthy of all our loyalty.”
A cheer erupted across the crowd. Griffen had said exactly the right thing, leaving Micah wondering if he was the reason behind the love stones’ choice.
“I know what it’s like to grow up without my mother beside me,” said Pip, holding up her hand to settle the crowd. “We don’t want that for your children. We want this to be a kingdom where your children can grow up in safety, surrounded by love.”
Unexpected tears filled Micah’s eyes as someone who knew what it was like to grow up without a mother or father. No child should have to experience that. This was part of the reason Gabe meant so much to her. She wanted to give him everything she’d missed out on herself as a child.
“Who here has a child in the mines?” asked Griffen.
A sea of hands rose into the air.
“Then follow us now as we return them to you,” he said.
“It’s a revolution!” called a familiar voice, and Micah turned to see Enid, with Robb standing next to her, an unmistakable look of pride on their faces. This wouldn’t have been possible without their help. They’d honored their son’s memory in the best kind of way.
Azrael rushed to Enid’s side and Micah smiled to see them embrace.
Cries of joy and triumph echoed across the crowd as people hugged and slapped each other on the back. Some collapsed to their knees and others looked to the sky. This was the news they’d wanted. These were the rulers they’d hoped for. It made Micah wonder if her visions had really been about saving Lily. Perhaps the visions had led them all here, not just to save Lily, but to save everyone else.
Two horse-drawn carriages pulled up at the end of the dock and the guards motioned for Pip and Griffen to climb aboard the first one, while the rest of them took the carriage at the rear, after Azrael had said her goodbyes to Enid.
“Are you okay not being up front?” Micah asked Lily as she slid into the seat beside her.
“Better than okay.” Lily took her hand and squeezed it. “I’m not ready for any of that.”
Micah nodded, not convinced Pip felt she was ready for it either, but there was nothing to be done about that. Like Griffen had said only moments ago, she hadn’t chosen the job. It had chosen her.
The carriages wound their way through the streets, a line of people on either side of them walking in the same direction, raising their hands and cheering as the carriages passed them by as they strained their necks trying to get a better look at their new King and Queen.
It was such different terrain here to what Micah was used to back in Forte Cadence. She’d thought her kingdom was relatively barren, but Feldspar redefined that word. There wasn’t a tree in sight. How did they grow food? What did their livestock graze on? Did the whole kingdom look like this? She supposed these were going to be questions Griffen and Pip were going to need to ask. She didn’t plan to stick around long enough to find out the answers to any of them.
But as foreign as the terrain was, there was something hauntingly familiar about the people. For a moment Micah wondered if it was because some of them had been taken from Forte Cadence as children and perhaps once she’d know them, but it wasn’t that. They reminded her of the faces she’d seen in the crowds of people who’d welcomed Queen Rose and Jeremiah when they’d taken control of the kingdom. Micah had been with them the day they’d walked into the Valley of the Blessed on Giving Day bearing gifts for the people. It hadn’t been the soap or loaves of bread that’d won the people over. It had been the hope.
It was no different with the people of Feldspar. Clearly, they’d suffered under their King’s rule and were clinging to the hope that these two new rulers were going to make things better. The promise of their children being returned to them was enough to win them over.
The carriages passed the last of the people walking toward the mines as they began to climb a steep incline, the strong horses that pulled them slowing with the extra strain. Micah turned to lo
ok at the empty road behind them, knowing it would soon be filled with people on their way to reclaim their lost children.
“You have a child in the mines, don’t you?” asked Lily.
“I do,” said Micah. “Although, he wasn’t taken from me in Forte Cadence. I found him as we were preparing to cross the sea to Feldspar. He needed someone to look after him. And I guess I need someone to look after, too.
It was only right to acknowledge her own needs in this. Loving Gabe would fill an aching hole in her heart left by the babies she’d carried who hadn’t lived long enough to draw breath.
“What happened to him?” Lily’s eyes filled with tears.
“We got attacked on the shores of Feldspar and they took him. I let him down.”
“You didn’t let him down,” said Lily. “We’ll get him back. What’s his name?”
“Gabe. He’s only small.” Micah smiled at the memory of him. “He has these big brown eyes that just melted my heart.”
“I can’t wait to meet him,” said Lily.
“What’s it like down there in the mines?” asked Micah, wanting to know but afraid of what Lily might tell her.
A look of horror crossed Lily’s eyes, before she seemed to consciously push it away.
“It’s not the best,” she said. “Lots of dark tunnels. We were forced down there with only a lantern and a small pick. The more gems we could find, the more we’d be fed at dinner. That’s how they knew we wouldn’t keep the gems for ourselves. A potato to fill our stomachs was a far greater prize than a heavy stone in our pockets.”
“How long were you down there?” Micah shook her head, unable to believe anyone would treat a child like that.
Lily shrugged. “I honestly have no idea. Too long, but not nearly as long as most children. I admit that I was relieved at first when the King chose me as his gift for the Queen. Anything was better than the mines.”
Micah cleared her throat, wondering if Raphael had told Lily about the Queen yet.
“Was she really a ghost?” Lily asked. “Raphael said you could see her, too.”
Micah nodded, treading carefully, not wanting Lily to feel foolish. “I didn’t realize either when I met her. It wasn’t until Raphael couldn’t see her that it became obvious. I can understand why you didn’t know.”
“Thanks for saying that,” said Lily. “Still, it’s going to take me a while to believe it.”
The carriage hit a particularly bumpy stretch of the road and the opening to the mines came into sight. There was a flat clearing in front of one of the rocky mountains, with a large gaping mouth carved into the side. The opening was framed in timber with nothing but blackness beyond. Several guards were standing in the clearing, dressed in black like the men they’d first encountered when they’d arrived at Feldspar. Micah scanned their faces to see if the man they’d left in the cage was amongst them, but with their beards and dirty faces, they all looked much the same. The guards called these men the Masters, although Micah could think of a few far more appropriate names.
The carriages came to a stop and the Masters bowed. Had they seen the lights in the sky all the way from up here?
“I present to you the King and Queen of Feldspar,” said one of the guards in the first carriage, gesturing to Pip and Griffen.
“How may we be of service, Your Grace?” asked one of the Masters, directing his question to Griffen. “We’ve uncovered a large ruby and several impressive diamonds today.”
The man gestured to a table behind him where hundreds of gemstones were laid out on a black cloth. Micah had no idea of any of their names but could see green stones and red and purple and blue. They were extraordinarily pretty and despite Micah not generally being attracted to anything especially feminine, she could see the appeal of these crystals. They were a gift from nature. But all she had to do was remind herself of the misery these stones had caused and they no longer looked beautiful at all. These were stones of blood and separation and pain, better off left covered in a mountain of dirt than unearthed at the expense of the lives of so many innocent children.
“We’re not interested in your gemstones,” said Pip. “We’re interested in the children.”
“Bring them out,” said Griffen. “Every single one of them. We’d like to see them.”
The men glanced at one another, then seeming to decide they had no other option, they disappeared inside the dark mouth of the cave and shouting could be heard.
Pip went to Micah and reached out for her hands, gripping them tightly.
“We’re getting him back for you,” she said. “We’re getting all of them back.”
“You’re going to make a wonderful Queen,” said Micah. “Really you are.”
“I never wanted to be Queen,” said Pip. “I was pleased not to be Queen in The Bay of Laurel. But now…”
“Now you see the opportunity to do so much good,” finished Micah.
“That’s right,” said Pip. “We’re needed here. And not only can we do good for this kingdom, but we can do good for all the kingdoms. Feldspar really is the last piece of the puzzle.”
“Why do you think you were chosen?” asked Micah.
“I don’t think I was,” said Pip.
Micah’s brows shot up and she gave Pip a questioning look.
“I think it was Griffen,” said Pip. “He was chosen. You know how loyal and brave he is. Plus, he has an army of Guardians he can bring here to help with the task. They haven’t had a lot to do since peace spread across our kingdom. It seems they have an important job once more.”
Micah nodded, seeing the sense in what Pip said. “I’m sure he wouldn’t have been chosen if his true love didn’t have strengths of her own.”
This made Pip smile. “I hope so.”
“Have you ever found it strange how one by one each of the kingdoms has been finding peace?” asked Micah, scanning the entrance to the mine where all remained quiet for now.
“It’s more than that,” said Pip. “Each kingdom has unlocked the secret power of one of our senses.”
Micah thought about this for a moment.
“Whispering”—Micah touched her ears—“elixirs”—she put her finger on the tip of her nose— “healing”—she held out her hands—“tonics”—she pressed her finger to her lips.
“And now sight,” said Pip, pointing to her eyes. “These crystals have the power of light and I suspect their true power has only just started to be unlocked.”
“Do you think there’s another sense we’ve never really thought about?” asked Micah, chewing on her bottom lip.
Pip raised her eyebrows and waited for Micah to continue.
Micah pointed to the top of her head. “The sixth sense. The sense we can’t explain. The one when we just know something without understanding how or why we know it.”
“Like the visions you had of Lily under the water?” Pip nodded her head slowly.
“Exactly like that.”
“Maybe,” said Pip, grinning. “I like that idea.”
Micah opened her mouth to reply but her words fell silent when a stream of children emerged from the mouth of the mountain and poured into the clearing.
“Gabe!” called Micah, leaving Pip’s side to go to the children, checking each of their faces for the one she was seeking. “Gabe!”
But there were more children than Micah could ever have imagined. Dozens became hundreds and hundreds soon became what must be a thousand. How had so many children fit inside that mountain? There must be more tunnels than the Colony in The Sands of Naar.
The children looked around, blinking in the light and shuffling on their skinny legs as they waited to see why they’d been called upon. But none of them was the one Micah was looking for. There were some who looked little more than toddlers and others who were ready to burst into adolescence. Tall children, short children, male, female, dark hair and blonde. But the thing they all had in common was that they were covered in dirt. Layers of it stuck to their faces, thei
r hands and their hair. The whites of their eyes were flashing out from behind the filth as they crowded together, some of them holding hands, the older children caring for the younger ones.
Realizing that she was never going to find Gabe in this crowd, Micah returned to the carriage and climbed aboard, standing up and scanning the crowd, hoping that Gabe would see her and come forward.
Griffen and Pip climbed aboard the other carriage and stood, holding out their hands as a quiet fell upon the crowd.
“My name is Griffen, and this is Phillipa.” Griffen looked like a giant, towering over the children as his voice bounced toward the mountain face and back. “We are your new King and Queen.”
The children looked up at them with stunned faces, not daring to talk but no doubt their minds were racing. What would this change in ruler mean for them?
“I want my mama!” cried a young girl at the front of the crowd.
An older boy next to her clamped his hand over her mouth, his eyes filling with fear. Micah felt sick at the thought of what must’ve happened to that poor boy for him to be so afraid for a young girl who’d committed the crime of asking for her mother.
“You’re all free to go home,” said Pip. “Never will you have to step inside those mines again.”
The children looked at each other, as if wondering what the trick was.
“What are you waiting for?” asked Griffen. “You’re free! Go home to your mothers and fathers.”
The children at the front took a tentative step forward. Then seeing that nothing bad was going to happen to them, they increased their pace to a walk, then a run. Soon, children were streaming away from the mines, skipping and hollering, and now Micah could see the flash of teeth joining the whites of their eyes as they broke into smiles.
“We’re going home!” they called to each other.
Micah continued to scan the faces, looking for Gabe. Climbing down from the carriage, she stopped a boy by taking hold of his arm.
“Did you see a young boy arrive in the last couple of days?” she asked.
“Yes!” He pulled away from her and took a step away, not wanting to be delayed by her questions. “New boys arrive every day.”
The Kingdoms of Evernow Box Set Page 114
