Chapter 4
ENTRAPPED
So this was Fenris’s plan. He wanted to bring all of the Knights and all of the Apprentices under his control.
He wanted the Court to willingly give us to him.
On the surface, as far as Fenris was selling it, he was protecting the Knights.
But in reality, he was using us to build up his army, bigger and stronger than ever before.
No. Just no. I hadn’t escaped Fenris’s prison, I hadn’t rescued all the Apprentices, I hadn’t fought Fenris and won, I hadn’t sworn an oath to his dying mother that I would stop the Order of Kings—I hadn’t gone through all of that to become one of his brainwashed Templars.
Anger was swelling inside of me, like one tidal wave after the other crashing against the shore. I couldn’t allow Fenris to win. I couldn’t allow him to hurt the people I loved.
“Prince Fenris is right.”
“The Gaians have gone too far.”
“His plan is the only way.”
The many voices of the Court bled into a stream of support for Fenris and his plan.
“This isn’t happening,” I muttered to myself.
“Prince Fenris is so noble.”
“And so compassionate.”
“To forgive the Knights, to want to protect them, even after what they did to his mother—that makes him a true hero.”
I couldn’t take it.
“Stop,” I croaked.
They didn’t stop. They didn’t hear me. I had to be louder. I had to make them listen.
“Stop!”
They stopped. Like magic. And it was magic. My magic.
I rose from my chair, looking upon their frozen faces. “He’s lying. Can’t you see it?”
They didn’t move. Didn’t speak. They couldn’t. Though Count Qwintyn’s face was red. He was trying to fight my spell. It wouldn’t work. He was no match for my magic. None of them were. I had them here. Now I had to make them listen.
Several members of the Court grunted through closed mouths. They stared at me with terrified eyes.
I felt hands on my shoulders. Kato’s and Conner’s.
“Seven, let them go,” Kato said.
“No. They have to listen. They have to understand the truth.”
“This isn’t the way, Red. You know that. You can’t force the truth on someone. They have to accept it willingly. Or you’re no better than Fenris.” Conner glared at the vampire prince.
Fenris was the only one not struggling and not scared. No, he actually looked smug.
And that’s when I realized I’d played right into his hand.
I let them all go. The members of the Court gasped and growled and shouted insults my way.
“Unnatural magic!”
“How dare you!”
“Do you know who I am?”
I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. I should have, but all I felt was numbness. We’d failed. No, I had failed. I’d had one chance to convince the Court that Fenris was guilty, and I’d blown it. I’d let him get under my skin.
“Fenris was right about the Gaians all along.”
“They don’t deserve magic. Just look at what they do with it!”
I collapsed into my chair and buried my face in my hands.
I wished they would stop shouting, but I didn’t dare wish it too loudly in case my magic took that as a command to strip them of their free will.
Kato and Conner were right. That wasn’t the way.
I didn’t want to be that person. I didn’t want to be Fenris.
“We should attack now, before it’s too late.”
“Agreed. Their numbers grow every year. And who knows what foul experiments the Gaian Government is running on them.”
Fenris’s words broke through the storm of voices. “Do not blame her, my friends. This is what I’ve been warning you about. The Knights aren’t a danger to us. The danger comes from the ones pulling their strings. We have to cut those strings!”
His voice rang with conviction. He was a good actor. Unfortunately for us.
Members of the Court echoed his words. “Cut those strings! Cut those strings! Cut those strings!”
“Gaia is ruled by small-minded people,” Fenris told them, “people who are frightened of magic and of anyone who can wield it. People willing to do anything to go back to the way things were before they discovered the Many Realms, back to that time when magic was a myth and they were the only intelligent civilization in the universe, the light at the center of everything.”
“This is absurd.”
Fenris snapped around, glaring across the room at the General. “What’s absurd is that we allowed this to go on for this long. We should have taken action immediately after your people tried to destroy all the Spirit Trees. We won’t make that mistake again.”
The Court bellowed in agreement.
“Never again!”
“We will put a stop to Gaia’s foul schemes.”
“My mother’s murder will be the last one Gaia commits against the Many Realms.” Fenris shoved his finger out like a spear, pointing at the General across the room.
“We won’t allow you to poison the trees that connect us.
We won’t allow you to destroy the friendship that binds us together.
We won’t allow you to murder our mothers and fathers, our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters.
And we won’t allow you to exploit and corrupt children, to twist their minds and contaminate their souls.
To turn them into soldiers to fight your war against us! ”
“He’s riling up the Court,” Kato said beside me.
Conner watched them, looking worried. His easygoing manner had long since left the building. “They’re going to give us to Fenris.”
I managed to scrounge up enough energy to stand. “No, they aren’t. Because we won’t let them. The Court isn’t the boss of us.”
“Try telling that to them.” Kato indicated the armed warriors, the Court’s loyal Guard. They were slowly gathering, but they hadn’t drawn their weapons. Yet.
“Kato is right, Red. They have the numbers. And they have the exits covered.”
The soldiers had positioned themselves to block all the doors and windows.
I sighed. “Then I’ll just have to freeze them again.”
I tried, but the spell that I’d performed so effortlessly just a few minutes ago didn’t answer my call. All I got for my efforts was a headache and a nose bleed.
“Here.” Kato handed me a handkerchief, and I pressed it to my nose. He slowly eased me back into my chair. “Did you forget what we taught you about overexerting your magic?”
“No. I just decided it didn’t apply to me.”
“Of course you did,” Conner chuckled. He knelt in front of me and gently pressed his glowing hands to my face. The pain eased.
“Thanks,” I said hoarsely.
“No problem.” Conner winked at me, then rose to his feet.
And then I could see Kato again. He was giving me the look.
“Fenris had you locked up for over a day, Seven, and from the looks of you, he didn’t feed you.
You had to fight your way out of there. Since your escape, all you’ve had is a few hours of sleep and a donut.
You used magic, including teleporting between realms. You’ve still not recovered.
You need more time to recharge your batteries. ”
“I can handle it.” I gritted my teeth and tried to stand.
Conner tapped me lightly. That’s all he had to do, and I fell back down into my chair. “No, you can’t. Even with all this magic, our bodies still have limits. And if you forget yours, you’ll end up with a lot more than a nosebleed.”
“I said I can handle it.”
“You’re not listening to us. If you push yourself too hard, you could die, Seven. And neither of us wants that to happen.”
“So just sit tight,” Conner added. “Do it for us, Red. We need you. Without you, Kato and I would be at each other’s throats in about five minutes. And you don’t want our blood on your conscience, do you?” He smiled at me.
I didn’t smile back. “You guys don’t get it. If we don’t do something, none of us will ever get to make a choice ever again. Because we’ll be Fenris’s slaves.”
Conner brushed his hand through his hair. “Nah, I’m way too stubborn to be brainwashed.”
“How can you joke about this?”
“Would you rather I freak out about it?” He reached down, offering me his hand, and I took it, as if by instinct. “We’ve made it through battles, commandos, and Templars. We survived the burning of the Spirit Tree. We’ll make it through this too.”
“That’s a promise.” Kato offered me his hand, and I took it too.
“What about Harlyn?” I asked. “Did the General find him? Is he going to testify?”
Kato’s expression darkened. “The General found him all right. Or his body, in any case.”
“He’s dead?”
“Fenris is certainly working fast to tie up his loose ends,” Conner commented.
And just like that, the momentary spark of hope in my chest died.
The doors to the ballroom burst open. Soldiers rushed to meet the intruder.
“That’s nice. Now get out of my way.”
My head snapped around, toward the familiar voice. What the heck? What was she doing here?
Magic sizzled. The soldiers shouted out in alarm, and then Portia stood facing the Court. The soldiers were behind her, hunched over, clutching their heads. She’d passed right through them. Holy crap.
Portia took a few more steps, then stopped and addressed the Court. “Gaia didn’t kidnap the Apprentices. Prince Fenris did. And I can prove it.”