by Sharon Hinck
My focus skimmed past the Lyric balcony. A dark-haired man in a Council tunic had his back to the assembly, shoulders pulled back, arms gesturing with arrogant authority as he addressed the other Lyric councilmembers.
Ice seized my stomach, and I sank into a chair in the back row, trying to swallow.
How could I have forgotten Cameron’s pompous voice announcing himself as the chief councilmember of Lyric? Even though he was speaking for the Corros delegation, he had planted himself with Lyric in the place of power, surrounded by several Council guards.
Why was anyone loyal to him after all the evil he’d committed?
As if hearing my thoughts, Cameron tugged on his tunic and strode confidently down the ramp to the center. The noise of discussions around the tower quieted. “As the most recent chief councilmember, I will open this emergency session of the Council. Corros clan has been offered help from Hazor in exchange for allegiance—”
“Traitor!” The shout came from someone in the Braide Wood balcony.
I grinned. Not everyone was ready to listen to the snake.
Cameron smoothed back his glossy, tar-colored hair and smirked. “I’m only here to present their position to the Council. Much like Shamgar of the past, they have not received help from the other clans and have good reason to look elsewhere.”
“Why did Corros ask you to represent them?” A woman from Blue Knoll leaned on her balcony railing and called out the challenge.
“They understand that I have also been treated unjustly by this Council, by Lyric, and by the clans.”
“That’s enough,” Jake said under his breath. He clapped the shoulder of a Rendor clansman that he’d been talking with and pushed past a few others to stride down the ramp.
“Should we go with him?” I whispered to Mark. Even as I asked, I realized I needed to stop thinking of Jake as my little boy. He was a man with his own calling, his own suffering, his own courage. Watching his destiny unfold stirred a strange conflict in my soul. I felt joy and gratitude, yet strangely bereft at the same time. My role had changed so much, and I wasn’t sure I could let go.
My husband leaned forward, keeping a careful eye on our son. “Let’s give him a moment.”
He was right, but I frowned. Why was it so much easier for Mark to accept each new season in our children’s lives? What was wrong with me that I wanted to cling?
A sudden silence gripped the room. I was delighted to see the flicker of shock when Cameron saw my son—alive and back in Lyric.
“The only injustice you’ve received is a lack of trustworthy guards to keep you from causing more trouble.” Jake took a place near Cameron, subtly usurping the center of the shiny black floor.
“Ah, the self-proclaimed Restorer returns after abandoning his people when danger threatened,” Cameron sneered. “Seems to be a pattern with those mythic leaders—the ones in whom poor misguided people put their faith.”
To my shock, a rumble of resentful agreement circled the room. How unfair! Each Restorer had suffered and most had died to help the clans. The cost had been huge. None of us could solve every problem or remain indefinitely . . . but to accuse Jake of abandoning the clans when he’d been kidnapped—
“The Restorers were revealed by the One.” Jake’s voice carried easily to the top row of each balcony. He spared a disdaining glance in Cameron’s direction. “You proclaimed yourself king against everything the Verses teach.”
The tower fell silent again, and Jake snatched the opportunity to continue. “I’m here today to testify that once again Cameron has consorted with enemy nations. He sold me to the—”
“I accepted the role of king because the people needed a strong leader who would not abandon them. Someone who could help the clans take their role among the independent nations around us.”
Cameron was a psychopath. Surely the delegates in the tower would shout him down and order him dragged out.
Instead, many councilmembers sat forward in their chairs, or leaned on their balcony, listening with rapt attention. A few heads even nodded.
“Some of the clans aren’t ready to take their place in the modern world. That is their choice,” Cameron continued. His arrogance and condescension made my stomach sour. “But is it fair to hinder struggling clans who do have the courage to move forward in new alliances? Corros is grateful for the assistance that Hazor has offered them. And Lyric is ready to become a center for those more enlightened clans.”
The picture his words painted began to make sense. Why not allow such treaties? It would keep everyone happy. A cloudy lethargy soaked through me.
Mark grabbed my hand. “Susan,” he whispered. “Something’s wrong.”
I shook myself and gauged the reactions around the tower. The councilmembers seemed drawn in, entranced. They were acting like—
“Rhusican poison,” I whispered. Holy One, help us! My breathing shortened and stuttered as I clutched Mark’s hand.
Cameron kept speaking, holding everyone in thrall. Jake held his ground, but frowned in confusion. He opened his mouth and then closed it without speaking.
I scanned the balconies again, studying each face.
Then I spotted him. Deep in the shadows of the Lyric balcony, hidden by a hooded cloak, a man stood with gaze fixed on the center of the tower. He was smiling.
His face had haunted my nightmares since my captivity in Rhus.
Nicco.
The Rhusican who had violated my mind and assaulted my memories again and again, until I was a broken shell.
A whimper escaped my lips and Mark pulled me close. “Susan, what is it?”
I wanted to close my eyes. To will myself away. But if I looked away from Nicco, would he disappear? Was he a paranoid delusion caused by trauma? I was afraid to speak, afraid to attract Nicco’s attention.
“Lyric balcony,” I managed to whisper.
Mark followed my gaze. “I see him. Is he a—”
“Shhh.” Too late. Nicco pulled his attention away from Cameron and saw me. The distance across the wide tower seemed to compress. Nicco’s teeth bared as his smile grew.
Horror flooded me. I fought for air. Susan, focus. Think about your purpose here. Support Jake’s testimony. Help the clans past this crisis. Bring Jake home.
Don’t go back there now. Don’t panic—
I bolted for the door and escaped into the outer office, gasping for breath and trembling.
Mark followed and surrounded me with his arms. Then he turned me, pressing me against his chest. “Holy One, we need You. Be our defender,” he whispered.
His prayer steadied me, but I still struggled to speak.
“Susan, talk to me. What’s wrong? We can stop a Rhusican. We’ve done it before.”
I pushed away from him and choked out my words. “Not a Rhusican. It’s him. Nicco. The one who . . .”
I wrapped my arms around my stomach and doubled over. Waves of nausea coursed through me. I couldn’t do this. Couldn’t face him. Couldn’t face the memories of that trauma—
Mark grabbed my shoulders and pulled me up to face him. “Susan, you’re stronger than this. Jake needs our help. The clans need us.” His harsh tone almost hid the thread of compassion that warmed his eyes.
But the firm reminder was what I needed. I drew in a breath that filled my chest and lifted my chin. “When we can’t go back . . .”
“We go forward.” The corner of his mouth canted upward. “That’s right. I can’t understand all that happened to you in Rhus. But I know this: you won. You showed Nicco the One, and he let you leave. You rescued Rendor clan. My clan.”
He was right. The horror of that captivity was real, and I didn’t need to feel shame for being slow to recover. I might bear the scars for the rest of my life. But as bad as it had been, the One had never left me. I was standing here today.
“The
One is bigger than Nicco,” I said quietly. My voice trembled, but my heart strengthened. “The One is greater than all of Rhus. He’s stronger than my worst dread.”
Admiration shone in Mark’s eyes. “And because He loves us, we can trust Him.”
I drew every ounce of strength from our moment together just before the outer door slid open.
A storm gathered across Mark’s face and I spun to see who entered.
Nicco tossed back his hood. Auburn curls framed his face, and his smile chilled my bones. “Medea’s pet. I’ve missed you.”
Mark stepped in front of me, his hand clenched on the grip of his sword.
“Wait.” I moved beside Mark. This was my battle to fight. “Nicco, what are you doing in Lyric?”
He shrugged. “Helping an ally.”
“You chose the wrong ally. Cameron is using you. If you really want to help your people—”
He laughed. “Always so concerned about my welfare. Does he know? Does he know how much you care?”
The dangerous scrape of steel on leather told me Mark had drawn his sword, but I kept my eyes on Nicco and lifted my chin. “Mark knows that the One cares about each soul. Even the enemies of the clans. Even the enemies that can’t recognize truth when they crash into it.”
Mark’s anger burned hot enough for my skin to feel the heat, but at least for now he held his ground. Behind us, the drone of Cameron’s voice was interrupted by a shout and the chaos of overlapping outbursts. Nicco rubbed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.
I tilted my head. “Sounds like your pal Cameron is losing control of the Council. That’s all right. Jake will explain everything to them.”
Instead of trying again to provoke Mark or torment me, Nicco winced. He seemed strangely disinterested in the noise erupting from the Council chamber.
“Cameron isn’t your real reason for being here,” I said softly. “And it looks like you’ve been away from home too long.”
That drew a flare of rage from Nicco’s eyes. “You think you understand us.”
I held my ground. “You’re still curious about the One. You came seeking Him.”
He pressed the heels of his hands against his temples, pushing hard against whatever chaos swirled through his mind. “A whim. A useless one.”
Pity tugged me. A strange sensation when all I wanted to feel was hatred. Or was Nicco simply manipulating my thoughts? I looked at Mark.
Every tendon in his jaw was tight, each muscle in his body rigid. He held his sword ready to run Nicco through if I gave him any signal. No confusion in his feelings.
Nicco backed up a step, worrying his head side to side. He was clearly in pain, and I doubted he had enough control to twist my reactions at the moment. And the longer we kept him occupied, the more time we gave Jake to bring reason and truth to the Council.
Holy One, what do I do? What do You want?
The Rhusican was evil. Selfish, corrupt, frivolous.
“And such were some of you . . .” The verse nudged my heart. Without the One, I was no better.
“Useless,” he moaned again.
“Maybe not so useless,” I said quietly. “But this isn’t the place for what you seek. If you have the courage—”
“Courage?” Nicco pulled his hands away from his head and straightened, arrogance puffing his chest even though lines of pain still tightened around his eyes.
“If you have the courage to come with us to the worship tower,” I continued firmly, “I believe your curiosity will be satisfied. But from what I remember, you were afraid of anyone you couldn’t control.”
“Susan,” Mark said under his breath. “What are you—”
Nicco laughed. “Anything to stop the boredom. These people are empty-headed. Easy to sway.”
Jake’s beautiful baritone voice carried through the open door. “Awesome in majesty, perfect in power.” He sang the words to the ancient song, and one by one others joined him. Deep rumbling warrior voices, gentle soprano councilmembers, some off-key, some breathy, but all beautiful.
Nicco frowned, then shrugged. “Show me this tower.”
I turned to Mark. “Let one of the Rendor councilmembers know. The worship gathering has begun, and the Council should all come. They can finish negotiations later.”
Mark shook his head. “You’ve seen how he twisted minds in the Council tower. What if he . . .”
I rested my hand on the tense muscles of Mark’s sword arm. “Let the One worry about what Nicco is able to do at the worship tower.” I managed the confident words without a quaver in my voice, even while my stomach twisted and burned and my nerves screamed at me to run.
The song finished. We couldn’t risk letting the Rhusican back into the Council meeting. I finally understood why the One had brought me here. Nicco wouldn’t let anyone else introduce him to the One. And no one else had a better chance to dissuade him from helping Cameron ruin the clans. “Mark, now is your chance to tell the Council. I’ll take Nicco to the tower and meet you there.”
Nicco smirked. “She wants to be alone with me.”
His juvenile attempt to cause trouble was so obvious, it stirred only a flicker of annoyance. Even Mark, whose fury had been so palpable, ignored Nicco.
Instead, my husband lowered his sword and gave me a worried look. “Are you sure about this?”
I glanced at my worst enemy, and then smiled back at my dearest love. “I’m fine. Go talk to the Council.”
Chapter
34
Linette
Standing in the worship tower at my assigned spot on the dais, I listened as waves of music rose and fell. Caralad continued to kneel by the railing, also soaking in the melodies. Images from the past season spun through my mind. Loss and joy, forgetting and remembering, doubt and certainty. Through it all, the rich music of the One’s love had carried me.
I wished more people were here for this reminder of His goodness. So few had gathered here today, my heart threatened to break. But my disappointment quickly faded under the overwhelming presence of the One. With His help, I’d create music that lifted hearts to Him, however many or few people could hear.
Although we’d begun late, we followed the full traditional pattern of gathering day. After hearing the One’s invitation and rejoicing, we knelt and bared our hearts to Him. Some songkeepers didn’t like the songs of confession, or the times of silence and tears. I loved it. When the One showed me where I’d been blind to my own selfishness, I didn’t feel crushed by despair. Instead, I felt relief as I acknowledged how much I needed Him. How much I longed for a Deliverer.
I glanced at Caralad. As others bowed their heads in remorse, he continued to smile up at the grey light that seeped through the windows and embraced the walls.
Expectant silence formed throughout the tower. Looking out, I spotted Susan. A hooded stranger stood beside her, glaring uneasily around the room.
Lukyan stepped forward and took a slow breath, wheezing tightly. When this feast day was over, I would insist that he visit a healer. Even braced with his walking stick, he wavered on his feet. I eased closer to him, ready to support him if needed, as he recited a long portion of the Verses. Finally he finished with the declaration, “The Verses of Life.”
The small crowd answered, “One without end.”
A musician near the dais introduced a tender melody on a wooden flute. As we began the next song, more people appeared in the archway that faced the central plaza. My eyes widened as dozens of councilmembers made their way toward the center of the tower. Had the meeting ended so quickly? I recognized people from several different clans, then spotted Tristan and Kieran. Neither looked at peace. That didn’t tell me much, since Kieran always wore a worried frown.
Jake walked forward reverently, then stood behind the group encircling the dais. He caught my gaze and smiled. Near him, Markkel
scanned the room then spotted Susan and moved toward her. Markkel took her hand, and Susan rested her head against his shoulder.
The spirit of the room shifted with the arrival of everyone from the Council meeting. Expressions of distrust and disagreement were as evident as a sour note in a melody. The clans were fracturing. Our enemies no longer needed to conquer us. We were destroying ourselves.
I kept singing, layering the lyrics with the cry of my heart. Holy One, heal our clans.
The last notes faded. Time for another songkeeper to recite Verses.
A hush filled the tower, like the silence when a mother waits for her baby’s first cry or a child listens for the comforting footsteps of his father.
In the momentary quiet, a clear, soaring voice began to sing. Startled, I glanced at all the songkeepers. This wasn’t one of the traditional songs.
The others on the dais were also looking around, confused.
The tone was so pure the very walls of the tower seemed to vibrate. The melody skipped, jumped, rose. Lukyan slid the switch that slowed and then stopped the dais. It lowered back into place, and when it settled, I was directly in front of Caralad, who still knelt with his face lifted.
He was singing. The most extraordinary music I’d ever heard lifted from his small throat.
The light has come.
We see His face.
His love is our true
Resting place.
My shock was so great that at first I barely heard the lyrics. Others around the tower craned their necks to see who was singing.
Oblivious to the way he was disrupting the order, Caralad continued to sing.
The Maker’s love was cast aside;
A shroud of grey proclaimed the rift.
And every day the heavens cried,
Awaiting the One’s promised gift.
He returned to the chorus and my fingers found a chord on the rondalin. Whatever his purpose in introducing this new song, I would try to learn it, to follow.
The light has come.
We see His face.