Chapter 18
I’m on the tallest spire of my castle, looking down over my suffering kingdom, thinking about how I almost attacked Mazzar to defend the little beast.
In the distance, domes of energy fields glint in the foggy air over the far-off kingdoms.
I’ve always thought the relics left behind by the fourth kingdom were a magic of their own. They were masters of electricity and innovation, but especially so, when their technology was melded with gems, like soul guns. Unlike soul guns, however, these archaic energy fields are one of the few gem-melded creations that are legal since they prevent bonded spirits from crossing without their caster.
I wonder if Lo could be hiding in one of the other kingdoms. After what I just witnessed, I need something else to focus on, so I spirit myself to the edge of my kingdom to the Zo barrier.
The kingdoms have always reminded me of pie slices wedged together, the biggest wedge belonging to the Barrens. Zarr is sandwiched between the Barrens on one side and Zo on the other. Zem fills the remaining part of the pie, our kingdoms meeting nose to nose, mirroring each other.
My father constantly lectured me about why we are structured this way. To divide power. Zarr owns infantries who protect our entire continent, Zem owns the gem mines that keep our economies flowing, and Zo holds all the knowledge, histories, and prophecies. No kingdom can afford the fall of the other, but that doesn’t stop them from fighting. As we learned from the fourth kingdom that’s now referred to as the Barrens.
I materialize in the face of the swirling patterns, and step through the boundary.
The energy washes over me, and to my relief, the force field allows me through without wiping my memories. I’ve always been amazed at this gem-melded technology. Spirits are free to transfer into another realm, but not from kingdom to kingdom. Even if a spirit from Zarr were to whisk off to another realm and resurface in the lands of Zo, they’d have no memory of their time in Zarr.
Descending into the Zo castle, I’m reminded how pointedly self-righteous their style is. White and gold span every surface, symbolizing knowledge, purity, and refinement. King Tigous’s throne is a web of gold over white stone, its backrest dissolving upward into the ceiling of white glo stones. King Tigous perches in it, his face a mask of hard contemplation, as a servant informs him of a request from King Rajim wanting to host the King’s Duel preliminaries, despite it being the Zos’ turn.
“Let the Zems spend their money,” Tigous drawls, his fourteen-year-old heir, Hollom, sitting on a throne beside him. “I’ve never cared for the clean-up after the drunken madness.”
I wonder how many times Lo infiltrated this room, wonder what secrets she uncovered here. She never told me everything, because she claimed there was a balance to the kingdoms. If one king became too knowledgeable of the others, the delicate stasis would crumble. Her job was to have all the information, ready to fight if it came to warfare while simultaneously preventing war from happening.
But she did tell me she preferred to infiltrate Zo as a scholar because, next to King Tigous and his children, they have the most access to the libraries.
“I want to host!” Hollom folds his arms. “I’m always left out of the celebrations unless they are here.”
“You will have your time, son,” Tigous says.
The brown-haired boy kicks the legs of his throne.
I scoff out loud. Lo was right. Tigous’s children are spoiled rotten brats.
Hollom jerks his head in my direction as if he heard me. “The only company I get is ghosts! Do you know how dull they are? Be lucky you can’t hear their droning, Father.”
Tigous turns to his son, “This is exactly why I do not let you attend social events. Because you’ve not learned the art of tight lips, Hollom.”
Hollom slumps down in his chair while the guards in white, stuffy uniforms exchange eye rolls behind Tigous.
Careful not to make a sound, I reach out for any memories in this room, but stop when I find nothing but mind-blocks.
I’ve only been gone ten years, but I’ve already forgotten how the Zo’s protect knowledge, like the Zem’s protect their gems.
If any library contained the secrets of worlds—including mind guarding—it is here in the Beacon of Zo.