Powers of the Six (50 page)

She held up her hands in defense. “Don’t look at me. He wouldn’t let me. He’s stubborn and determined to suffer on his own.”

“Speaking of stubborn,” Nolan said, eyes on Emery, “are you and Kael getting along?”

“He’s still one of the most arrogant men I’ve ever known in my life,” Emery said.

“So he’s fine then?”

Emery laughed. “He’s loyal to me. There’s no doubt in his emotions. And though he’s not always loved by the Rol’dan, he’s respected.”

The Rol’dan troops trained, but Kael watched Nolan, arms crossed over his chest. Nolan pushed Perception and saw a smile on his brother’s face. Then, in a flurry of Speed, Kael appeared next to them.

Nolan saw him coming, but Emery did not.

Emery gasped and held back a curse. “General, you will lessen your Speed before you approach, giving me ample warning.”

“Sorry, Your Majesty,” Kael replied, though his emotions revealed nothing apologetic. “May I speak freely?”

“Of course, General,” Emery said.

He grinned, examining Nolan from head to toe. “You look well, I suppose.”

“Now what’s that supposed to mean?”

Kael shrugged. “You tell me. You’re the one with Empathy.”

“Are you being disrespectful to my friend?” Emery asked.

“Oh no, Your Majesty,” Kael teased. “I’ll treat him as I would my own brother.”

Nolan rolled his eyes. “Now
that
isn’t very reassuring.”

They entered the castle and headed to the throne room. A group of Rol’dan waited for their time in the light under the dome. Nolan ignored their gawking stares as best he could and strode to the three Guardians watching over the proceedings.

“It is good to see you awake, Master Nolan,” Greer said, his straight posture more erect than usual. “I hope you are feeling well?”

“A little weak, actually.”

“It is expected, considering what you have accomplished.”

“So the Nass are gone?” Nolan asked.

Greer smiled, though his emotions were tainted with apprehension. “For now.”

Weakness washed over Nolan. He steadied himself on Greer’s arm.

“Master Nolan?” Greer said.

“I … I think I need to stand in the light again.”

Emery motioned toward a group of Rol’dan.

Kat approached. Her eyes traveled up and down Nolan, and her emotions were … well, Nolan tried to ignore her emotions. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Go to the top of the dome and combine the stones again,” Emery said.

She bowed, but her gaze stayed on Nolan. She smiled and left to complete her task.

Nolan turned, and Kael stared at him, puzzlement radiating from him.

“What’s wrong?” Nolan asked.

“Well, if I didn’t know any better, I would say Lieutenant Connelly fancies you.”

Nolan coughed, nearly choking on his own breath.

Kael grinned. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“I don’t see how this is any of your business, General,” Emery added.

Kael straightened, but amusement spilled from him. “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. It’s just, well, Lieutenant Connelly has always been more man than woman. It took me by surprise.”

“More man than woman?” Nolan asked. “Why? Did she reject you?”

Kael barked a laugh, annoyance spiking from him. Nolan had struck a chord. “She dresses like a man and is as tall as one. One could easily mistake her for a man.” Kael grinned. “Or maybe she really
is
a man, and is fooling us all.”

Nolan huffed. Kael was so ridiculous sometimes. “Oh, for Brim’s sake, Kael. She’s a girl.”

Kael’s eyebrows rose, satisfaction sparking his emotions. “And you can prove this? You know from personal experience?”

“No! Not like that,” Nolan added, redirecting Kael’s less-than-pure thoughts. “I’d almost killed her. I’d stabbed her in the chest and I … uh … checked her wound.”

Kael threw back his head and laughed. “Oh? Did you, now?”

Megan frowned and quickly averted her eyes.

Crows, what does she think of me?
He considered reading her, but quickly changed his mind. He didn’t want to know.

“Well,” Emery said a bit louder than necessary. “She’s done already.”

The light of Brim shone in a single circle, the spectrum of colors dancing on the floor. Nolan pushed aside Kael’s teasing and his thoughts about Megan and Kat. He staggered forward, tuning out the watchful faces.

He stayed in the light for quite some time, and slowly his exhaustion ebbed away. Brim was right: He needed the light. He froze, the memory of his vision flooding back. Without the stones, Nolan would
die
. His breath hitched. The vision had been real? Brim was real? He swallowed back his dread. Brim had a job for him.

Emery’s brow furrowed. “Nolan, is something wrong?”

Nolan met the faces of his friends, concern on their emotions. Crows, he didn’t want to leave them. “I …” Nolan said, his voice breaking. “I have to go.”

Emery relaxed, and a smile hinted on his face. “You don’t need to leave, friend. Most of them have accepted me as their king. Your presence here won’t interfere—”

“No,” Nolan said. “It’s not that. I need to leave with the stones.”

Everyone stared, confusion coursing through their emotions.

“What do you mean, Nolan?” Emery asked.

“I need to share the stones. I must take them to the cities and villages. The people need to know of their hidden powers.”

Emery nodded, his emotions contemplative. “So why leave? The people of Adamah are welcome here.”

Nolan took a deep breath. “Brim told me to go.”

Silence followed, shock in their emotions. Megan stared at him with an intensity that made Nolan squirm.

“When do you have to leave?” Greer asked, unshaken.

Nolan hesitated. “Soon, I think.”

“I can go with you,” Megan suggested, hopeful.

Nolan shook his head. “No. You can’t.”

Her recent grief flooded into him, along with a multitude of other, more intimate feelings. Nolan really liked her, but things had changed. She needed to find someone normal and move on.

“I don’t care what you look like,” she said, her voice trembling.

“It’s more than that, Megan.”

“No, it isn’t,” she said, desperation tainting her tone. “You’re still Nolan. I see it in your eyes.”

“I’m not the same. Nolan Trividar died—”

“You aren’t dead,” she snapped, anger flaring. She reached to his face, and Nolan caught her hand, longing to let her touch him.

“I am only half human,” Nolan said. “I may never grow old, or be able to raise a family. And now I have to carry the stones.”

“Why you?” she stammered, yanking her hand away. “What about the Guardians? They can take the stupid stones, and you can stay here with me.”

“Megan, they can’t even touch them.”

“Then let me go with you!”

Nolan met her eyes, wishing he could say yes. She’d been through so much. But he couldn’t take her; she’d only distract him. “You can’t come, because I don’t want you to.”

She startled and stepped back, rejection striking her.

Nolan turned his head, unable to look at her, his lie stabbing him. Nolan risked a glance and saw Emery holding Megan as she sobbed in his arms. Emery and Nolan’s eyes met. Emery’s emotions snuffed like someone throwing water on a flame. He’d hidden it too late. Emery
loved
Megan.

Emery’s voice appeared in his mind.
Don’t tell, Nolan. Please.

Nolan nodded once to reassure him. This secret wasn’t his to tell.

“So, Lord Emissary, when do you plan to leave?” a voice asked.

Nolan jerked toward Kat. “What did you call me?”

“Emissary, of course,” she said. “You said you must spread the knowledge of Brim to Adamah. The term ‘Messenger’ doesn’t seem a grand enough word to use.”

He couldn’t speak at first.
Why’d she use the same title Brim had?
Finally, he cleared his throat. “You could just call me Nolan.”

She feigned a shocked expression. “Call you Nolan? Never.”

Emery led Megan from the throne room, still sobbing in his arms.

“So, will you need assistance on your journey, Emissary?” Kat said, pulling him to her conversation.

“Maybe. I haven’t thought much about it yet.”

“Then may I request to assist you?”

“Wouldn’t you rather stay and serve under General Trividar again?”

She laughed, and then stopped abruptly, scowling. “That cad? I’d rather you tried to kill me again.”

Nolan raised his eyebrows. “Would you, now?”

“Especially now that you heal.”

Her eyes roamed over Nolan, causing his face to warm; he’d been doing a lot of that the last hour or so. Across the room, Alec entered: A perfect excuse to leave.

“I’m sorry, Kat. If you’d excuse me?”

He ignored her flare of disappointment and closed the distance to Alec. The gash across his face had scabbed over, puckering the skin.

“I just got back,” Alec said. “Heard you were awake.”

“Obviously.”

Alec examined Nolan and shook his head. His emotions felt so heavy. “I still don’t know how I’m going to get used to you.” He hesitated then held out his hand. A new leather belt and straps lay in his open palm. “Here. I made you some new ones.”

Nolan didn’t need his Empathy to see the turmoil of emotions behind Alec’s brown eyes.

“Thanks.” Nolan took the straps. “How’s my uncle?”

“Not well. He seemed better after we talked, though I can’t imagine why.”

“If Taryn loved you, he would too.”

Alec looked at his feet. “The Trividar family is an odd group.”

“That’s why you fit in so well.”

He smiled faintly and then licked his scabbed lip. “There’s something else I wanted to give you.” He unbuckled the sword and held it out.

Nolan stared at it. “Alec, I can’t. Your father made it for you.”

“And it’s given me trouble since the day I touched it. Besides, my father created it from both the steel of a Guardian sword and of man.” He shrugged. “It seems more fitting for you.”

The sword meant a lot to Alec. Nolan couldn’t take it.

“Please,” Alec said. “Every time I look at it, I think about it causing the death of Taryn, Kael, and you. And don’t tell me it isn’t true.” He held the pommel toward Nolan. “Please, Nolan. Take it. For me.”

Nolan didn’t want to, but he took it. For Alec.

As soon as he touched it, the light of Brim swelled and spread into the sword. The Guardian steel came to life, glowing as if a living flame took shape in the blade. Nolan swung it in a slow arch. A line of light traced the path as if the sword
had
been made for him.

“Nolan?” Alec said.

Nolan stopped mid-swing, catching the tortured expression on Alec’s face.

“That day in the throne room, when you brought back Kael …”

Nolan’s gut wrenched. “I … I didn’t have a choice.”

“Everyone has a choice!” Alec snapped. “Taryn had a choice.
You
had a choice.”

“Kael’s my brother. What did you expect me to do?”

“I know he’s your brother. But crows, Nolan. You made me
watch
.” Alec’s face trembled, his eyes pooled, and a tear fell down his cheek, running through his scar. “You died in front of me, and I felt like I pushed the blade in myself.”

Nolan jolted back. He’d only stopped his friend, he didn’t think about what he would see. The same wound that killed Kael was the one he’d absorbed to die. And he’d frozen Alec so he had to watch the whole thing. What had he done? “Alec. I’m so sorry.”

Alec scowled and walked away.

“Alec! Forgive me!” Nolan said.

Alec paused, his back to Nolan. “I will. Someday. But not now.”

Nolan ran a hand over the smooth contours of his new face. He’d hurt the two people he cared about the most. But as much as he regretted it, they would both forgive him … eventually. Families did that for each other.

He looked to the light of Brim as it shimmered and changed on the floor. It was ironic how the very stones that gave him his powers were the ones that would keep him alive. And now, Nolan had to carry them around the land and hope people would listen. Though he knew he must travel throughout Adamah and spread the knowledge of Brim—alone for the most part—he also knew he’d always remain in the hearts of friends. And their friendship was more precious to him than all the stones or powers in the world. He’d just have to make Adamah believe in the stones, whether they wanted to or not.

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