Powers of the Six (32 page)

Turbulence emanated from Alec: sadness to anger back to sadness … then annoyance …

Alec cleared his throat. “Seriously, Nolan. It’s a bit rude to use Empathy on someone all the time.”

“What?” He hadn’t noticed. “Sorry. Just not used to it, that’s all.”

Alec glared in warning. Nolan pulled back on his Empathy, and Alec relaxed a little.

“And then there’s my father,” Alec continued. “He’s the most confusing of all. He disowns me one hour and gives me gifts the next.” Alec pulled a sword from his sheath. The pattern welded together resembled a flickering flame dancing to the point of the blade, the two different metals intertwining.

“It’s great,” Nolan said.

“I know. When we got back last night, I assumed he’d grab a sword and go kill Emery. Instead, he let Taryn heal him, and he started pounding on the forge.”

He motioned toward his sword. “He’s been working on this one for quite a while. Usually, he curses up a storm and tosses it down. Last night, though, he didn’t say a word. He worked most of the night.” He touched a spot where one of the lighter metals swirled. “This metal is what was left of the sword Father found at the ruins.”

Nolan blinked. “He … destroyed it?”

A surge of disgust passed through Alec. “Yes. Afraid so. I guess the metal resisted him before he got his power. He worked all night on the nightforsaken thing, his Accuracy glowing the entire time. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he actually
likes
his Shay.” He shook his head. “And then he gave the sword to me.”

Alec fingered the blade, tracing the patterns. Nolan had never seen such a beautiful weapon—although, Nolan hadn’t studied weapons in his readings at the manor. So he supposed his opinion didn’t matter too much. But he assumed this sword would put the king’s to shame.

“I guess I’m pretty well numb to everything,” Alec said. “My father is a Shay user. If I can wrap my head around that, I can believe most anything.”

“Is that why you didn’t act so surprised about me?”

He tilted his head, smiling faintly. It was nice to feel gladness in his emotions.

“You realize you’re doing it again,” Alec said as he pointed to his head. “Digging in my mind.”

Nolan cringed. “Sorry. It will probably take a few days to control.”

Realization washed over Alec. “Ah! So that’s why you hid inside for a week. To practice your Perception?”

Nolan snickered but stopped abruptly when another pain stabbed his skull. This Shay would take some getting used to.

“So what’s Emery going to say?” Alec asked.

“About what?” Nolan asked as he squeezed his eyes closed.

“About you having more than one Shay.”

“He won’t say anything, because he won’t know.”

“You’re not going to tell him?”

“No. And neither will you.”

“Won’t he like, um, know?” Alec asked. “Just by sensing you?”

Nolan rubbed his temple. “Last time he dug through my mind to find my Shay. It’s not like he figured it just by looking at me.” He shuddered, remembering.

“But he’s more powerful now,” Alec said.

Nolan hadn’t considered that. But then he remembered last night, when he’d been searching Kardos. He’d stared at him and Kardos had squirmed. He had to dig around Kardos’s mind, too.

“It will be fine,” Nolan said, hoping.

“Nolan,” he said, “Maybe this is how King Alcandor gained his powers. And if that’s the case, maybe you can become as powerful as him.”

Nolan started. “Crows! Why would I want that?”

Alec shrugged with casual indifference, but his emotions soared with excitement. “Maybe you can defeat the king. Then if we’re lucky, you could take his place.”

Nolan’s stomach dropped, and he gawked at Alec. How could he say such a thing? He must’ve been more sleep deprived than he’d let on. The idea of himself as king was the most ridiculous suggestion he’d ever heard.

Nolan forced a laugh. “There is no way in Brim’s light I’ll be king. And besides, I’m done gaining powers.”

“Why?” Alec said, his emotions smug.

Nolan ran a hand over his chin. “It’s hard enough hiding one, let alone three.”

“Then why hide?”

“Because King Alcandor is the only other person with multiple powers. What would people think? If Alcandor started like me, then what will these powers do to my mind?” Nolan shook his head slowly. “I don’t know how many I can control. Three is bad enough. And if something happens …”

Alec laughed nervously. “Surely, Nolan—”

“We have no idea what multiple powers can do. The only reference we have is King Alcandor, and you can see what happened with him. Promise me, Alec, if I start to act evil or something—”

Alec snorted. “You won’t act evil.”

“If something goes wrong—”

“Nolan, you’ll be fine.”

“Promise me,” Nolan said. “Promise me you’ll stop me if I change.”

“Change into what?”

“A monster like Alcandor.”

Alec stood, annoyance lacing his emotions.

“Promise me!” Nolan said. All three Shay powers surged to life inside him. He inhaled sharply at the sensation.

Doubt and disagreement clouded Alec’s emotions. He jerked his face away, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. “All right,” he said in a tense whisper, “I’ll club you in your sleep and tie you up if I see you acting strangely.”

Nolan frowned.

“That’s all I can promise,” Alec said, his anger swelling. “If you want to die, ask someone else to kill you.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“I CAN PRETTY MUCH guess you’re bored without sensing you,” Nolan said.

Alec sighed and stood. “Sorry. It’s just … well, I’m sick of sitting.”

“I didn’t ask you to do this, you know.”

Nolan had hidden in his house the week following his gain of Empathy. Alec visited daily, letting Nolan practice on him.

“I figured the quicker you got over this, the quicker we get back to swords.”

“You do realize I’ll have another advantage,” Nolan said. “I’ll be able to sense your fighting strategies.”

“Oh no, you can’t. You can only catch emotions.”

He had a point. More than likely, Alec’s emotion would be excitement during a duel. “Well, my Perception helped me defeat you last time.”

Alec straightened in his seat, curiosity lacing his emotions.

“Ah, that’s better. Was getting bored of your boredom.”

“So you just made that up? To play around with me?” Alec’s emotions were amused.

“Of course not!” Nolan grinned. “I won because I’d focused my Perception on the hilt of your sword.”

“Ha! You are such a cheater.” Alec was impressed. “If you’re planning on hiding that Empathy of yours, you won’t be able to rake through everyone’s heads all the time. You’ve done it so much to me, I’m starting to get numb to it.”

“But you’re such an easy target,” Nolan said. “You give me at least twenty different emotions in a matter of seconds.”

“Are you calling me emotional?”

“More like volatile. You’re about to burst apart like an overfilled waterskin.”

Alec’s emotions rolled, from anger to amusement to curiosity. He shook his head. “Like that, I suppose?”

“Exactly like that.”

Nolan tuned his Perception outside and heard a crowd. It sounded like the village gathered at the hall. “Is there something going on today?”

“Crows!” Alec said, surging with frustration. “Emery’s called a meeting. He wanted me to drag you there.”

Nolan’s heart stuttered. He wasn’t ready. Empathy was the hardest one to control, because it took so little effort to use.

“You have to come out sometime,” Alec said.

“What if I make a mistake?”

“The whole village has come. There are so many Empathy users, no one will notice who sensed them.”

Alec was right. It would be the perfect place to try Empathy.

And so they went. Nolan was both excited and nervous. As they entered the large hall, curiosity laced the crowd’s emotions. It was amazing to feel everything, all the energy in the room.

“They’re all wondering what this meeting is about,” he whispered to Alec.

Alec grinned wide. “And you didn’t want to come.”

They took a place at the rear of the building, and a cool breeze blew through the open windows. He couldn’t imagine crowding together with his enhanced smell in sticky and hot weather. This place held, at least, two hundred people; they pushed the limits of capacity.

He scanned over heads and found Emery and several others on a platform in front of the room. Megan stood between Flann and Emery, looking more beautiful than usual. He surged a little Perception and studied her more closely. The journey had deepened her complexion, revealing faint freckles across her nose.

“I have brought you here today to discuss the further retrieval of the stones,” Emery said as the group trickled into silence. “From our recent experience, we can be certain the stones of Brim restore our true Shay powers. Certainly those of you with Healing and Speed are anxious to get your turn.”

“True Shay?” a voice said.

“What does he mean?” another asked.

Several more complained, impatient, probably those tormented by the stones’ pull.

A flare of light caught the corner of Nolan’s eye. He turned and gasped. Greer, the Guardian, maneuvered through the group, his massive form mingling with the crowd. None paid him any notice. Those who did only smiled and nodded as if he were one of them. Nolan pressed his eyes closed and shook his head. When he opened them, the Guardian was gone.

“Are there any questions?” Emery asked.

Hands shot into the air.

Nolan searched for the Guardian, but he saw no one apart from the familiar faces of the villagers. His head throbbed with the increase of emotions in the room.

The meeting dispersed, but Nolan barely noticed; instead, he scanned the crowd, looking for any proof that he wasn’t going insane. The image of the Guardian blazed in his mind.
What is happing to me
?

Emery stepped from the platform, patting shoulders and shaking hands. His eyes would flare purple with each person, as it always did. He wanted to understand his people’s emotions at all times. He searched the crowd, and his gaze stopped on Nolan. Nolan felt Emery’s Empathy flare and fade, and then Emery pushed his way through the crowd in Nolan’s direction.

Nolan stiffened and inhaled.

“You’ll be okay,” Alec said.

“What if I mess up?”

“Then it won’t be a secret.”

“Nolan!” Emery said. “How are you doing? Alec said you’ve been unwell.”

“I’m doing better, thank you.” This was the truth, for the most part.

“He told me you’ve been having headaches. Hopefully, it has nothing to do with the stones.”

Nolan glared at Alec. What was he trying to pull?

“I hope it isn’t a late symptom of stepping into the light,” Emery continued. “Our whole village will soon be under the stones. I would hate for it to—”

“Oh, no, no,” Nolan said. “It’s probably just being in the sun too much. Alec works me quite hard.”

Emery laughed. “It appears you’re well enough. At least I won’t have to worry when we leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

Emery’s smile left. “I just announced it, Nolan.” Concern laced his emotions. “Flann will be in charge of the village when we’re gone. I told him he could depend on you if he needed anything.”

“Of course,” Nolan said, though he wasn’t sure how much help he’d be.

“Megan sensed the Healing stone near the direction of Faylinn. I’ve organized a group of our most effective Shay users, considering the risk involved. Among them are Garrick, Maska, Hakan, and Megan.” He turned toward Alec. “And Alec. That is, if you’d like to come along.”

“Me?” Alec said, his excitement building.

“There’s none as good with a sword.”

Alec’s excitement wilted slightly. “But Vikas has already asked me to come find the Speed stone.”

“More than likely, you’ll return within a few days,” Emery said. “You’re traveling exclusively with Speed users, so it shouldn’t take very long at all.”

“Then why not have Vikas meet you?”

Apprehension swelled in Emery. He sighed. “Let’s just say I don’t trust him so close to Faylinn. He’d like nothing more than to repay a debt.”

Vikas stood on the platform, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Nolan summoned a bit of Empathy and shuddered. He held more volatile emotions than Alec.

“So you’re afraid he’d attack the Rol’dan?” Alec asked.

“Not specifically,” Emery answered. “But if we were to encounter a situation where hiding would be preferable to fighting, I doubt he’d listen.

“Besides,” he said, “you’re a better fighter than he is—which is saying something of you, my boy. You can meet us in Caldalk after you return from finding the Speed stone. But of course, if you don’t want to—”