“He did, but it was kept secret,” Crane responded calmly. “The Empress had invaded to kill Aemon, and with that accomplished she retreated. It was imperative to keep Aemon’s continued line from her knowledge, which was part of why Aemon could not let the Empress take him alive. It is why he fought to the last on the spot we now call Aemon’s Stand.”
“His father was the last of Aemon’s line?” Leah asked in a hushed voice.
“No no,” Crane said. “Heis the last of Aemon’s line.”
Tomaz and Leah slowly looked at the Prince.
“No other of his line has been able to touch the sword, though we have tried again and again, obviously without telling them why. You are the first to knowof your heritage, in fact. But it is my belief that because you are also the son of the Empress, you have the same seed of power in your blood that Aemon had, allowing you to handle a sword originally paired exclusively to him, and to his power of healing. That was the secret he stole from the Empress, the ability to bring a person back from the edge of death as long as there was the smallest bit of life in them. To this day she does not have this power, for she did not deem it worth having and so gave it to Aemon while she kept the other Aspects, what you call Talismans, and gave them to her Children to help her rule. And you, with all of Tomaz’s memories conveniently stored away in your mind by the Raven Talisman, had more than enough to work with in order to bring him back. For you see, Aemon’s blood is in that blade, and I suspect that his sacrifice turned it into a Talisman of its own in a way, allowing you to turn the Raven Talisman from its black, corrupted purpose, back to what it was meant to be. Even still, the task was enormous, and in your exhausted state I do not think you would have been able to manage it without the strength you gained from Ramael—some of which was passed into Tomaz.”
A quick exchange happened between the two Rogues, but the Prince took little notice of it, for he was still staring at the Elder.
“I know it is a lot to take in, particularly after what has just happened. I will leave you alone, though once you feel adjusted enough to be up and walking, I would like to speak with you further. There is the matter of the information you gave us on the castle of Roarke—the information you gleaned from your brother’s memories. Part of it is incomplete, and I would very much appreciate your help filling in the blanks. But more than that… I will make no secret of the fact that you are the hero of this battle. The Kindred know your story, they know your identity as the Prince of Ravens and also, now, as Aemon’s Heir. You gave me your loyalty until this crisis has passed, and passed it has. Now… you are free to choose. And I would like to know where that decision will take you. Where it will take us all.”
With a respectful nod of the head, Crane made for the door, motioning for Leah and Tomaz to follow him and leave the Prince alone.
“Wait!”
The Elder turned.
“I have two questions,” the Prince said.
The Elder nodded again and waited.
“First… if I decide to leave, will you let me?”
“Yes,” the Elder said immediately. The Prince felt a huge weight fall off of him that he hadn’t known he’d been carrying. The Elder continued. “The Kindred are in your debt for our very existence. You are not our prisoner. The Council unanimously decided that should you wish to leave, it is only right of us to let you. Though please know that you will always have a place here with us. You need not continue to run.”
The Prince couldn’t do anything but nod.
“You had another question?” Elder Crane prodded.
“Yes… what was my father’s name?”
The Elder’s face took on a look of surprise, and then he smiled slightly.
“Relkin,” he said. “It is one of the oldest names we have. It means ‘true son.’ Your father chose it on his name day, when he turned eighteen. He chose it because he saw himself as the son of all the Kindred who had brought him up.”
“Relkin,” the Prince said, seeing how the name sounded. “Thank you.”
The Elder nodded and turned again to leave. Tomaz and Leah, however, did not.
“I think we should speak with him alone, Elder,” Tomaz said. “About the matter we discussed before. I think he needs to know it all.”
Crane looked like he might protest, but then he said, “It is your gift. You have the right to share it with whom you wish.”
And with that, he left, closing the door quietly behind him.
Tomaz and Leah turned back to the Prince.
“Leah,” he began, before they could speak, “thank you for helping me—”
“Not necessary,” she said with one of her rare smiles.
“It is,” the Prince insisted. “You seem to be making a habit out of saving my life.”
“You saved mine too,” she said.
“I’m still grateful,” he said.
