For a moment, he couldn’t continue. It took everything he had to compose himself, but he managed to subdue his grief. “I have not been thinking clearly on this. Not for some time. I realize that now. I have been a fool. What I’ve witnessed here has convinced me of that.”
He paused, his eyes still locked on Kirisin. “When my daughter came to me about the Ellcrys and the Loden Elfstone, I turned to Culph for help. I asked him to look into the Elven histories to see what was recorded. He did so and told me that he had researched the histories front-to-back, as well as all the notes that might possibly bear on the matter of the missing Elfstones, and had found nothing. He lied, of course, but I did not realize it. He insisted there was nothing, even when I pressed him to look harder. But he said there were rumors he had heard as a child from other, wiser heads. Rumors warning that using a Loden Elfstone was dangerous. The user of such a magic, he had heard, was bound to it. What that meant, he warned, was that if this Elfstone were recovered and the Ellcrys placed within, the user must carry the Stone until the tree could be released. He cautioned that the weight of such responsibility was too much for my daughter to bear, too much for any child of Erisha’s temperament, and that I must do what I could to protect her. He suggested that it would be best if I discouraged her from being involved and left the matter to you.”
He shook his head. “I did as he suggested. I chose to sacrifice you in order to protect my daughter. I didn’t see it that way at the time. I convinced myself that it didn’t matter, that none of this would ever come to pass. I convinced myself that the danger to the Ellcrys was exaggerated. I convinced myself that you were on a hopeless mission to find something that didn’t exist. I persuaded myself that I could not risk my only daughter.” He took a deep breath and exhaled. “I am ashamed for this, and I apologize.”
Kirisin nodded his understanding, even though he wasn’t sure he understood at all. But the anger he might have felt before did not surface now. Instead, he felt only sadness for the King.
“I am going to do what you have asked of me,” the King declared, his voice firm and steady once again. “We have to protect the Elven people and the city. I’m convinced that you are capable of that. Your use of the Elfstone magic to stop Tragen tells me so. Erisha saw that, as well, I think. Are you still willing to use the Loden and to act as our protector?”
The boy nodded at once.
“Then this is what you will do. As soon as dawn breaks, you will place the Ellcrys, Arborlon, and the Elven people within the Loden. I will remain outside with our Elven Hunters to protect you. We will do whatever is needed to see that you get safely away from the demon army to where it is that you are supposed to go. You have some sense of where this is, don’t you?”
Again, the boy nodded. In truth, he wasn’t sure. But he wasn’t about to admit to it. “I will need to speak with the Ellcrys,” he said.
“You will have that opportunity. She has guided you well so far. Much better than I have.” He glanced quickly at the room behind him, as if making sure it was secure. “Ordanna Frae is now first minister. He will go into the Loden with the rest of the Elves to form a new High Council and advise the Elven population of my decision. He will be responsible for preventing panic and for preparing our people for whatever awaits them.”
He paused. “A lot depends on you, Kirisin.”
“I know.”
“If anything happens to you, the Elves will be trapped within the Loden. Perhaps forever. Basselin was right about that much.”
“He knows,” Simralin answered for Kirisin.
The King glanced sharply at Simralin, but did not rebuke her. “I suppose he does.” He looked back at the boy. “If you find yourself in real danger or are injured badly, you must release the Elves. If you are trapped and cannot escape, you must release them. If I order you to do so, you must release them. They are not to be abandoned, no matter what. Promise me.”
“I promise.”
The King nodded. His strong face tightened with determination, and he straightened his big frame. “Do you think there might be other demons among us?”
Kirisin had no idea. He hadn’t even considered the possibility, still shaken from discovering that Tragen was one. The suggestion that there might be others still was terrifying.
“I don’t think we can discount the possibility.” Arissen Belloruus paused, seeing the look on his face. “So I am asking your sister to take personal responsibility for your safety. She will choose a handful of others to help her.” He looked at Simralin. “After Tragen, it will be difficult to know whom you can trust. You couldn’t even trust me until now. I realize that. I gave you every reason not to. But we have to start somewhere.”