A Power of Old(8)

“I take it you’ve h-heard the good news?” stuttered Qentos. “We are to take you to the Impartial Ministers at dawn…you should…look the part.”

The sentry was actually starting to sweat now, and I took pity on him.

“I’ll wear the right robes, Qentos.”

Jenney will have to swipe some for me…

“The other kings and Queen Trina will also have an opinion on this,” snapped Lithan. “I doubt that Queen Trina will agree, to be honest.”

“Maybe,” I agreed mildly, knowing that it would infuriate Lithan.

He glared at me. “You should be more concerned than that—she holds substantial sway over the Impartial Ministers.”

I knew that, and I didn’t need Lithan’s reminder. But I also knew that Queen Trina had been concerned about coming up against Tejus in the trials—she thought he was a worthy opponent, whereas I had a feeling that she would underestimate me. That would work to my advantage.

“Maybe,” I agreed again, smiling at Lithan. “Maybe not.”

My words had the desired effect, and Lithan turned away from me in disgust.

“We will need Tejus to attend too,” muttered Qentos as he watched the departing figure of his fellow minister. “He hasn’t yet explained himself to the Impartial Ministers…they will have a lot to say about this, a lot to say!”

“I’ll see you later, Qentos,” I replied, wanting to leave the sentry to his own panic. I had enough of my own to deal with.

Ruby and I carried on to the human quarters, both of us silent for a while as we observed more horrified and confused looks from passing ministers.

“I really need to get them replaced,” I muttered.

“Qentos and Lithan, or the entire lot of them?” Ruby replied with a grin. “I’m totally behind either decision.”

I laughed. “Lithan and Qentos for now…maybe the others later.”

I was joking about it with Ruby, but I meant every word. If Lithan was against me, then he would be a problem—a dangerous one. Whether Qentos was on my side or not was irrelevant. He was weak, and would side with Lithan on all matters. The only problem was, I didn’t know who else I could trust in the current Hellswan ministry. I didn’t trust Tejus’s judgment on the matter either. Like most people who had been brought up in the seat of power, Tejus always felt he could rule by force—I didn’t think he’d even considered the idea that his ministers might not be behind his every rule and decision.

Maybe I could get rid of them all?

The idea was tempting, but I wasn’t going to seriously consider it—not yet. I was far from wielding that kind of power. Right now, I was still seen as a kitchen boy.

“I think you’re going to be great, by the way.” Ruby looked at me sideways, a small smile playing on her lips.

“At being king?”

“King and emperor. I know you can do it, Ash. You’re the most impressive sentry I know.”

“You don’t know that many sentries,” I pointed out.

“I know enough,” she rebuked. “You’ve wanted this ever since you were a kid. Don’t let Queen Trina or anyone else get in the way—this is your chance.”

The fact that she believed I could survive the trials and knock Queen Trina out of the running was humbling, but I couldn’t quite share her optimism. Tejus had been wounded so badly that he’d had to step down. That didn’t exactly fill me with confidence. Before the kingship trials, I’d believed that I could beat him—not easily, but that it would be possible. After hearing and seeing all that he’d faced in the trials and within his own kingdom with the entity, Tejus had gone up in my estimation, and I felt like I paled in comparison.

“I feel like I already had my chance, and I blew it,” I replied, thinking of the kingship trials.

“I blew it, remember?” Ruby replied earnestly. “I’m starting to think that Benedict might have sucked my energy dry the night before the trials—it would explain why I had none for you to syphon off, and why I woke up alone in a random hallway of the castle. Creepy, right?”

“Right,” I muttered darkly. It was more than creepy—it made me incensed with rage that the entity had harmed Ruby in that way, and used her friend to do it. She was putting on a brave face now, but I remembered how devastated she’d been after the disk trials…and that kiss.

“Why are you smiling?” she asked curiously.

“Nothing. Just… remembering.”

“Remembering what?”

“When I look back on that day, it’s not really the trial I remember—it’s you.”