Chapter 31 #2
“Today, you saw Marek Caledon control the Miravow, bending it to his will. You saw him hoard power to kill and destroy, rather than create. These are not the actions of a god. He may be uniquely powerful, and we may need every one of you brave, courageous people to help us beat him, but he is not divine. Remember that, and together we’ll see his body buried in the dirt where it belongs. ”
For a moment, no one says anything, then a lone voice shouts out.
“Well said, Your Majesty!”
My eyes fall on Corrin, who grins at me from where he leans against a tent pole. An exasperated Damia stands beside him.
It’s enough to break the tension, and more people follow suit, offering up a solid cheer. I flush, the anger that spurred me into my dramatic speech draining from me. With an awkward gesture for everyone to return to work, I spin around, meeting Diomi’s eyes first.
“Caledon is commanding the Miravow by force, but you’re the ones who understand it. You share an ancient connection with the forest he can never understand,” I say.
“You’re right,” Diomi replies. “The forest doesn’t forget when respect is shown to it.” He looks to Letrium, who nods eagerly.
“We can heal some of its battle wounds. That should make it less hostile. Then perhaps we’ll have a chance at persuading it to resist Caledon’s control.”
“Thank you,” I say, leading us back inside the tent.
“And what about Fairon?” I ask Leon.
He turns to his brother. “Did you bring it?”
“Bring what?” Tira frowns.
Fairon glances from Sophos, to the dryads, then to Becane, clearly reluctant to answer.
“Caledon wants to bring all of Tiearland to its knees, brother,” Leon reminds him. “They all have a stake in this fight.”
“Alright,” Fairon sighs. “Yes, I did bring the star,” he says eventually. “Though I must say I don’t like taking it out of Filusia at all. It’s already done enough damage.”
“The star?” Becane asks.
“It was my idea,” I say. “A few years ago, a star fell in Filusia—a powerful piece of celestial rock.”
“Like the gaidonesti,” Diomi says.
“Diomi!” Letrium gasps. “Would you really give away our secrets so easily?”
“Her Majesty’s company already know about them,” Diomi points out. “And the prince is right. We cannot expect to work together if we do not trust each other.”
“Yes,” I say as Letrium lapses into silence, looking thunderous.
“At first, the Filusians thought this fallen star was a gift from the gods, like the gaidonesti that lie beneath Starfall. But this star’s celestial magic is different.
It has a dark, cursed kind of power which makes people who come into contact with it very sick, even killing them. ”
“And you think this star could hurt Caledon?” Becane asks skeptically. “Because its power is celestial?”
“Because the darkness that possesses the star is the same kind of darkness that dwells in Caledon,” I say.
“I’ve seen both, and if there’s any match for him, this is it.
Caledon may be unkillable with mortal magic, but the star’s power comes directly from the gods.
I think it could at least be enough to weaken him. ”
“People like Caledon take power wherever they can,” Leon points out. “His greed can make him rush into seizing power from dangerous sources. All we have to do is get him to sabotage himself.”
“All?” Tira says doubtfully. “No offense, Leon, but I think you’re underplaying that plan a bit.”
“It might not be easy; we don’t even know for sure if it will work,” I say. “But we could kill every cleric and Temple soldier in that forest, and Caledon would still be standing, so we’ll try something different.”
“I think it’s worth a shot,” Vostani says. “I’m sorry about what I said before, Your Majesty. You’re right. His power might be unique, but it sounds like this star is special too.”
“How do we get him to take the bait?” Stratton asks. He’s slipped into the tent with Hyllus and Phaia as we’ve been talking. I’m relieved to see them all and am about to offer my suggestions when a calm, quiet voice cuts through the tent.
“These gaidonesti, they are Agathyre’s source of celestial power, I take it?”
The dryads stiffen as they turn toward Sophos. “They are,” Diomi says warily. I wonder if he regrets his honesty a moment ago.
It takes me a moment to understand what Sophos is getting at, but when I do, I’m reminded once again that he’s not a man to be trifled with.
“You’re thinking we should hide the cursed star within an even more tempting source of power?” I ask.
Sophos nods.
“No, absolutely not,” Letrium snaps. “You’re not even supposed to know about the gaidonesti, let alone use them to lure that maniac in and risk having him drain them dry! Quas gain Agathyrus pestilixe salune. Hasper joit vidone.”
The dryad lapses into angry muttering in Agathyrian. I don’t bother to translate to the others, seeing as it’s mostly about how the gods have to save his people from these crazed vermin.
Inas shushes Letrium, pressing a finger to her green-haired temple, as if to quiet her mind.
“I suppose if we don’t do this, then all of Agathyre will fall to that madman?” she asks.
“That seems the likeliest outcome,” I say.
“Then that decides it,” Inas says, turning to Diomi. “We have no better option. We will take this star back to the capital and place it among the gaidonesti. Then you can lead Caledon to it.”
“What about your citizens?” I ask. “How will you keep them safe when they can’t fight?”
“Many left Starfall for the north when we first got news of the invasion,” Diomi says. “But we will evacuate the rest of the city, aside from those who will stay to help in the Miravow. Can you give us until the morning?”
I look to Becane.
“If the Temple is regrouping for the night, and the Filusian army can stay posted at the border in case of a surprise attack, then I think we can wait until morning,” he says. “Our forces need to rest, after all.”
“And Caledon?” Fairon asks. “As long as he’s around, sending out troops to meet him will be like sending lambs to the slaughter.”
“There will be losses, yes,” Leon says. “But if our plan works, Caledon will be drawn away from the main battle before too long.”
“That’s my problem with all of this,” says Vostani. “If he already has godlike powers, why would he go after these stars? It’s not like he needs more magic to defeat us in his current state.”
“But someone here has something he doesn’t,” Sophos says, his eyes falling on me. “I heard the Grand Bearer was most intrigued with what you did at Siga. This power you have—the ability to deliver in an instant death just by looking at a person—is new to him.”
“To us all,” Stratton murmurs under his breath, and I’m reminded of their shocked faces the first time I used the power in front of them.
“Yes,” Sophos continues. “You didn’t always have it, correct? You have come by this ability recently.” He moves closer to me, his eyes intense.
“That’s true,” I say carefully, unwilling to share exactly how I “came by” it.
Sophos seems eager now. “You must flaunt this ability in front of him. Show him how powerful it makes you, and make him feel his ability to kill is inferior. If we can get him to believe that the gaidonesti are the source of the power you wield, there’s no way he won’t go to Starfall to claim it for himself. ”
Sophos has known Caledon for years, has been his closest advisor.
If anyone understands him, it’s the bearer.
But I don’t need all those years of experience to know this is the right way to snare the Grand Bearer.
When Caledon was torturing me in the high temple, it was frighteningly clear to me then that Caledon only believes in himself—in his superiority over everyone else.
Anyone who could do something better than him would have to be dealt with.
“I think that will work,” I say.
Becane frowns, and I know he’s thinking there’s one last piece of the plan that needs to be decided.
“How—”
Sophos cuts him off.
“I will go to lure the Grand Bearer to Starfall,” he says, his voice heavy.
“Sophos, you’ve been missing from the Temple for weeks,” I say. “I think Caledon knows by now that something’s wrong.”
“This is true, but I’m equally certain he hasn’t yet made my absence known to the majority of the Temple.
It would be too embarrassing for him, after I was known as his favorite bearer for so long.
That means I can pass through the Temple forces to reach him, and once I’m there, I believe I may be able to convince him that I regret giving you my support.
I will say I had a mere crisis of faith and now am firmly on his side again. ”
“If he doesn’t buy it, he’ll just kill you,” Leon says darkly. “Likely after torturing you for information.”
Sophos tilts his head. “Yes, that’s the point. Either way, I can give him the story about the gaidonesti. It doesn’t matter whether he thinks I’m giving it willingly or that he’s pried the secret out of me, as long as he believes it.”
His words are met with silence. No one knows what to say to his calm acceptance of his fate. Sophos takes in our expressions and bows his head.
“I may have been wrong to put my faith in the Grand Bearer,” he says, “but I still believe that the gods watch over us. That we must strive to do the right thing in return for their gifts. I have committed many sins—knowingly and unknowingly—but if I can undo some of that harm with this sacrifice, then I will do so gladly.”
There was a time when I thought Sophos was merely a less-powerful version of Caledon—just as cruel and just as selfish.
How else could he have stood by Caledon’s side, unflinching, for all these years?
But I see now it’s much more complicated.
When I look at him, I think that sometimes having a strong conscience can lead you further astray than people who are indifferent to the world’s evils.
“Thank you, Sophos,” I say, and he lifts his head, eyebrows raised a little in surprise.
A horn sounds somewhere in the camp, and Becane clears his throat.
“The troops are ready to reassemble, Your Majesty. Shall I give the order for them to stand down for the night?”
“Yes,” I say. “Let them find some peace for a few hours. And in the morning, we’ll go back to war.”