about me behind my back. My glowing sword, my ability to move quickly,
knocking people over with a push of air, hearing things before anyone else
does. The power is growing inside me, Kelln. I see things more clearly, and I
feel things more. The anger drives the power and feeds it. That is when I am
most powerful.”
Kelln took a few steps back and opened his mouth, but nothing came
out.
“You are welcome to stay with us.” Darius informed his friend
formally. “Tomorrow we finish our march toward Belor. You can go or stay, but
this is what I must do now. I will confront the Preacher and see what his
grievances are. Maybe he is not so far off the track as many believe.”
Kelln tried to pat down his unruly red hair, but an evening wind
blew it all around. “You need to watch out for the Preacher, Darius. He is
dangerous. He is more powerful than you think.”
“He cannot be that strong.” Darius sneered. “You can stay here or
go with us, but I am going to Belor.
“Fine.” Kelln mumbled. “Someone needs to watch over your ego.”
In the blink of an eye, Darius was in front of Kelln’s face with a
warning. “Watch your step, Kelln.”
With no more words, Kelln walked away from Darius and back to the
campfire. Darius watched him go and felt guilty for being so harsh to his
friend. Kelln had always been beside him in the past. If his friend could see
reason they could walk together again and accomplish anything they wanted to.
The next day the party resumed walking toward Belor, and by
nightfall they reached the banks of the Black River. Darius stood at its side,
looking into its swift currents. The early spring storms had swollen the river
beyond its winter’s bank. He watched his face reflecting in the dark moving
water. His features would appear and disappear as the water hit rocks and
turned into white foam. Two arms wrapped around him from the back. Leandra.
“We haven't spoken in a while.” Her soft, breathy voice whispered
behind him.
“I’ve been busy,” Darius said, hoping to make her leave. He wanted
to be left alone.
“Remember when we first met and we were sitting around the old
fire up in the Superstition Mountains camp?”
Darius smiled at the memory. He remembered how flustered he had been.
“Remember I said you would become a great leader for the King?
Well, Darius, you are.” Leandra shifted closer to him and put her head against
his shoulder.
Darius sighed and continued looking at the rushing waters. “I
know. Sometimes I feel so powerful when I am leading the men. I feel like I am
unconquerable, that nothing can stand in my way. But when I am by myself
looking into this raging river I think of how small and weak I am.”
Leandra leaned into him further. He could feel her warm breath on
his neck, forming a small swirl of steam in the cool night air. The sounds of
campfires crackled in the camp. All was secure and peaceful.
“You cannot conquer everything at once,” said Leandra as she
looked at the river. “But someday, Darius, you will.”
Darius brought his head back from hers, turned around, and put his
hand on her face. He drew Leandra in close and kissed her. She always seemed to
soften his anger. They stood holding each other in silence as it slipped into
the cool peacefulness of the night air.
Something in the back of his mind tried to warn him, but he pushed
it away and enjoyed the moment.
Chapter 6
A PLAN
C hristine Anderssn sat with some of her friends arguing about an
upcoming vote among the farmers. The petition they took to the King had been
ignored, and discontent was moving toward action on both sides.
“We must make a plan.”Thomas stood in front of
his friends, skinny as a rail, flailing his arms around for emphasis. Having
grown up only a few farms over from Christine, he had known Anya, Karel, and
Christine for years, though he was two years older than any of them. Stephanie,
the other in the group, stood silently to the side. Her
knocking people over with a push of air, hearing things before anyone else
does. The power is growing inside me, Kelln. I see things more clearly, and I
feel things more. The anger drives the power and feeds it. That is when I am
most powerful.”
Kelln took a few steps back and opened his mouth, but nothing came
out.
“You are welcome to stay with us.” Darius informed his friend
formally. “Tomorrow we finish our march toward Belor. You can go or stay, but
this is what I must do now. I will confront the Preacher and see what his
grievances are. Maybe he is not so far off the track as many believe.”
Kelln tried to pat down his unruly red hair, but an evening wind
blew it all around. “You need to watch out for the Preacher, Darius. He is
dangerous. He is more powerful than you think.”
“He cannot be that strong.” Darius sneered. “You can stay here or
go with us, but I am going to Belor.
“Fine.” Kelln mumbled. “Someone needs to watch over your ego.”
In the blink of an eye, Darius was in front of Kelln’s face with a
warning. “Watch your step, Kelln.”
With no more words, Kelln walked away from Darius and back to the
campfire. Darius watched him go and felt guilty for being so harsh to his
friend. Kelln had always been beside him in the past. If his friend could see
reason they could walk together again and accomplish anything they wanted to.
The next day the party resumed walking toward Belor, and by
nightfall they reached the banks of the Black River. Darius stood at its side,
looking into its swift currents. The early spring storms had swollen the river
beyond its winter’s bank. He watched his face reflecting in the dark moving
water. His features would appear and disappear as the water hit rocks and
turned into white foam. Two arms wrapped around him from the back. Leandra.
“We haven't spoken in a while.” Her soft, breathy voice whispered
behind him.
“I’ve been busy,” Darius said, hoping to make her leave. He wanted
to be left alone.
“Remember when we first met and we were sitting around the old
fire up in the Superstition Mountains camp?”
Darius smiled at the memory. He remembered how flustered he had been.
“Remember I said you would become a great leader for the King?
Well, Darius, you are.” Leandra shifted closer to him and put her head against
his shoulder.
Darius sighed and continued looking at the rushing waters. “I
know. Sometimes I feel so powerful when I am leading the men. I feel like I am
unconquerable, that nothing can stand in my way. But when I am by myself
looking into this raging river I think of how small and weak I am.”
Leandra leaned into him further. He could feel her warm breath on
his neck, forming a small swirl of steam in the cool night air. The sounds of
campfires crackled in the camp. All was secure and peaceful.
“You cannot conquer everything at once,” said Leandra as she
looked at the river. “But someday, Darius, you will.”
Darius brought his head back from hers, turned around, and put his
hand on her face. He drew Leandra in close and kissed her. She always seemed to
soften his anger. They stood holding each other in silence as it slipped into
the cool peacefulness of the night air.
Something in the back of his mind tried to warn him, but he pushed
it away and enjoyed the moment.
Chapter 6
A PLAN
C hristine Anderssn sat with some of her friends arguing about an
upcoming vote among the farmers. The petition they took to the King had been
ignored, and discontent was moving toward action on both sides.
“We must make a plan.”Thomas stood in front of
his friends, skinny as a rail, flailing his arms around for emphasis. Having
grown up only a few farms over from Christine, he had known Anya, Karel, and
Christine for years, though he was two years older than any of them. Stephanie,
the other in the group, stood silently to the side. Her
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