The master’s fall slowed with a ruffle of his robes, and he was eased onto the floor gently. Mohned turned his head and smiled at her as the rest of the room sat in a stunned silence.
She took a shaky breath as Victor helped Master Mohned carefully back onto his feet.
“Thank you, Vhalla,” he said gently, readjusting his stance.
She had just enough time to breathe a small sigh of relief before chaos descended upon the room.
“GUARDS!” EGMUN CRIED.
Vhalla glanced back at Craig and Daniel. They were frozen in place, and the odd sense of wonder on Daniel’s face as he looked at her told Vhalla their stillness wasn’t entirely from fear.
“Guards!” Egmun bellowed and they sprang to life, pushing her to the ground roughly, their swords drawn. The tips pressed into the back of Vhalla’s neck.
“Calm down!” Victor cried, his hands in the air.
“She’s a monster!” shrieked one senator.
“We’re not safe here!” wailed another.
“Vhalla wouldn’t hurt anyone,” the master attempted.
“It isn’t natural,” a man shouted.
“You old fool, it’s amazing,” came a lone voice, though one or two others muttered agreement.
The shouts and arguments became more heated, and Vhalla felt the boots of the guards on her back. She’d made a mistake. Without thinking or planning, she’d used her magic in front of everyone. Vhalla struggled to twist her head to see, very aware that sudden movements could be permanently detrimental to her health.
“We should kill her now,” one man bellowed.
“How can we kill such a power?” a woman snapped back. “It has utility!”
“The most important thing about power is how someone uses it!” Victor attempted, though Vhalla wasn’t sure if he was heard. “She can do great things!”
The Emperor began banging his staff.
“We will rue the day if we let her out of here alive,” one senator said.
“Kill her now!” screamed another.
Vhalla looked out at the scene; most of the senators were on their feet. Some were fighting with each other, more were arguing with Victor on the dais below. Egmun stood silently, a mad smile creeping up on his features. He’d won. He showed she didn’t have control over a different and frightening power.
“Silence!” the Emperor roared, and the whole room fell into a startled hush. Everyone realized, all at once, that they had forgotten themselves. He rose to his feet and descended from the royal platform. Mohned, Victor, and Egmun parted with a bow of their head as he walked through, but his attention was glued on her.
Vhalla twisted her head slightly; one eye was squinted shut against the floor, and the other was partly covered by her hair. He knelt down before her on the other side of the bars, and placed a hand on his raised knee. The Emperor regarded her curiously.
“Let her sit,” he ordered.
Vhalla felt Craig and Daniel remove their feet from her back. She eased up slowly, their sword points still at her neck. Vhalla risked a movement to pull her hair from her eyes.
“My lord, I don’t think—” Egmun started.
“Silence, Egmun.” The Emperor held up a hand. The most powerful man in the realm considered Vhalla for a long moment, his blue eyes searching her for something. Eventually she looked down at her hands folded in her lap, unsure what he wanted to see. “Could you strike me down where I am now?” he asked.
“My lord?” Vhalla couldn’t believe her ears. Was it a trick? Or a test?
“You are shackled, with swords at your throat, behind bars. Could you still strike me down?” Though his eyes looked nothing like Aldrik’s, she felt a familiar intensity in them and it gave her pause.
“I’ve never thought about doing something like that, and my magic seems strange right now... But I suppose I may be able to,” she answered honestly.
