“You cannot control me,” he said aloud, just as shocked as Gemynd appeared to be. Soman felt the need to run, to fly, to shout to every corner of Todor that he would never be controlled again. And then he was certain and proclaimed aloud, “The fever is gone.”
“You’ve learned to strengthen your will,” Gemynd said in an astonished tone.
Feeling Gemynd’s voice vibrate against his hands, Soman remembered what he was about to do. He clenched his teeth together and once again set about squeezing Gemynd’s throat. Crushing it completely would be no harder than smashing a piece of bread between his fingers, and Soman knew it was not a lack of strength that held him back. It was his conscience. It was his storehouse of memories. It was his love for his brother.
“If you kill me, she will never forgive you,” Gemynd squeaked and, slowly, Soman let him go. Soman knew it was more than the threat of hurting Numa that made him stop. He loved Gemynd. For all his faults, Gemynd was his family. But if he could not kill him, then he had to find another way to stop Gemynd from taking the throne. He had to make him see that the peace council was the best thing for everyone. For if Gemynd took the throne, there would be war.
Gemynd quickly scurried out of the room and onto a small landing that Soman had not seen before. Soman ran after him and followed him up another staircase that emerged onto a wallwalk running the entire perimeter of the tower. Gemynd stopped on the side that overlooked the city square below and Soman walked up next to him.
Soman looked down and saw thousands of people gathered in the square. From his vantage point, he could even see the dais on the city wall at the far corner of the square. He saw Archigadh, Molly, Keeper Fregman and two Terrene workers atop it. Keeper Sam was still missing.
“Leave them be,” Soman said to Gemynd.
“I wish them no harm, brother,” Gemynd replied. “I have no hatred for any of them, except the one among them who killed my father. That one I will punish until he begs for death, and then I will take that from him as well. I bear no ill will for the rest of them, but this is my destiny. My father’s last words told me to claim my destiny. Can’t you see that I must do this? I promised you no more death and it shall be so. I give you my word that I will lead Todor into peace and prosperity.”
Soman looked at Gemynd, wanting that much to be true. He did not doubt Gemynd’s ability to lead. “If you take over this way, there will not be peace,” Soman explained. “We will have to make war against you.”
“My dear brother, you must trust me,” Gemynd said. “As I said before, I promised you peace, and peace you shall have.”
“I am telling you as leader of the Zobanite forces, that I will make war against you if you force your way onto the throne,” Soman said.
“Not if you have no army behind you,” Gemynd said.
“Zobanites would never be loyal to you over me,” Soman said and Gemynd merely smiled in response.
Gemynd outstretched his arms in a grand gesture and shouted to the crowd in a booming voice, “Kneel before your king!”
Soman felt his face fall as he watched every last man, woman and child within sight drop down on one knee. Even Archigadh, the great Chief of the Zobanites, knelt.
“Stop this at once!” Soman ordered, but Gemynd merely smiled.
“Peace, brother,” he said. “It is done.”
“No,” Soman said and hopped over the battlement, flying as fast as he could to the dais.
“Father, get up!” he said when he got there, pulling on Archigadh’s arm, but the man would not be moved. Soman looked over the wall and felt his stomach turn to see Maireen and all of Archigadh’s women kneeling as well.
Soman jumped over the wall, flying into the crowd, and ran among the people, pulling on them, urging them to stand, but he was once again powerless to Gemynd’s mind tricks.
“He is not your king!” Soman shouted, but there was no response. Everyone was on their knees.
Soman ran all through the crowd, feeling more and more panicked. And, finally, he saw a single figure standing just outside the city square. It was Numa.
“Numa!” Soman shouted and ran to her.
She looked up, her face bruised, her lip bloody, her eyes puffy from tears. Soman knew she could easily heal herself. She was choosing to feel this pain.
“Soman, you got the tea,” she said with a sad smile.
Soman shook his head. “I saw it, but never drank it,” he explained and suddenly her eyebrows moved together in a look of confusion.
“But you are well. And why aren’t you kneeling with the rest of them?” she asked.
“I don’t really know,” he answered. “I fought his mind control and I won.”
“Your will,” Numa said and smiled. “He cannot force a strong will.”
“We must do something,” Soman urged. “We cannot let him take over this way.”
Numa stared up at the top of the keep where Gemynd stood, pain and longing deep in her eyes. “He has only hatred for me now,” she said.
“No,” Soman replied taking her by the shoulders. “He told me that he knows you did not kill Golath. He believes you. He only hit you so that you would not stop him from taking the crown.”
Numa’s eyes went wide. “He does not blame me?” she asked.
“No. Now let us go talk some sense into him.”
Numa nodded and grabbed hold of Soman’s hand. “Give your consent and I will take us up there,” she said.
Soman agreed and was instantly transported to the top of the keep again. Numa took a step towards Gemynd, but Soman held tight to her hand. “What shall we say to stop him from this madness?” he asked.
Numa smiled and kissed Soman lightly on the cheek. “Come to the wall with me,” she said. “We are not going to stop him.”
Gemynd turned then and his proud expression crumbled when he saw Numa’s face. “My love, I have hurt you,” he said, gingerly touching her cheek. “I am eternally sorry.”
Numa shook her head. “Do not be sorry,” she said and smiled. “Every moment of Joy and every moment of pain that has come before was necessary to bring us here. Both of you, look where we are.”
Soman looked at Numa, then at Gemynd, then at the kneeling crowd below. From the corner of his eye, he saw Gemynd raise his hands and everyone in the crowd stood.
“People of Todor, this is my vision!” Numa called and the crowd below cheered loudly. But their cheers were hollow. They did not cheer of their own will.
“You have done it, my love,” Gemynd said and pulled Numa into a deep kiss.
Coming Soon, the exciting conclusion to the Todor trilogy:
Unity: The Todor Trilogy, Book Three
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Thank you so much for reading this book! Independent authors rely on readers’ reviews, and I would be very grateful if you would leave a review of this book on Amazon or another website. Thanks again!
My gratitude for everyone mentioned in the first book of this trilogy has only deepened with time. You know who you are.
Thank you, also, to Maya Allen-Gallegos, my lifelong friend and eBook guru. You’re the best!
Again, I want to give special mention to my beta readers who have given me more support than they even know. Jesse Hiott, Betty Newell, Bob Newell, Darcy Newell, Doug Gibson, Diana DeBlanc and Lynn Vaughn…I love you guys!
Author, healer, all-around kook, Jenna Newell Hiott boasts of having a limitless imagination, unless it’s naptime. While many of us had an imaginary friend as children, Jenna had an entire imaginary family—complete with a second set of parents and three siblings—all of whom lived in a make-believe world of Jenna’s own creation. One could say she’s been writing fantasy fiction since she was old enough to use words. And she never outgrew it. Out of
this hyperactive imagination, and a life steeped in metaphysics, Jenna created the land of Todor: a world of magic, intrigue, and power plays.
She currently lives in the Land of Enchantment with her husband, son, dog and two cats.
Keep in touch with Jenna:
http://www.jennanewellhiott.com
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https://twitter.com/jennahiott
Email: [email protected]
Disintegration: The Todor Trilogy, Book Two Page 29