The Greater Challenge Beyond (The Southern Continent Series Book 3)

by Jeffrey Quyle

  He picked up the wand with his bloody hand, and held it in front of himself. Without a word, Jenniline pressed her hand against his. Their fingers wove between each other, then clenched tightly, and they grinned tightly at one another as well. Grange lifted the wand high, and their bodies were pulled together in response.

  He pointed his free hand at the wooden circle. “Burn!” he commanded, and he let his finger rotate around, spreading the first flames that began to consume the fuel placed at the ready. He ceased the discharge, then placed his hand on Jenniline’s back, firming the connection between the two of them.

  And then he commanded the energy in the wand to release. There was a tremor in their grip, though he wasn’t sure whether it was a nervous reaction of his muscles, or an action of the wand. Then there was light – brilliant, pure light – a white energy that was pregnant with the promise of cleansing and warmth as its column expanded outward from the wand’s tip and rose towards the moon overhead. If anyone in the palace was unaware of Grange’s plans that evening, they’d certainly learn that something was occurring, as the shaft of light that rose from the wand cast shadows across the whole city.

  He had to take control of the wand and its energy, he knew. He had to think about the power, and he had to think about how he would use the power. He had to think about opposite uses – how he would use the power to battle and destroy the demons, but also use it to heal and build the world he lived in as well.

  He wanted to use the wand to win the war with the demons. The energy in the wand was going to have to defend, and fight, and most immediately, it would have to help him fulfill the prophecies that Miriam the goddess had made, that he would find ways to replicate and recreate – specifically replicate the demon-destroying power of the sword she had given him, as well as replicate the elemental jewels he hand known and relied upon before their destruction.

  He wanted to protect life. He wanted to nurture life. He wanted people to know that they were valued and had opportunities – he didn’t want children to feel warehoused and abandoned in orphanages, as he had felt. He wanted to stop tyranny, as he had seen it and known it in Fortune, and he wanted to end wars, such as the combat that was befalling Palmland.

  The energy was draining from the wand, flying upward, and as it left his wand, he felt it reach down through his blood, reaching through the veins of his body, reaching backwards into his heart and soul, reaching for the thoughts he was thinking, embracing them and consuming them and accommodating them, so that it would become attuned to his greatest needs and desires.

  He had to keep his thoughts focused and pure, he knew. He had to think of the things he longed for. He thought of the warmth of Kilua, and the clear air of the Palmland mountains. He thought of the leadership and guidance he had received from Brieed, and from Ariana. He thought of the counsel and support that Jenniline had given him.

  The light overhead began to change colors. He opened his tightly shut eyes and looked upward, nearly blinded by the brilliance that flowed merely inches from his face, but aware that high overhead, the column of light was changing shapes, reflecting something of the thoughts that the wand was incorporating and digesting from his soul into its own form.

  Grange sensed that the energy was nearly halfway emptied already, as the vast torrent of power erupted. He had more to do, he knew. There was the sprig of evergreen, sitting on the table, the next step in the process. He reached over and let his fingers find the juniper twig.

  “Kiss this, and put part of it in your mouth,” he shouted the words to Jenniline. The discharge of the energy wasn’t loud, but he felt his senses so overwhelmed that he needed to shout to cut through the distractions of images and feeling and dislocation.

  Jenniline’s eyes opened, unfocused, and her mouth gapped partially open. Grange pressed the juniper into the dark space between her lips, which seemed supernaturally red against her pale skin, and she closed them upon the twig.

  Grange pressed his own face forward, and took the extended greenery upon his lips briefly, then within his own mouth, then closed his own lips, finding that they were resting against Jenniline’s.

  The energy being released from the wand suddenly flared, changing to green, then blue, then red, then oscillating among the three colors as Grange and Jenniline looked into one another’s eyes. He tasted the freshness of the juniper, its fragrance washing across his tongue and through his mouth. He let his tongue dart around the sprig and poke out, to leave his mouth and begin to touch Jenniline’s lips, making them quiver. Then her lips parted, and her own tongue reached out and aggressively met his, welcoming it and challenging it, testing and touching and tasting his, flesh to flesh, bathed in the intoxicating energy moving around the juniper twig that had brought them together.

  The energy of the wand reacted again, and they felt the tower rock beneath their feet, then they felt themselves start to rise from the roof, lifted by the power’s explosive reaction to their kiss.

  They both withdrew their tongues, though they held their lips pressed against one another’s and around the juniper. The exuberance of the energy diminished, and they floated back down to the stone roof top.

  The wand was starting to feel as though it was almost fully emptied. Grange could sense its discharge growing less frantic, and he focused his thoughts again. There would be the requirements of war, the need for power in battle, and then there would be the need to heal, and then the need to rebuild, he gave the wand a narrative of what was to come.

  The discharge began to sputter.

  Grange raised his free hand and momentarily stroked Jenniline’s jaw softly with it, then reached between their lips and pulled the evergreen spring free. He bent down and picked up the first of the buckets of water, and awkwardly poured it upon himself.

  “Miriam! That’s cold!” he gasped, as the energy sputtered dramatically for a moment.

  He flung the bucket aside, and grabbed another, then emptied it upon Jenniline, splashing some upon himself.

  “You poxed dog!” she swore at him, though her grip on the wand remained tight.

  He picked up the third bucket, raised it higher, and inundated both their heads, then flung that bucket aside, and reached for the chalice of wine as Jenniline gasped from the chill.

  He raised the cup up to and through the beam of energy, then took a long drink of the contents, as the chalice glowed with a golden hue.

  “Your turn, drink this,” he told Jenniline.

  She raised the chalice and held it as his hand remained on it, and she drank deeply.

  “Now,” Grange said, “here comes the end!”

  He focused again on the wand and willed the energy to depart. He felt the wand respond, and suddenly felt it reach into him again, reaching through his blood and his flesh to call upon his own access to the power. The wand tapped the well of energy that Grange was in touch with, and it began to pull new energy into itself, then expelled that as well in a brilliant, flaring new height of power.

  “Grange, what’s happening?” Jenniline cried. “I’m going to pass out!”

  He felt himself growing faint and weak, as the wand pulled vast new streams of power through him. He grabbed onto her with his free arm, and pulled her wet body tightly against his, supporting her as he felt her go limp in his arm.

  Grange, you are magnificent! Ariana’s voice sounded in his soul.

  And then he passed out.

  Chapter 25

  When Grange awoke, he found that the sun was rising, the tower was glowing, and Jenniline lay atop him, still unconscious. Their hands still grasped the wand that had created such a tumultuous night.

  The tower was glowing. He focused on that. The stones shone duly in the red light of the rising sun, and the tower appeared to be lighter than it had previously been – the brown stones appeared to be a golden tan.

  He twiddled his fingers to untangle them from Jenniline’s, then felt a sting as their crusted blood parted along their palms. Jenniline moaned, but di
dn’t stir.

  Grange remembered his first experience with the wand, when he had stood with Grace and discharged its power. There had been a distraction, and a resulting incident that left Shaylee and Grace both unconscious and glowing with power.

  Ariana had advised him to touch the wand to the two girls, and their glow had ceased, without harm to either. It seemed to him that he could accomplish the same thing with the tower.

  He touched the tip of the wand towards the tower. As the slender stick approached the stone roof, there was an arcing of energy, a sizzling discharge of power that drained the glow from the tower and filled the wand with energy.

  Grange felt the tower tremble momentarily, and then all was still.

  In the removal of the tower’s luminescence, he saw that Jenniline too was glowing softly, her usually porcelain skin warmed with a golden hue. He touched the wand to the girl’s forehead, and saw a minute spark arc from her flesh to the wood, then the glow disappeared.

  “Jenniline,” he spoke softly, then reached up and stroked her face tenderly.

  “Princess, we need to awaken,” he spoke again.

  She made a soft sound in her throat, a murmur, and she rolled her head on her shoulders.

  “Jenniline, don’t make me kiss you again to wake you up,” he said gently.

  Her eyes opened, and she looked down at him.

  “That kiss last night was unbelievable,” she said. “But if you ever tried that again under any less extraordinary circumstances, I’d wallop your face,” she told him matter-of-factly. She gave a heave, then rolled off the top of him.

  “Who else was with us? I felt someone else present, I swear,” she said.

  Grange considered. “I don’t know,” he said. “But it may be Ariana. I thought I heard her at the end.”

  “She’s the jewel spirit, the one in your sword?” Jenniline asked, as Grange nodded.

  They lay in silence, each thinking about the previous night’s experience.

  “I feel like I was turned inside out – two or three times,” Jenniline said at last. “How do you feel?”

  “I’m glad it’s over. I’m glad you helped me,” he said. “I feel worn. I’d prefer to stay in and do nothing today.”

  “You need to at least make an appearance, to let people know you’re alive,” Jenniline told him. “Father will be expecting you to schedule your appearance at court.”

  “Can we just send Geric out to announce we’re okay?” Grange asked.

  “I sent all the servants out of the tower for the night when I came up to see you,” Jenniline informed him.

  He thought about the glowing stones of the tower, and the tremors that had shaken it. “That was a good idea,” he replied.

  He heaved himself into a sitting position, then picked up his wand and looked at it. The appearance was unchanged, but it felt different. It felt heavier, more substantial. And it felt like it belonged with him. The touch of its smooth covering felt comforting, and a flash of insight explained why Grace had always carried her wand in her cleavage; she had wanted to feel her wand touching her flesh, to enjoy the safety and peace that its contact gave.

  “I’ll clean up and go get breakfast,” he said. “Would you like to come with me?”

  “I think I better, so that people don’t think you made me into a sacrifice during last night’s show,” she joked, as she sat up.

  “That really was amazing,” she said after another moment. “I felt so much, was so aware. But it was frightening too, because I had no control whatsoever.

  “It must be amazing to be you, with all that power,” she said, and she looked at him.

  “It’s more than I imagined,” he answered. “I hope I do the right things.”

  Jenniline stood up. “I’m sure you will. I’m going to go change; I can hardly wear this to breakfast!” she indicated the red gown. “Will you be ready soon?”

  “I will,” he answered, and watched her disappear down the stairs.

  The wand was still in his hand. He needed to tell Brieed, he realized, but the moon was no longer in sight; it would be missing until early evening.

  He stood up and walked around the roof top. A shallow puddle remained where he had dumped the buckets of water upon the two of them, and the ring of ashes around the roof perimeter was cold. He lifted the wine bottle and chalice, took them downstairs with him, and changed into clean clothes, then met Jenniline at the door, and they descended the stairs together.

  When they appeared at the entrance to the dining hall, the room erupted into an uproar of voices, and the space bristled with fingers and arms pointing at them.

  Grange saw the faces of several people he knew, mostly of the younger generation, who tended to use the dining hall more frequently, while the senior members of the court relied on cooks and private meals. Acco, one of Hope’s sisters, was with Tomas, a boy who usually shadowed Hope.

  Hope was not present though, Grange saw. Inge and Halsten were sitting together with their cousin, Tranch. Paile was at another table with a group of noble girls, and various other familiar faces were spread about the busy hall. They all were turned to look at the two new entrants in the dining room.

  “Tell them,” Jenniline hissed.

  There isn’t much to tell, Grange thought. Or perhaps, there’s too much to tell – so much that can’t be put into words that would make sense to them.

  “Last night, I brought my wand up to its full potential. It will serve me now by obeying only my commands, and by meeting my greatest needs for power,” Grange spoke loudly to tell the crowd, as he held his wand in the air above his head.

  “In case you happened to notice anything unusual last night,” Jenniline added, drawing a round of appreciative laughter.

  “Will you do anything like that again?” Inge asked. “I’d like to know so that I can leave the city beforehand, so that I can get some sleep!”

  There was more laughter, less nervous than the first round had been. Grange lowered his wand, and he led Jenniline to the table where her brothers sat.

  “That was a spectacular display in the sky,” Halsten said. “With all the colors and the images.”

  “The swords and the trees and the jewels,” Inge added.

  “The two of you kissing each other,” Tranch added slyly.

  “You projected an image of our kiss?!” Jenniline asked in shock, looked at Grange.

  “Not intentionally!” Grange protested. “I wasn’t in control of what was happening. I didn’t know that was something that the power would show.”

  “You dog!” Jenniline slapped his arm with a hard, loud blow.

  “Kissing her apparently doesn’t soften her,” Inge observed to Halsten in a false whisper.

  Those around them laughed, as Jenniline began to blush lightly, a demonstration of emotion unusual among the native Southgar residents.

  “What about your tower,” Halsten kindly changed the topic. “Will it remain the color it is now? A golden tower?”

  “I think it will,” Grange answered. “I think the energy we displayed last night had an impact on it.”

  “It certainly had an impact on Jenniline,” Inge continued to bait his sister.

  “I’m going to take you to the armory and turn you into fishing bait,” she hissed back at him.

  Two plates of food were delivered with great reverence by the servants, who bowed to Grange and Jenniline after they were served, an unusual gesture.

  “I’d like to make an appointment for finally being presented to your father’s court,” Grange told Halsten. “Preparing my wand was what I was waiting for.”

  “I’ll ask the chamberlain to schedule you for an appointment,” the prince replied.

  “It will probably take a day or three; I’m sure there are a great many members of the court whose schedules will have to be accommodated because they will want to be sure to be present when you are there,” he added.

  “That seems reasonable,” Grange replied, as he started to
tuck into his meal. He was famished, he realized, and he saw Jenniline eating her meal with gusto as well. The long night of the exposure to the energy must have drained them each, and left them starving for nourishment.

  More people started to approach the table, to talk about the extraordinary spectacle that had played so brightly in the skies over the city.

  “I’ll bet Goala could have seen that clear down in Skengare,” one wag referred to the Earl who had first captured Grange and taken him prisoner in the countryside of Southgar, then sent him to the palace, many miles away.

  “He’d be furious if he did,” another added.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Grange answered. “It was just one step that has to happen.” He felt a sudden dose of fatalism. “And then the audience with the king has to happen. Then the rapprochement with the Bloomingians, must happen, and then,” he let his voice trail off without mention of the war against the demons.

  There’s more that must happen as well, Ariana’s voice sounded in his ear.

  “I heard that,” Jenniline said in a low voice.

  “And then what?” Inge asked.

  “We’ll have to see how those two events turn out,” Grange answered, shaken by Ariana, and shaken by Jenniline’s ability to perceive Ariana.

  “I’d like to head back to the tower now,” he said. “I’m still exhausted by the events last night,” he said, which was true, although the real reason he wanted to go was so that he would have a chance to try to communicate with the spirit of Ariana that seemed to be re-aggregating within the jewel.

  He took the last bite of his meal and stood. Jenniline gave him a significant look, stuffed a large piece of ham into her mouth, and stood as well, chewing rapidly as she did.

  The two departed, with Grange promising to visit the armory later in the day.

  “What’s your hurry?” Jenniline asked as soon as she finished chewing her last bite of food. “I could have eaten a whole other plate of breakfast!”

  “You can go back and eat more,” Grange told her.

  “No, I want to know what’s going on. It’s that voice, isn’t it? It’s that woman’s voice? It’s your jewel,” she reached over and tapped the sword on his waist, where the Ariana’s brilliant blue sapphire rested.