The Stone of Power (The Legendary Keepers Book 2)

by Cassidy Bennett

  “Thank you,” Lena said as he released her hand.

  He smiled and gave her a quick nod in acknowledgement. “Get Gabrielle to the Heart of Maserai soon, okay? Mallum too.”

  Lena nodded. “Okay.”

  “Speaking of whom,” Zenner said, beckoning Mallum forward. “I’m quite curious about you, young man. May I judge you next?”

  Mallum shrugged, but I could tell he was shaking a little bit. “Sure,” he managed, placing his hand in Zenner’s paw. The sphinx of black quartz closed his eyes, his brows furrowing.

  “Your memories are dark for someone so young,” he remarked after a few moments. He opened his eyes, giving Mallum a look of sorrowful sympathy. “Between your family life, lack of friends in your childhood, and guilt from your actions of the last few years, it’s a miracle you’ve survived this long.”

  Zenner glanced over at Lena, who had a similar expression of sorrow on her face. She’d known Mallum the longest out of all of us. I couldn’t help but wonder just how much of his life—of these “dark memories” Zenner spoke of—she’d witnessed.

  “Having someone to hold on to always helps, of course, but that doesn’t take away the difficulty of your life,” Zenner continued. He looked back at Mallum. “You’ve seen the error of your ways, but have you seen the error of your self-perception?”

  Mallum’s brows furrowed in confusion. “‘The error of my self-perception’? What do you mean?”

  Zenner released his hand. “You are no villain, Mallum Frond. In the very depths of your heart, you are a hero. You are every bit as valuable as your comrades. My advice to you is to forgive yourself. I acknowledge that it is nowhere near easy, but I assure you that it will be worth it.”

  That seemed to strike a chord with Mallum. “Th-thank you,” he stuttered. He retreated back to where Lena stood. I saw her gently slip her hand in his.

  Zenner held out his paw again. “Who’s next?”

  Regina pushed Felix forward. “Your turn, starch-head.”

  He scowled at her, but took Zenner’s paw anyway. After a few moments, Zenner began his judgment.

  “Your father has been banished from your mind, but not by any choice of yours. All you know of him comes from your own heritage, something that you avoid sharing with your friends because you fear their voices will add to the taunting of your childhood and of the Darkness.”

  I exchanged a curious look with Regina. It hadn’t occurred to me that Felix might be keeping a secret, but I did recall that the Darkness had mentioned something about him being a freak when I first met him. Did that have anything to do with this judgment?

  Zenner continued. “Although your history with your friends is extensive, there are some whose anger you fear. In an effort to hide the pain of your past, you try to be carefree and humorous.”

  I glanced at Tom. He looked ashamed, with his face a bit red, but I knew he was trying not to show it. It probably didn’t help that most of the Legendary Keepers who had seen his rages just happened to glance his way too.

  The sphinx of black quartz released Felix’s hand and finished with, “My advice to you is to be kinder to yourself. If your pain resurfaces, don’t be so quick to bury it beneath a smile.”

  Felix nodded wordlessly. I found that, for once, I couldn’t seem to read his facial expression as he returned to the group.

  “Steven Peterson, I’m intrigued by your friend’s memories of you,” Zenner remarked, addressing Steven directly. “May I judge you next?”

  Steven nodded and shakily took Zenner’s paw.

  “Master of Memories, your past is one you regret, even though there is very little you could have done differently to prevent these feelings of guilt. Your fear of your ability has spiraled out of your control. The secret you guard is one you truly fear,” Zenner stated.

  I knew Steven had been hiding something from us and I couldn’t help wondering what it was. I was listening intently now, intrigued by whatever this “ability” he had was.

  Zenner released his hand. “My advice to you, Steven Peterson, is to finally confront your past. Reveal the truth to Magenta Valida Smith…” He started to trail off, glancing at me, then back at Steven. Then, he finished with, “...about her lost memories.”

  Chapter 25

  “Wait, you know something about my lost memories?” I asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Steven looked at Zenner with pleading eyes. “I-I can’t,” he told him desperately.

  Zenner placed a paw on his shoulder, as if to encourage him. “You can do it, Steven.” He faced the rest of us. “I know questions are eating away at each of you regarding this matter, but seeing as you are pressed for time, I would recommend waiting until you stop for the night before demanding answers. We must finish the judgments, for the sake of your progress.”

  Although I was irritated with having to wait even longer for answers, I saw the logic in Zenner’s advice and sighed. “Fine. I’ve waited this long. What’s another little while?”

  “That’s the spirit,” Zenner commented cheerfully. He held out a paw. “Who’s next?”

  Tom stepped forward, to my surprise, and wordlessly put his hand in Zenner’s paw.

  His judgment for Tom was shorter than many of the judgments for the other Legendary Keepers, but not necessarily less informative. “You hate not having things under control, but this has made making friends hard for you throughout your entire life. When things don’t go right, you lash out in anger. You regret it afterward, and, lately, you’ve been working on controlling yourself. Now that you have loyal friends, you’re afraid to lose them.”

  Tom just nodded.

  Zenner smiled at him and released his hand. “Learn patience, Tom Jones, and I can assure you that they will never abandon you.”

  Tom smiled and returned to our group. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen him smile. Really smile. It was good to see him happy.

  Without Zenner having to say anything, Regina stepped forward. He didn’t miss a beat, holding out his paw. She placed her hand in it and awaited her judgment.

  “Dyseo Fa’ema, the wounds from your past have scarred you. You keep your thoughts and heart guarded, afraid that you will be hurt again. The one person you completely trust is currently battling the darkest power in the Dimensions in her mind. Losing her, one of your greatest fears, is coming closer to becoming a reality.”

  Tears glistened in Regina’s eyes, but she did her best to blink them away. A few tears slipped out, sliding down her cheeks, but she kept most of them under control. Her eyes were no longer guarded or cold. It was strange to see Regina vulnerable.

  “Don’t lose hope, Regina Parker,” Zenner advised. “Your voice is full of authority, but it can also be full of inspiration. Put your fears aside and use it to save your cousin.”

  She nodded. “Thank you. I will.”

  She returned to the group. Tom glanced at her. They were too far away for me to hear their conversation, but they quietly conversed as the next person in our group, Lori, stepped forward to receive her judgment. She bit her lip, then placed her hand in Zenner’s.

  “Lori Feylan, you have had difficult times in your few years of life,” he began. “As a dingvar, some in Nightmare County despise you. You never felt like you fit in, no matter how hard you tried to. Many of your foolish mistakes were from lack of perspective, something that you have begun fixing already from your few days with your companions.”

  Lori nervously looked back at all of us. I smiled at her, hoping it would help a bit. She managed a small smile in return, then turned back to face Zenner.

  “What began as only a quest to save your family and your kind became a journey on which you’ve found real friends. My advice to you is to stop trying to bury yourself and learn to be who you are—or rather, the kind of person you have the potential to be. You know that these new friends of yours can help you.”

  Zenner released Lori’s hand, casting a sweeping glance over the rest of us, then retur
ning his gaze to her for his final statement of advice.

  “Just don’t stop yourself from letting them.”

  That last statement seemed to resonate with Lori. When she returned to the group, she was biting her lip. She looked thoughtful.

  “Who wants to go next?” the sphinx of black quartz asked.

  Selene shrugged and put her hand in his paw. “I might as well,” she said.

  He hesitated for just a moment before speaking. “People who were very dear to you were murdered at the hand of a ruthless person, the same who has scarred so many. Knowing that the person you once called your best friend gave her the information that led to this massacre eats you up inside, even though you see the sincerity of his apologies in his eyes. You’ve decided that nothing can make up for so many lost lives.”

  Selene tensed noticeably. William looked dejected and heartbroken. I felt really bad for him. It probably felt like being called out in the middle of class for doing something wrong or embarrassing.

  Zenner hesitated a moment, noticing her tension, but soon continued, choosing his words carefully and thoughtfully. “While nothing can make up for lost lives, especially not so many, you must not add yours to the number. Hatred and anger can completely consume you if you don’t work toward forgiveness. I advise you to start letting go and to allow yourself to forgive.”

  A scowl spread across her face. “I can’t.”

  “Selene Robbins,” he said gently, “forgiving your friend will not demean the sacrifice of the lives that were lost.”

  “He isn’t my friend,” Selene corrected coldly.

  William flinched. His breaths were shaky. I could tell he was barely able to keep himself from crying.

  “But he could be. The choice is yours.”

  With that final statement, Zenner released Selene’s hand. She stayed in the same position for a second longer than necessary, as if in shock, before rapidly walking over to the side of the group as far away from William as possible.

  Zenner held his paw out to William. “Now, for your side of the story, young man. May I?”

  William nodded and placed his hand in the statue’s paw.

  “Your betrayal itself was farther from heartfelt than anything else you’ve ever done. Done only to save your sister’s life and done in complete ignorance of Esora’s plans, you did only what you felt you had to. If you had known that your sister would die despite your efforts, your decision may have been different,” Zenner stated simply.

  William nodded without looking away from the sphinx of black quartz.

  “Still, you risked losing your best friend for a loving sister. In an effort to make amends for something that you know is unlikely to truly mend, you’ve taken responsibility for your actions and have been patient in seeking the forgiveness of your companions.”

  I stole a glance at Selene. She looked torn. I knew that, even though he had been mature in his methods of seeking her forgiveness, forgiving William might be the hardest thing she’s ever done. Assuming she decided to forgive him at all.

  Zenner continued his judgment of William. “Never give up, William Johnson,” he advised. “Your loyalty to your family and friends is unrivaled by many I’ve judged, even considering your ‘betrayal’.” The statue released William’s hand, giving him a look of reverence. “Someday, I’m sure that your loyalty will serve you well.”

  William thanked him and strode over to where Selene stood. He took a deep breath, then sincerely told her, “You don’t have to forgive me, but please just know that I’m really sorry for what I did and, whether or not you’re ever able to forgive me, you and the rest of the Legendary Keepers have my unwavering loyalty.”

  Shocked, Selene only managed a nod. William, looking at least somewhat satisfied, returned to where he’d stood before his judgment at the other side of the group.

  Zenner held his paw out for David, who was the last of our group to be judged. “Are you ready?” the sphinx statue asked.

  David shrugged and took Zenner’s paw. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Pass your judgment.”

  Zenner didn't hesitate. “You knew who your sister was long before even your parents did. As you both grew older, you did what you could to protect her. When her memories were taken, you agreed to stay in the Dimensions and to keep your parents updated on what was happening in the world they vanished from.”

  David tensed. He had a sister? I hadn’t known that. What had happened to her to make her lose her memories? Who were they taken by?

  “A family friend took you in as his own son, that way you wouldn’t be completely on your own during this time. The opportunity presented itself to see your sister again and you couldn’t resist it, even though you knew that a journey through the Labyrinth would be dangerous and that she wouldn’t even recognize you,” Zenner continued.

  An odd feeling rose in my chest, but it was Zenner’s last statement that nearly gave me a heart attack.

  “David Smith, you know it’s time to tell her what really happened years ago, before it’s too late.”

  Chapter 26

  I stared at David wordlessly, my mouth hanging open.

  David Smith...I was the sister with the lost memories, wasn’t I?

  David was my brother.

  I barely registered it when Zenner announced, “You have all been judged worthy to proceed!” and slid to the side, revealing a doorway.

  David had to grab me by the arm and guide me through the doorway, which partially snapped me out of it. The room we were in was a large circle, so Lori decided we’d make camp here. We started selecting our spots for our sleeping bags and setting up. I started setting up my sleeping bag near David’s, asking some of the hundreds of questions I had.

  “Why didn’t Mom and Dad tell me about you? Why didn’t you say who you were when we found you? What do you know about the incident?”

  “Valida, slow down,” he interrupted as he set his sleeping bag on the ground and sat down on it. “I know you have a lot of questions, but I can only answer one at a time.”

  “Okay,” I acknowledged, taking a second to compose myself and slow down a little. “Why didn’t Mom and Dad tell me about you?”

  “Well, think about it,” David said. “If they told you that you had a brother, you’d want to know where I was, right? Well, I was in the Dimensions, a universe that you couldn’t remember anymore. Your memories of the Dimensions were taken for a reason, and I’m guessing Mom and Dad didn’t want to lie about where I was. It was probably just easier not to tell you about me in the first place.”

  That made sense, but I still wasn’t happy about it.

  “Why were my memories of the Dimensions taken? Who took them?”

  “After Lena was captured by the Lulins in your place,” David said, “our parents realized that this might be their only chance to increase your safety. You weren’t safe in the Dimensions. There were creatures that wanted you dead. Lena bought you some time to disappear. Mom and Dad took advantage of that...and the fact that Steven is the Master of Memories.”

  “What does him being the Master of Memories even mean?” I asked.

  Visibly trembling, Steven joined us and stuttered, “It m-means that I have p-power over memories. I can take them away, b-but I haven’t figured out how to return them. I d-don’t even know if I can return them.”

  “Mom and Dad called up Steven’s parents, Okeso and Emma, and asked if Steven could remove your memories of the Dimensions. They knew that your knowledge of them was too risky. You’d want to go back. You’d want to see your friends—Felix, Steven, Kyalia, and Tom—again,” David continued. “You might do something rash. You were just days away from your ninth birthday and didn’t always have the best judgment.”

  I nodded to let him know that I was still listening.

  “I d-didn’t want to take them,” Steven said, shaking with nerves. “My p-parents said I had to. They s-said it was to protect you, but I d-didn’t want to hurt you. I d-didn’t want you to forget e
verything and everyone.”

  David put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter,” he told him. “It’s okay.”

  Steven shook his head, avoiding eye contact with me. “N-no, it’s not.”

  To my surprise, I heard Regina speak behind me. “It was for Valida’s protection, wasn’t it?” she asked Steven, even though it sounded like she already knew the answer.

  Steven nodded wordlessly.

  She sat by me on top of my sleeping bag. “And it worked out pretty well in the end, didn’t it?”

  He hesitated a moment, thinking, then nodded again with certainty.

  Regina looked at me. “And you aren’t upset about it, right?”

  I thought about it for a minute. Steven had taken my memories at my parents’ request and for my protection. Yeah, I was frustrated that I couldn’t remember a thing before the incident—which, I assumed, was when Steven took my memories and my brother went off on his own in the Dimensions—but I realized that I honestly wasn’t upset with Steven. I had a somewhat normal childhood after my ninth birthday, thanks to him. I probably wouldn’t have ever gotten that if I’d known about the Dimensions.

  “I’m not upset about it,” I confirmed, giving Steven a small smile to let him know how sincerely I meant it. He looked so relieved that it was heartbreaking.

  “So, that’s why you didn’t recognize me when we met!” Felix said, joining us. There wasn’t a lot of room left on my sleeping bag or David’s, so the Legendary Keepers gathered around us, sitting wherever. “I was an adorable little kid when we used to play together, just so you know.”

  I shrugged with a grin. “I’ll have to take your word for it.”

  “Tomorrow is our last day to find the Zemayta Stone,” Lori reminded us glumly. “I hate to break up this heartwarming reunion, but it’s getting late. Mallum, Valida, you have first watch, right?”