A Power of Old(30)

Then I realized I could do something about it.

“Hey!” I called to one of the guards who was firmly, but not unkindly pushing a family out of the door, “Enough.”

He spun around, and bowed when he saw who had interrupted him.

“I’m sorry, your highness, the ministers said that villagers should be escorted out.”

“The ministers are wrong. I know there’s food laid out for all the Hellswan subjects—the villagers will feast with them too. There’s more than enough to go around.”

“Yes, your highness.” The guard nodded quickly.

“Thank you, your highness,” intoned the father of the family. “We had high hopes for you, and it looks like we weren’t wrong. Once one of us, always one of us, didn’t I tell you?” He nudged his wife, who loosened her grip on her two children and beamed up at me.

“You did. Thank you, your highness. We’re very grateful,” she responded.

I nodded, feeling uncomfortable with my new title. It just didn’t seem like it belonged to me, and I doubted that it ever really would.

“Ashbik!” a familiar voice cried out. That was more like it!

“Hello, Abelle.” I smiled as she drew me into a slightly overpowering, floral-scented hug. Eventually she drew me back at arm’s length, inspecting me.

“Every inch the king,” she declared.

“It doesn’t feel that way. I keep thinking someone’s going to come and drag me back into the kitchens and stick me in an apron.”

Abelle laughed.

“If that were the case, you’d still be a king, Ash. It’s not in the title or in the clothing—it’s what’s inside of you. And you, my boy, were born to lead.”

“Thanks.” I nodded, feeling awkward but pleased. I knew that most of the ministers opposed my position—they’d be waiting in the wings for me to do something wrong. Just knowing that I had supporters and sentries who believed in me helped. It reminded me why I’d wanted to do this all along. It wasn’t for me, it was for them.

“I’m glad to see you survived the ice fires. Your shop’s still standing?” I asked.

“It’s all in one piece. Yes, the ice fires and the blood rain weren’t exactly ideal, but I managed. Plenty didn’t. A lot of livestock’s gone—and most of the fields are ruined,” she added, raising her eyebrows. “You’re going to have a lot on your plate, Ashbik…”

“I know,” I replied. “I’m ready.”

She beamed at me again. “I know you are.”

I was about to excuse myself when Ruby’s hand brushed against my arm in greeting.

“Ruby!” Abelle exclaimed before I could speak. “It’s good to see you again. Thank you for keeping Ashbik alive.”

Ruby laughed. “Actually I think it was the other way around…but I’ll take the praise anyway.”

What are they talking about?

“Going to let me in on the joke?” I asked, bemused.

“Nope,” Ruby replied, placing her hand around my arm in a sweet, familiar gesture. “Sorry.”

Ruby turned back to Abelle, all traces of laughter gone.

“There was something I wanted to ask you about. It’s for my friend, Hazel. She’s recently become a…a sentry.” She delivered the word with difficulty, gulping. “She doesn’t have much control over her syphoning powers—I was wondering if you had anything that might help? Some herbs or something she could take?”

“A sentry?” Abelle questioned with disbelief. “My goodness…”

I could see Abelle’s mind whirring as she contemplated what Ruby had just said.

“Well…that must mean that she married, err…who?” Abelle stuttered.

“Not exactly.” Ruby blushed, “and it was Tejus.”

Abelle looked confused for a moment, before comprehension dawned on her. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “I see.”

There was a long pause. I could see Abelle trying her best not to appear too shocked, while Ruby squirmed and I prayed that Abelle would announce she had a cure to reverse the transformation.

“Well,” Abelle replied eventually, “there are herbs…certain concoctions that I can create that should repress the more intense impulses to syphon—things that Hazel can take while she learns to get her powers under control—but the hard work she will need to do herself. She will need to put in practice and be patient while she masters the sentry abilities.”

“But nothing that can reverse it?” I asked quietly.

“Nothing that I know of,” Abelle replied. “I’m sorry.”