“Your Majesty,” the old man’s voice trembles. “Don’t let your guard down. They are closer than you think.”
I study the old man’s face, aged by time and hardships.
“What do you mean?” I whisper back.
The sword remains poised at his throat, but Silas’s startled rage dissolves as he permits the man to keep speaking. The crowd hangs back, and Fen widens her stance, utterly aware of the situation unfolding.
“Th…the creatures,” the man stutters.
I angle my head, and Silas lowers his sword. “What do you know about the ship?”
The old man narrows his eyes. “Your Majesty, I’m not sure what ship you are referring to.”
“But you said creatures. Which creatures, then?” I ask.
Aerona’s voice shouts above us, “Enough!”
The man jolts.
Silas leans close enough to whisper in the man’s ear. “There are better ways to get our attention. Next time, I suggestspeaking to us privately instead of nearly knocking down the Queen of Daramveer in such a public space.”
“I’m sorry,” the old man rasps.
Silas’s eyes dart to the crowd and back to the man. “Go and hide before things get bad here. Take your loved ones.”
“Bad, Your Highness?”
I watch Silas, and he speaks gently to the old man. “Protect yourself. Go to the mountains. Trust me.”
I grab Silas’s arm, and the man nods, backing into the whispering crowd. I watch his figure disappear into a sea of cloaked civilians, and fear bubbles up into my chest.
If he wasn’t talking about the ship, what did he mean?
I move back toward Silas and hop onto the platform, shaking the old man’s words from my mind. I join Fen and Aerona, turning to face the crowd. Their eyes shift to me, and I give them a reassuring nod. Silas follows me, hopping onto the platform with a warrior’s grace. Even though this isn’t much higher than the ground, I feel miles above those standing below, and a wave of nausea hits me as I stare at the cloaked figures. Hushed whispers move through the crowd, and I hear grumbles of curses flowing in our direction—my direction.
Silas steps forward with his sword still drawn, facing the people of Andorwood. Many figures before us remove their hoods, and I study their faces. Shadow and Lumor Wielders stand in front of us, each looking unique except for their hair color. Rebels, criminals, and travelers fill the crowd, and I know that everyone before us came to Andorwood with a common goal—to start a new life in a kingdom that had hope. I can only pray that one day faith can be restored.
Children, adults, and elderly Wielders stand before us, and even though looks of caution, concern, and hatred shine back at me, I’m filled with anticipation that they will unite to help us defeat a common enemy.
Silas wastes no time. “Andorwood!” His deep voice carries through the crowd. “I stand before you today to announce change, hope, and a new future free of fear, doubt, and hiding.”
The crowd falls deathly quiet and still. I stand beside Silas, in awe of his steadiness and his ability to speak before an audience. The last time I declared something to a crowd, I almost spilled my guts in front of everyone. Anxiety fills me, and I will my hands to steady themselves at my sides.
“Malachi is gone,” Silas shouts.
Hushed whispers fill the crowd, and Fen steps forward, shushing them. Her presence commands attention, causing them to quiet once more.
“He fled, abandoning Andorwood without a second thought. Your king has left, and he won’t be returning,” Silas continues, stepping closer to the crowd. “Malachi lied to you all. He ruled this domain with fear by haunting us in the shadows of this kingdom and our minds. He tormented and tortured all…” He pauses. “Myself included.”
Someone from the crowd shouts, “Good fucking riddance.”
A few laughs travel over the crowd like a disease, and something twists within my gut.
“I thought you might all feel that way,” Silas says, as he dips his head in agreement. “And I know you all understand what that means for this kingdom.”
Silence falls over the crowd, and Aerona steps forward to stand beside Silas while Fenmore stays back.
“Silas Nastronde is now King of Andorwood,” she shouts. “He will reign with fairness and understanding, and no longer will fear spread across this kingdom. Silas will restore Andorwood to what it once was—a kingdom of peace, equality, and freedom—and we will rise once more. No one will have to hide any longer. We will no longer be outsiders, but will band together as a kingdom. A new Andorwood is coming, and I hopeyou all will stand behind the Nastrondes as you once did before Malachi.”
