Amidst The Rising Shadows (Book 3) (28 page)

“Understandable,” Isaac said. “Most don’t leave the order once inducted. We ask that you allow us to prove ourselves.”

“Isaac did help us get into the Citadel tower and has been involved with the Resistance in the past,” Aaron said. “Him I can extend a certain measure of trust, but the rest of you? I don’t think so.”

“With all due respect, we came here to pledge our loyalty and service to our queen and not to
you,
” the young dark-haired Elitesmen said.

“Have a care with how you speak, Elitesman,” Sarah said coldly, “You know to whom you speak, so I don’t need to remind you, but know this: Aaron is my love. His voice is my voice. His will is my will. In this life we are one, now and forever. If Khamearra is to have me as their queen then they will be aligned with Shandara and the Alenzar’seth.”

The silence of the hall swallowed them up, and Aaron’s mouth hung open. He loved Sarah and knew she loved him. No force on Safanar or any other world would ever keep them apart, but to hear her speak those words sent shockwaves through him.

“My Lady,” Colind said softly. “You speak the old oaths.”

“Would you expect anything less, my Lord Guardian?” Sarah answered.

Aaron and Sarah spared each other a glance with hints of a smile.

“You would align the kingdoms of the west with those of the east?” Colind asked.

“Be more than a kingdom then,” Aaron said, drawing everyone’s attention. “Be a nation of men and women united. The promises and oaths sworn between kings die with them. Be a nation of people, and those laws won’t die because the ruling families change."

Colind smiled thoughtfully, “It’s never far from you, is it?”

“It’s the best way forward. You, my grandfather, and others of the Safanarion Order began this work,” Aaron said. “Why would anyone trade one tyrant for another? The bonds of this alliance should be strong enough to survive the death of one man even if he is Ferasdiam marked.”

“Not all the kingdoms would agree to this,” Colind said.

“Then that is their prerogative, but given time they will come around,” Sarah said.

“We still offer our services,” Isaac said. “Any leader among you knows the value of having well-placed agents in the enemy. We can give you information about the focusing crystals and how they are being used. How many there are and how they are being protected."

Gavril and the other generals of the Free Nations Army perked up at this.

Sarah regarded the Elitesmen, "I'll accept your service on the following conditions,
 
and they are not negotiable,” she said, capturing all within her regal gaze. “Your powers are a privilege, and from this day forth will be used in the service of protecting others. You will have dominion over no one but yourself. The Elitesmen are not a law unto themselves and have much to atone for. Part of that atonement will be met by service in the Free Nations Army. You will enter service at the lowest possible rank, and you will only be given privileges through achievement. If you can agree to that, then you can be in my service. If not then the door is over there, gentlemen. I won’t have you in my company or in Khamearra. Is that clear?”

Isaac already nodded before looking at the others, and they spoke in unison. “By the grace of our Queen we serve.”

“There is one more thing,” Sarah said and waited a moment. “You will no longer call yourselves Elitesmen. My first act as queen will be to disband the Order of the Elite.”

Some of them sucked in a breath with an angry glint in their eyes.

“What may we call ourselves then?” one of them asked.

“You have names, why don’t you start with those,” Sarah said. “Perhaps in time and if you prove yourselves worthy, you can apply to enter into the Safanarion Order.”

Colind sucked in a breath, and Aaron felt his mouth hang open again. After a few moments’ thought he found that he agreed with her. Real change can come from a new identity, and inside he applauded her genius.

“I would honor that,” Aaron said.

“But they’re Elitesmen,” Colind said before he could stop himself.

“Look at them. The younger ones held no part in the fall of Shandara,” Aaron said.

“And what of the older ones?” Colind asked narrowing his thunderous gaze.

“They broke with the Order and were hunted as any of the Safanarion Order were,” Aaron said.

Colind drew up his chin stubbornly, considering what Aaron had said. “You took the Safanarion Oath. One day this will fall to you and the others when I am gone. I hope this isn’t a mistake, but I will consider any man or woman into the Safanarion Order should they be worthy.”

The council session ended. Isaac and the other former Elitesmen left with Gavril and some others, eager to glean whatever intelligence there was to be learned. Sarah stayed by his side along with Verona and Roselyn. Braden kept a wary eye on the former Elitesmen. Aaron nodded for him to go on, and Braden gave him a salute and stalked off to follow them.

Sarah glanced at him.

“Braden won’t rest until he’s sure about them,” Aaron said.

“I thought now that you were back that things would calm down, but there is never a dull moment when you two are together,” Verona said, dividing his gaze between Aaron and Sarah. “Did you ever think that Elitesmen would come asking to join us? Or more specifically pledge their loyalty to their queen?”

“I knew there were factions, but I never thought any of them would give up being an Elitesman,” Aaron said.

“Actions will prove their conviction in this case,” Sarah said. “It seemed obvious that if they were going to help us then they needed to be reforged. If they follow through they will be better for it. I just hope I haven’t made us more vulnerable if they don’t.”

“Some things are worth the risk,” Aaron said.

Colind approached them and asked to speak with Aaron. Then after a moment’s consideration he asked for Sarah to stay with them.

“What I’m about to tell you will affect you as well,” Colind said to her.

They left the main hall, leaving the palace, and headed into gardens that were meticulously maintained. The fresh air felt good after being stuck inside.

“Ferasdiam marked,” Colind said. “Do you know what it means?”

Aaron frowned, “I think I have a pretty good idea.”

Colind’s lips lifted into a small smile, “Enlighten me.”

“You believe that I’ve been touched by the Goddess Ferasdiam. This has granted me powers beyond that of an ordinary person,” Aaron said.

“You sound as if you don’t believe it,” Colind said quietly.

“I’m not sure what to believe. I do believe that anything I can do, can be done by someone else,” Aaron answered.

“Do you think Braden can jump as high as you do? Or Verona move as fast as you do? Channel enough energy through that staff to kill a Ryakul? You’ve surpassed anyone who has been Ferasdiam marked before with the possible exception of the Amorak,” Colind said.

“My father? He's Ferasdiam marked?” she asked looking from Colind to Aaron.

“He is,” Aaron said. “When I faced him atop the Citadel tower the Dragon tattoo felt strange.”

“How so?” Sarah asked.

“It was like it was reacting to being near him,” Aaron said, thinking back to his encounter with the High King. “I think he felt it too. He kept rubbing his arm.”

Colind nodded, “Having two Ferasdiam marked within the same lifespan hasn’t happened before.”

“What I don’t understand is why the Goddess would bestow her mark on one such as he? It makes me think that this is up to chance. You say my ability to move faster and be stronger than the others is a mark of me being special. What if it’s just talent, like a musician’s skill with an instrument?” Aaron said.

“But you’ve heard her message. The Eldarin honor their vows, and that is not something to take lightly,” Colind said.

“The land needs a champion,” Aaron quoted. “That is what she told me. What vow do the Eldarin honor?”

“Even on your Earth there must have been those among you who had talents in things that went beyond that of ordinary people. Despite you being raised on another world, your bond with Safanar is strong. I can sense your connection to it, and this is a good thing,” Colind said.

Aaron glanced at Sarah, and she took his hand in hers. Safanar had become home to him. He did miss Earth sometimes, and his sister, but his place was here.

“There is a danger in being Ferasdiam marked,” Colind said.

Aaron met Colind’s gaze and mentally braced himself, “What danger?”

“Reymius bid me to let you make your own way, and he was right. But if something happens to me there would be no one left to tell you. Those who bore the mark before came during times of great change. Some were a force for good, and others became as Amorak. Drunk on power,” Colind said.

“It wasn’t always so with him,” Sarah said.

“I believe you, my Lady. Tapping into the energy opens ourselves to the knowledge of past souls. This can cause madness in some. We are defined by our actions. It is our actions that carry the weight that bares the measure of us. Too much death, and destruction can wither person’s soul. I remember when Amorak was much younger and not as he is today. He was seduced by the power of being Ferasdiam marked and views himself almost as a god.”

Sarah withdrew her hand from Aaron's, “Worship of the Goddess is outlawed in Khamearra, but the people still do in secret.”

“Exactly,” Colind said. “The Ferasdiam marked have a special connection to the higher orders, but Aaron, you are quite different. You spent the measure of your life never knowing about any of this. Your dedication to people governing themselves is quite remarkable.”

“Darkness can find its way into anyone’s soul,” Aaron said. When journeying to Safanar he had been on the path of vengeance, and it nearly sucked the life out of him to a fate worse than death.

“I knew you would understand, but there is more. The more powerful you become the more tenuous your connection to who you are becomes,” Colind said.

Aaron frowned, “Are you saying I will become like the High King?”

“It’s not outside the realm of possibilities. The Eldarin are creatures of two worlds with a foothold in this realm and one beyond. They become pure energy and transcend these planes, ascending to the higher orders,” Colind said.

Aaron studied Colind’s face, trying to glean the meaning behind his words. “Are you saying that I can do the same?”

Colind slowly nodded, “Except that the Eldarin return to heed your call. If you were to transcend you may not return, ever.”

Sarah’s eyes darted to his
.
“I would never leave,” Aaron said.

“Love keeps you here. What would you do if you lost each other?” Colind asked.

An icy weight shifted in Aaron’s stomach, “Anyone who has ever loved fears the loss of a loved one. I’ve lost those dear to me, and while I mourn that loss each day it doesn’t define me. I won’t become like the High King.”

“That is good to hear,” Colind said.

It wasn’t beyond the realm of possibilities that Aaron could become like the High King, so he could understand Colind’s concern. He didn’t like killing. He killed because there was no other choice, but even those deaths weighed heavily on him at times. Colind left them, and he was once again alone with Sarah.

“Queen?” Aaron asked.

The question caught her off guard, “Of all the things that’s been said you latch onto that.”

Aaron grinned, “Well it popped in there, my Queen.”

Sarah punched him in the arm. “I have as much desire to be queen as you do being king. I do worry about you. You fight with honor. My father won’t, and neither will Halcylon.”

“We can’t fight if we don’t have hope. I won’t become like them,” Aaron said.

“Do you think that they didn’t believe the same thing or something similar at one time or another?” Sarah asked.

“This is a burden shared by anyone, whether they are king or queen or just your everyday average person.”

“You’re right, this is a burden shared by all. Desperation has a way of sapping the souls of men, and once you make a compromise on one thing the next becomes easier, until one day you find yourself doing despicable things you never would have thought you would be doing. That is what Colind is trying to warn you about, my love.”

Aaron nodded, “I understand. That’s why it’s important for you to keep me in line. No, seriously, we all look out for each other. What Verona and the others did so they could be sure that I was really me and not some impostor was right on.”

They came to the tower where a small airship waited to take them back to the FNA camp. Sarah stopped just before the gangplank and glanced back at him, then looked from the ship to the city beyond. She tilted her head to the side and smiled at him. Aaron smiled back and gasped as she jumped away from the tower, streaking away from him in a blur.
It’s like the forest all over again,
Aaron thought and launched into the air, racing to catch up with her. They raced along the rooftops of Rexel as only they could.

C
HAPTER
19

ONE LAST LESSON

Aaron met up with Verona to see the group of FNA soldiers that Colind had sent him. The training area was only half-filled, as many were helping Rexel prepare for attack. Some groups were evacuating those who couldn’t fight to Shandara. Many of the local Rexellians chose to stay and defend their homes. Most of those going to Shandara were children with their mothers and older people who offered to look after the families of those staying behind. What was hard to see were the young boys barley more than teenagers, too old to go with the younger children, but not old enough to fight. Finding them jobs that kept them out of harm’s way was proving to be difficult.