“I’ll see my wife and children again.”
“I thought my life was over. You changed that,” came a shaky voice.
“Because of you, I have the chance to atone, to make things right.”
The words kept coming, the thanks, the relief, the sheer praise for me and gratitude that no one had turned into the worst kind of monster in this world. And even more were thanking me because they were human again. Because their life hadn’t ended.
“We still have to atone,” Brandes said, looking out at the crowd. “Much evil was done by our hands. But that burden has lessened. Thanks to you, Arkturion Rhyan. And the reason weget to do so, that we have a second chance at life, is thanks to you, Lady Lyriana.”
Applause exploded at Brandes’s words.
But it was Harman who dropped back to his knee. “I can barely live with what I’ve done, what I’ve become.” His voice shook. “But at least I get to live. I have a chance now to do things differently. You gave me another chance to be human, and to be better, to make up for the sins I’ve committed whether willingly by my hand or not. And for that reason, I give my oath to you, Arkturion Rhyan. I will fight for you. If you’ll take me.”
And suddenly, they were all shouting, “I give you my oath.”
“I pledge myself to Arkturion Rhyan.”
“My loyalty is with Arkturion Rhyan and Lady Lyriana.”
“I would have no life without you. I pledge my life to Arkturion Rhyan!”
The promises and oaths kept coming, again and again.
I looked at Sean, who was nodding proudly, then Lyr, taking her hand.
“What do I do?” I asked. Yesterday I’d been a monster, and then I’d woken up alive and guilty and a fugitive and criminal on the run. And now? Now I had a band of soturi asking me to lead them.
She smiled. “You can accept their oaths.”
I shook my head. “I can’t. I can’t ask them to fight for me.”
“You’re not asking,” she said. “That’s the thing.” She looked out, turning her head to see everyone before us. “They are.”
I caught Sean’s eyes crinkling as he smiled. “Rhyan,” he said. “Listen to me. I understand why you hesitate. You’re humble. You always were. And way too fucking hard on yourself. But this isn’t about you.” His aura flared suddenly, full of pride and hope, bright and warm like the forest in the sun in autumn. “It’s about them, whattheyneed,” he said fiercely. “What if you were out there? Just come back from being akadim, not knowingwhy. Feeling the guilt of what you became, of being a monster. Plagued with the memories.”
My throat tightened. “Sean, I don’t—I don’t have to imagine. That is what I’m feeling.”
“And what are you going to do about it?” he asked. “You’re going to fight back. You’re going to remove a tyrant from power, someone who hurt you and countless others for decades. Someone who will only hurt more people if he’s not removed. So you can become ruler, become Arkasva. You were born to take the Seat of Power from him. So you will. And when he’s gone, you’re going to go after the next tyrant and the next. You’re going to make things better. Make this world better. You have a path forward.” He shook his head, pointing at the former akadim. “That’s what they want, too. What they need. A path. They’re asking you to show them the way. That’s all.”
My heart pounded. “Can we bring them to Glemaria?” I asked.
Sean held out his hand, taking the collar from me. He turned it over a few times, considering it, then tapped on it with his finger. “I thought this was decorative. Silver,” he said. “But this is steel. We can melt these down. Forge weapons.” Exhaling sharply, he said, “We’ll need to.” His eyes roved over the faces of the former akadim. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. We just doubled the size of your soturi. One hundred strong.”
“My soturi?” I asked.
Sean laughed, “Did you think they were mine?” He grinned. “The soturi who came with me—who came to fight—they came for you. Out of loyalty and respect for you. I’m not the one being called Arkturion now, am I?”
Lyr’s face lit up. “Sean’s right. Rhyan, they want to fight back. And they want to do it with you. We need them. With them, we have an even better chance of winning.”
I looked around, taking them all in, recognizing many of their faces, recalling names. I thought about when I had fled Glemaria after being named forsworn. How I had wandered in exile. How I hadn’t been able to see a path, how I’d lost everything.
And how in the end, choosing to be a soturion had saved me. I needed purpose. Meaning. And I’d made my choice. I’d decided to fight evil. To defend and protect. I saw the same desperate hope in their eyes now.
“It’s up to you,” Sean said softly. “It’s your choice to take them with you, just as it’s their choice to ask to come along. But if you do, my soturi are already loyal to you—they will cheer at your consecration. Celebrate when you become Arkasva Hart, High Lord of Glemaria.”
I bit my lip, his words sinking in. But my stomach was still turning. “If we do this, we only have a week.”
Lyr squeezed my hand. “Anything is possible.”
