snapped his mouth shut and settled the frown back into place.
King Maynard returned his attention to Jackson, effectively dismissing his advisor. “Do you understand the position you are in?”
“Yes, Father, I do.”
“You were included in the council with the seer. He has foretold of the girl existing in this kingdom, has seen her surrounded by light. Are you questioning the prophecy?”
Hmm. He hadn’t thought of that. “Perhaps I am. Is it possible Elijah was mistaken?”
Kai huffed.
King Maynard glared at him. “Send for Elijah.”
Kai gritted his teeth, went to the door, and sent a guard to retrieve the seer.
“Father, I’m sure this is not what’s meant to be. When I saw her, every instinct I had screamed at me not to take her. I respect your orders, and the visions of the prophet, but you’ve always taught me to respect my instincts as well.”
His father fingered the small, jeweled sheath at his waist. The razor sharp dagger it held had been the death of more than one traitor. “We’ll see what Elijah has to say.”
Jackson waited impatiently for the man who now controlled his destiny. Could he make them understand that force wasn’t always the way? They had lived in shadow for too long. Violence had become the answer to everything. Maybe it was time to change.
“Your Majesty.” Elijah bowed in the traditional greeting. “Has something happened?” He turned his piercing, ice blue eyes on Jackson. “Was the girl not where I told you she’d be?”
“She was there, sir.”
“Did the earth not shake?” His delicate hand fluttered to his chest.
“It shook. There was much destruction.”
Being a powerful sorcerer, Elijah had sustained the tremors much longer than they’d intended. “Then where is the girl? Has something happened to her?”
“No, sir.” He was tired of tiptoeing around. He squared his shoulders. “I mean no disrespect, Elijah.” He bowed his head in deference to the other man. “But is there any possibility you are mistaken about the girl?”
Elijah stared at the crossed swords hanging on the wall behind the throne.
The throne Jackson would one day ascend and rule the men who now held his fate in their hands. Unless he was executed.
“No.”
Damn!
Kai smirked.
“I have seen the girl, surrounded by light. There is no doubt she existed in Cymmera.”
“Okay, then.” He had to think, had to buy himself time to make sense of this mess. “Is it possible she came willingly?”
The prophet’s eyes widened. “I would have no way to know that, sir. I only know she will exist here, and she will return light to our kingdom.”
A shred of hope bloomed within Jackson, and he reached for it desperately. “Perhaps that’s the problem. What of the young child she protected?”
“I have not seen a child.” Elijah massaged his temples.
Was he was battling a headache or attempting to retrieve the vision?
Kai slammed his staff against the stone floor. Sparks ignited with the impact. “Enough of this. The seer has spoken. It is time for punishment.” Anger colored his cheeks.
“Your Majesty.” Jackson ignored Kai’s outburst. “I am not questioning the vision. I’m simply asking if it’s possible the girl enters Cymmera of her own free will.”
“Why would she do that, Jackson?” Kai’s voice echoed through the chamber. “How could she do that? Your disobedience and disloyalty to this kingdom are considered treason, and you should be punished accordingly.”
Jackson cringed, not because the warrior was wrong, but because he spoke the truth. Now if he would just shut up so Jackson could think, he might be able to find a way out of this mess.
King Maynard swiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Enough, Kai. If you interrupt again, I will ask you to remove yourself.”
As second in command and Jackson’s trainer, it was well within Kai’s rights to be present during this meeting. As the king’s closest advisor, Kai had every right to voice his opinion. It was his sworn duty to protect his kingdom at all cost. Still, the fact that King Maynard issued the threat should hold any further comments from Kai in check.
“Continue, Elijah.”
“Please, Jackson, explain yourself.” Elijah stood, feet apart, hands clasped behind his back.
This was to be Jackson’s first solo collection and his final test before being ordained a warrior for the Kingdom of Cymmera. He’d parted the veil, opened a doorway to the world of the humans and stepped through, drawing his sword as he went. When his gaze met the target’s over a small child’s head, he’d been bombarded with a force of emotions he didn’t understand and aborted his mission.
The shock of the memory squeezed his lungs, made him short of breath, and he gasped as his gaze shot to Elijah.
The seer glared at him, stern, but not accusing. “What is it Jackson?”
He shook his head, struggled to clear the fog of the vision. “I don’t know. I feel something very strong when I see the girl, but I couldn’t kill her. Is it possible she’s meant to move between the realms?”
He was shaking his head no before Jackson finished the sentence. “I won’t say it’s impossible, but it’s highly unlikely. A human has never before been able to transfer between realms.”
“Hasn’t been able to, or hasn’t been given the opportunity?”
“What do you mean by that?” King Maynard ripped the sword from its sheath, slammed it onto a table beside the throne, and sat.
“Perhaps we rush too quickly to violence. Each time Elijah has a vision, a team is sent to kill the targets and transfer them to Cymmera. They live here, but lose the ability to return to their own realm. Maybe there is another way, a way to bring a human to Cymmera without killing them in the human realm. Besides, Elijah said he’s never had a vision where the objective brought light to the kingdom. Perhaps the girl is different. Are you sure she’s fully human?” That could explain the emotions that tore through him at the thought of her.
Maybe she had bewitched him.
“This is the future king?” Kai’s face turned purple. Spit flew from his mouth. “This is a disgrace. His ideas are blasphemous, and his punishment should be swift and severe. Your Majesty.” Kai moved forward and faced the king. “I have followed you for thousands of years, have served as your second in command for much of that time. I am telling you now, I will never follow your son.” He spun and faced Jackson, challenging him, his disgust and disappointment burning in the black of his
