The Marenon Chronicles Collection

Chapter Five





“How can you deny my request of the green medallion?” Julian Hobbes asked the Erellen King. He was tired of dealing with Jiaros. The Erellen leader would not listen to reason.

“I can deny it because you are dangerous,” Jiaros said as he sat at the end of the table. Several advisors sat near the king, all of them surrounded with parchments and books, looking more important than they really were. The Erellen prince, Daewyn, sat comfortably beside his father. Julian had been surprised to see Inga in the room as well, though she was in a seat off to the side, permitted only to engage in conversation when requested. Julian stood at the other end of the table, frustrated.

“What you perceive as dangerous is my attempt to get rid of the Stühocs and their influence in Marenon. You call that dangerous?”

“What’s dangerous, Julian, is that you executed three members of the Dunarian Council. You have singlehandedly destroyed the strongest ally we have against the Stühocs.”

“This ally of yours would have been even stronger if you had actually supported them,” Julian answered. “The Dunarians have had no help from you for seventeen years.”

“Do you acknowledge that you made a mistake by killing the Dunarian council members Katherine Fallera, Quincy Todd, and Myron Lloyd?” Jiaros asked.

Julian let out a sigh. It all came back to that. Of course it was a mistake. Of course he should have investigated the situation better.

“I was deceived.”

“You were manipulated!” Jiaros countered. “How can I be sure you aren’t being manipulated now?”

“If Kaden were here to ask you for the green medallion would you deny him?”

“I’m not here to argue speculation,” Jiaros said. “If that time comes, I will consider it then. Either way, I am not going to give away the security of my people to a king who has gone mad.”

Julian should have known what he was getting himself into. Of course the Erellens weren’t going to hand him the medallion. It provided their only escape should they ever need it. It opened the Green Gate, leading to an unknown world. If the Stühocs ever took over the Erellen’s land, Elysium, it would be their last chance for survival.

“You have done no direct harm to me or my people,” Jiaros said. “That’s why we have no quarrel yet. But I knew your brother Morgan. You carry the same traits as he. I would not go into battle with him nor will I go to battle with you as the Human king.”

“I assure you, I am not my brother,” Julian said staring down at the table. The king’s words bit at him like a snake. They made him want to vomit.

“Before the Erellens will support you or your cause, you have to prove yourself,” Jiaros said. “And it takes many years for a king to be able to prove himself.”

“You and I both know we don’t have years,” Julian said. He pointed at Daewyn. “You’ve heard your son’s account of what is happening in Voelif and Mudavé. You know the Meshulan has been captured. Yet you still cower away in your corner of Marenon as if nothing else is happening in this world. On your watch, the Gatekeeper was killed.”

Jiaros sat stone-faced.

“I have four medallions in my possession,” Julian said. “I can get the orange one easily enough, and that leaves only one left. Yours.”

“So, I am the only one standing in your way of absolute power,” Jiaros said.

“You are the only one standing in the way of finally defeating the Stühocs for good.”

Jiaros stood from his seat, as did all the others out of respect.

“I’m sorry, Julian. I cannot help you,” he said as he turned to leave the room. “The servants will show you to your quarters. I’m sure you will find them comfortable enough.” He stopped when he came only a foot from Julian. “I expect you to leave Elysium in the morning.”

Julian said nothing, but gave a slight nod. He didn’t know what he had expected. He had known this would be a long shot, but he had to try anyway.

Julian was now perceived as the enemy. How could he prove to people that this was not the truth? How could he tell them that the only thing he wanted was to win this war? It was all that mattered. He cared nothing for being the king, but only for the defeat of the Stühocs. Once it was done, he would step down if that was the wish of the people.

After a moment, only he and Inga stood in the room together. He didn’t know what she thought of him now. She was probably angry with him too.

He looked at her awkwardly, but she didn’t move.

“I suppose your magic kept you alive?” Julian asked. “You know, when you and Silas were attacked?”

She shook her head. “Actually, I didn’t do much. Marcus crashed into us and I was knocked out. When I woke up, I saw them flying away on a dragon. There was nothing I could do.”

“I’m glad you’re ok,” Julian said. He could tell she wanted to ask him about the Dunarians. About the council. But she held her tongue. She knew he wouldn’t tolerate her questioning.

Without another word, she walked out of the room and Julian stood alone. There would be no support for him now, he knew. Now he decided he would have to do things the way he always did them. If the Erellens refused to hand him the medallion, he was just going to have to take it from them. He did not want to fuel his own power; his desire was not to be greedy. His desire was for their own good. For the good of everyone in Marenon.

Julian walked through the city, accompanied by guards assigned by Jiaros for Julian’s protection. He was fine with them. He was used to it. During the past three months he had hardly been alone. In fact, when he had traveled unescorted from Farlaweer to Jarul, he had felt very exposed. He had the consistent urge to look over his shoulder, even while flying his sarian Eden.

He was glad that Jiaros was cordial enough to provide Julian with royal treatment. The bedchamber for the visiting king was more elaborate than his own in Farlaweer.

When he opened the door to his room, he had not expected to see the Erellen prince waiting for him. He stood when Julian walked into the room, and Julian froze.

Daewyn took no time getting to the point. “You want the medallion,” he said. “I want something too.”

Julian’s eyes narrowed as he slowed closed the door behind him.

Deawyn continued. “I think if we can work together, we’ll both be happy in the end.”

*****

Inga had disguised the sound of her footsteps with simple magic when she followed Julian to his room. After Julian closed the door behind him, the guards took post on the other side of the hallway facing the door.

Perfect.

She closed her eyes for a moment and felt the ice-cold blanket of invisibility fall over her. With her sound muffled and appearance undetectable, she was able to place her ear against the door. There were voices. She thought something like this would happen. A meeting between Daewyn and Julian wasn’t unforeseeable, but she was still surprised to hear them speaking together.

With just a bit more concentration, she was able to amplify the voices in her ears to hear them clearly.

“You want the medallion,” Daewyn said. “I want something too. I think if we can work together, we’ll both be happy in the end.”

“What are you talking about?” Julian asked.

Daewyn went straight to the point. “I can get you the medallion without getting caught. But first I want your promise that you can do something for me.”

“I’m listening.”

“Lorcan Zamire,” Daewyn said. “I want him captured.”

Inga nearly gasped. She thought about how Kaden had just broken Lorcan out of prison just days before. Daewyn was obviously angry about it.

“I don’t know how he got out,” Daewyn said. “And I don’t care. I just want him to face justice.”

“I have no idea how to get Lorcan,” Julian said.

“Of course you do!” Daewyn said eagerly. “What’s the first thing you plan to do when you get the green medallion?”

There was a pause in the conversation. Inga imagined that Julian was deep in thought, contemplating what Daewyn was asking.

“You’ll go to Jekyll Rock,” Daewyn said. “And that’s where Lorcan will be.”

“How did you know Lorcan was with the Dunarians now?” Julian asked.

“I was in Voelif three days ago,” he said. “I ran into a couple of his friends there. They got me out.”

“Who did you see? Did you see Nalani?” Inga could tell Julian had gotten excited.

“Yeah,” Daewyn said. “There was quite an uprising there. I escaped with two Humans when Nalani lent us a sarian to ride. She told us to get out and warn our allies.

“You were with Coffman and Alric?”

“No. It was a couple named Dink and Emma. They flew me here so I could tell my father about a weapon the Nestorians have built. They left here to fly to Jekyll Rock and warn the Dunarians about it.”

The room was silent for a moment. “What about Nalani?”

“Like I said, I took off. Last I saw, she and the big guy were flying after Alric to try and help him. I have no idea if they made it out.”

Julian sighed loudly. Inga knew of their past relationship, so she knew what Julian was feeling. He was in a helpless position.

“Then getting the green medallion may be useless,” Julian said.

“Maybe not,” Daewyn answered. “The three of us would be heading in a different direction. Alric had the medallion with him, and the other two were on sarians. It’s very possible that they made it out safely.”

There was a long silence before Julian spoke. “Then I guess we’ll just have to hope we’ll have all the medallions when we get to Jekyll Rock.”

“And you’ll get me to Lorcan Zamire.”

“Ok,” Julian said. “But that doesn’t mean I can just hand him over to you.”

“Maybe not,” Daewyn said. “But you can help me capture him. I have no jurisdiction outside of Elysium.”

“I don’t have any jurisdiction in Jekyll Rock either,” Julian said.

“Yes, but that didn’t stop you from storming in there a few days ago did it?”

Inga couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“I’ll take you to the green medallion tonight,” Daewyn said. “But I want your word that you’ll help me get Lorcan Zamire.”

“Why does he matter to you so much?” Julian asked.

Another pause.

“He killed a friend of mine. He’s a fugitive. My father loved him as a son, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he set him free somehow. I can’t prove that it’s true, but regardless, if I can bring him back here, he will face swift justice.”

“Fine,” Julian said. “We’ll meet tonight. I’ll get you Lorcan as soon as we get to Jekyll Rock.”

No!

“Good,” Daewyn said. “Then I’ll meet you at sundown.”

Inga heard footsteps walking toward the door, and she almost forgot to move before it opened wide.

She had known Julian couldn’t be trusted anymore, but this was low even for him. He had just agreed to hand over one of her closest friends. She slipped past the guards and made her way to her quarters, and when she closed the door, she sat on her bed, releasing the magic that surrounded her.

Julian had gone off the deep end. She didn’t understand everything that had happened with the Dunarian Council, but she knew it hadn’t been good. Now it seemed Julian would sell out anyone as long as he got what he wanted. She didn’t doubt for one second that he believed what he was doing was right; but he was wrong.

She lay down on the bed and let out a deep breath. Everything had been going so smoothly until a little over a week before. Until the assassin showed up. It had been a marathon run since then. She had lost so much.

Her former teacher, Silandrin, who was the Gatekeeper, had died before her eyes. There had been no chance to say goodbye. It was the second time he had left her, but this time it was permanent. She almost wished that she had never found the old man. Discovering that he had kept so many secrets from her had hurt deeply. Knowing that Silandrin was the one responsible for humanity making its way to Marenon in the first place was baffling. All of it seemed too much.

Then there was Silas.

She didn’t even know if he was still alive. In one of his last revelations, Silandrin had told them that even though Silas was the prophesied Deliverer, that didn’t mean he couldn’t be killed. The prophecy only pointed to him as the possible deliverer of Marenon. There were no guarantees. To Inga, that meant Silas could be dead right now. In her heart she wanted to believe that the Gatekeeper was wrong, that he had been mistaken somehow. But she knew this wasn’t the case.

She thought about their last desperate moment, before Saul had attacked them. Silas had kissed her and told her that he loved her. She remembered feeling his kiss bringing her to life. She remembered that she had felt warm and safe, if even for just a second. Before she had a chance to answer Silas, Saul had attacked them and then Silas had defeated the assassin.

She knew what she had planned to say to Silas. She had planned to tell him that she loved him too; that she wanted to be with him forever. That’s how she had felt in the moment. But she had feelings for Lorcan too. Lorcan had kissed her right in front of Silas, and in that moment, she had felt she would be lost without Lorcan. If he died, she would lose one of the most important people in her life.

Now Lorcan’s life was in danger again. There was so much death, so much confusion, and Inga no longer knew her place in all of it. She could do something about this, though. She could follow Julian and Daewyn. She would follow them.

She sat up from her bed.

Her magic could overpower them. Maybe. Julian was a masterful fighter, but he lacked the magical ability she did. She wasn’t sure about Daewyn, but surely he didn’t possess the power she had learned from Silandrin. She could take the medallions from them. She could get the medallions to Jekyll Rock, and if the orange medallion was there, they could win this war. She could make it back to Jekyll Rock quickly too. Both sarians, Skarret and Autumn, had survived that attack by the Sleepers and their dragons. When she came to Jarul, she had left them in the grassy plains to hunt and fly so they wouldn’t have to stay cooped up in the stables. They would come to her when she was ready to leave. They wouldn’t be far. It was all coming together. Inga could actually save the Dunarians. She could provide them with the ultimate weapon to defeat the enemy.

Her hands began to shake at the thought. Before tonight, she had no idea that she could help bring any hope back to the Dunarian people.

Now she knew what she had to do.

She would get the medallions from Julian and Daewyn. If she had to kill them, fine. Then Lorcan would be safe. If she could do that, she might even get the medallions to Jekyll Rock in time to save Silas from whatever death might be awaiting him in Mudavé.