The Divine Path (The Divine Series) (19 page)

“That is the extent of the healing I can do until I am able to medi
tate,” Darcienna said as she patted him on the face affectionately, twice.  She was still exhausted, but her sense of who she was, was still firmly in place.

             
“Rakna?” Kade asked, as Darcienna stepped back.

             
“Yes, Chosen?” the white queen responded.

             
“Why do they not just storm the trees and crush you?  There are so many of them,” Kade said as he watched the dragon.

             
“There is something about the trees that repels them, or we would be dead.  All we needed to do was stay close to the trees and we were fine. Even in the branches they seem weaker, but inside, they lose their strength almost completely.”

             
“So, I have been wasting my time,” Darcienna said, annoyed.

             
“No.  It’s not to say they won’t try.  It’s just that they are not as dangerous,” the queen said, ignoring the tone.

             
“The strong danger you sensed when we were out there had to have been the leader of the Morphites,” Kade said as he watched the dragon tear every piece of it apart.  Its wings were easily twenty feet from its body.  It was past dead, and Rayden showed no signs of stopping.  The black minions frantically tried to save their leader, but the dragon did not even acknowledge their presence.

             
“Crayken?” Kade called out as he turned to survey the spiders in the room.  They were up the wall and a few were even on the ceiling.  Kade shivered slightly, remembering his old dislike of spiders.

             
“Over here,” the king said.

             
“I will heal you first, and then I’ll heal the rest of the wounded,” Kade said as he placed his hands on one of the broken legs.  It straightened out immediately.  The king winced from the discomfort while it mended.  Kade reached for the other leg and got the impression that the king was gritting his teeth. The leg straightened out.  Kade worked his way around to all the wounded and then came back to the entrance to stand next to Darcienna. 

             
He mentally called the dragon to return so he could check it for injuries.  It was still covered with blood, and it made him cringe.  So much blood meant so much damage.  He shook off his unease and worked his way around his friend.  Rayden’s belly had deep, serious gashes, but the dragon was too excited for battle to notice.  It started to fidget, eager to continue the hunt.  The wounds closed and soon the dragon was off again.  It roared enthusiastically as it raced after its prey.  Several of the creatures tried to attack the dragon from behind.  Rayden spun, and with a few powerful swipes of his claws, sent both of them flying in many different pieces.  Kade just shook his head at the sheer stupidity and turned to go back into the tree.

             
“I think it is time to tell the clutch that your life long nemesis are no more,” Kade said as he stepped up to the king.

             
“Your dragon was truly formidable,” Rakna said in deep admiration.  “You were correct in saving it.”

             
“Rayden definitely was the key,” Kade said with a grin.

             
“No my friend,” the king said as he turned to face Kade, giving him his full attention to emphasize his point.  “Not just the dragon, but both of you.  All three of you,” Crayken added while glancing in Darcienna’s direction.  “Without you, the dragon would have perished, and we would have taken heavy casualties.”

             
“Yes, we did need each other,” Kade said.  “All it took was for the dragon to get ahold of the leader and the tide of battle changed,” he added, shifting the attention back to Rayden.

             
Kade started to turn his attention toward Darcienna when something black flying through the air caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.  He turned in time to see another black thing flying through the air, only this time, he realized it was one of the Morphites.  Kade stepped into the doorway and watched in awe.  There were three black creatures furiously trying to scramble away from the dragon.  But, every time one would get more than the length of the dragon away, Rayden would pounce and grab the creature in his mouth.  Next, Rayden would flip it high into the air.  As soon as he flipped one in the air, he would charge for the next one and do the same to it and then he would be onto the third.  It almost appeared that the dragon was juggling with how he constantly kept the creatures flipping end over end.  Kade stared, wide-eyed.

             
“What?” Darcienna asked, seeing the look on his face.

             
“It would appear that Rayden has found a use for the creatures,” Kade said, chuckling as he pointed out the door.

             
Darcienna looked out and her jaw hit the floor.  Over and over the dragon would pounce on the creatures only to flip them into the air to land back where they started.  Around and around Rayden would go as he galloped from one to the next.  Darcienna shook her head, speechless, as she watched the dragon play.  The king and queen looked on in wonder as the dragon continued to pounce and twist and turn, enjoying its game.

             
“Let us descend to the Great Hall,” the king said as he and the queen turned from the dragon and led the group down to the massive cavern.

             
Crayken and Rakna walked toward their thrones as they buzzed to a spider here or another there.  After walking over and climbing the five steps to the royal chairs, they sat, buzzing back and forth between themselves.  Kade and Darcienna climbed the steps to join them.  The room fell completely silent as Crayken and Rakna spoke for quite some time.  Not one spider moved or hardly even breathed.  Kade was distracted slightly as something came through the link from the dragon.  He focused on it momentarily and recognized it for amusement.  Kade felt as if he wanted to chuckle at this, but he knew that this was not the right time for levity.  He was certain something profound was happening, and he needed to show respect. He glanced at Darcienna, who shrugged slightly, and then went back to watching the royal couple.  He looked around the room and noticed that no other spiders had ascended the stairs.  For a moment, he wondered if he had blundered by joining the king and queen without being invited.

             
Crayken looked around the room slowly, making eye contact with the spiders to ensure he had their attention.  He started a slow but deliberate buzzing, and the clutch hung on his every word.  Soon, even the king stood silently, waiting.  For what, Kade could not even guess.  Moments passed and not even one spider moved.  Kade knew that something very important was happening but he had not even a clue as to what it could be.

             
Several of the spiders glanced at Kade with what had to be a stunned look and then back to the king.  Shortly after, they started a slow buzz which seemed to pick up in intensity by the moment.  They were all on their feet.  The buzzing seemed to take on a rhythmic chant to it as it increased in pitch.  Kade looked at Darcienna, and again, all she could do was shrug.

             
“I think we are being honored.  At least, that is my best guess,” Kade said as he watched the clutch.

             
“They honor both of you for what you have done,” Crayken said.  “You have helped us fight what was not just a battle but the final war.  The black leader has been trying to drive us to extinction for as far back as we can recall.”              

“The king told the clutch
that they are to honor you as though you were a king and that your word is to be as if it had come from Crayken himself,” Rakna said.

             
“I am much honored, but I did only what was right.  You are my friends, and I could not leave you to those things,” Kade said as he motioned toward the outside.

             
“Regardless, without you, we would have sustained heavy losses, if not the destruction of our clutch.  The best we could have hoped for was to escape with our lives.  Never before has their entire race attacked us like this.  Again, we owe you our lives.  If we can ever be of any assistance at any time, you only need ask,” Crayken said in a very serious tone, as he looked Kade in the eye.

             
The Apprentice Chosen knew that the king meant every word he spoke.  All eyes were on him.  The king and queen waited patiently for him to respond.  Kade felt self-conscious as his mind tried to take in all that had transpired. 

What if I say the wrong thing and make a fool of myself, or even worse, offend the king and queen?
  Kade pondered. 
Is there some customary response expected?
 

He took a breath and worked up his most regal posture.  He tried to stand tall and proud.
  If he was to be looked upon as a king, he should act like a king.  Or at least, act like what he thought a king should act like.

             
“This day is a day that will live forever in my heart,” Kade said as the queen buzzed his words to the clutch.  “I am honored and privileged to fight alongside such brave warriors.  I would have proudly given my life to defend you and your home,” he added with what he hoped was as serious a tone as Crayken’s.  “To be raised to the level of king in your eyes is more than I deserve,” Kade continued.  Several of the spiders stood taller and moved a little closer as they listened intently.  “I can only hope to bring half as much honor to my title as your king and queen have to theirs,” he said as he turned to the royal couple, ending his speech.  He paused for a moment as he pondered something that had been on his mind since the first time he met the queen.  He feared he may be pressing his welcome with what he wanted to ask, but he took a deep breath and forged on.

*CH5*

“May
I speak with you in private for a moment, Crayken?” Kade asked as he glanced at the queen.  The king gave a nod.  “Crayken, what would happen if you were to fall in battle or if you were to have perished last night?” Kade asked, already knowing the answer.

             
“I am not sure what you are asking,” The king said, confused by Kade’s question.  Kade hoped and prayed to the Divine that he was not committing a grave offence by the spider’s standards.

             
“Specifically, what would happen to the queen and the clutch?”

             
“The queen would be put to death, as our custom calls for, and the clutch would split up to find a new king and queen.  It is the way of our kind,” Crayken answered, confused.

             
“Is there any way that Rakna could be spared?  Would it be possible to tell the clutch that if something were to happen to you, she would continue on as queen?” Kade asked.

             
Crayken flinched.  Clearly this was one of the most absurd things he had ever heard.   The king slowly looked at the queen and then back to Kade.  Rakna also seemed to be surprised by this question.  Were they looking at him as if he were a simpleton?  Did he instantly reduce his standings with them by asking these ridiculous questions?

             
The room went completely silent at the king’s reaction.  They did not need to hear what was said to understand that Crayken had been taken aback by Kade’s words.  Kade could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for the king to respond.  Crayken and Rakna once again locked eyes, and Kade was sure they were communicating.  It was not more than a few moments when they both turned back toward him, but their moods had not changed.

             
“That would be impossible for me to ask of the clutch,” Crayken said gravely.

             
“I don’t understand,” Kade said, still fearing he was on the verge of offending.  He got the strong impression that the king had sighed, but it was a sigh a forlorn person would give and not one of frustration.  With a bit of sadness, the king continued.

             
“We are designed by the Great Divine to follow a king.  The clutch can follow the queen as long as there is a king.  A queen is not allowed to rule by herself.  It is in our genetic makeup,” the king said.  Kade could see this was an emotional topic for Crayken and tried hard to choose his words carefully.

             
“But, could not the queen be spared?” Kade asked gently.

             
The king turned toward Rakna, and Kade could see the love that passed between them.  This was a painful issue for Crayken, and Kade was starting to regret bringing it up.  This had to be the king’s worst fear.  Something told Kade that it was a topic that was never brought up due to the heartfelt pain it caused, and here he was, blindly stumbling through it.

             
“No, Chosen.  There is only one king born for every one thousand of our kind, and the same goes for the queen.  We are born to lead.  When we find each other, we imprint on each other.  When that happens, the queen can never again imprint on another.  The clutch must have a king.  No other king will be able to imprint on her after I pass,” Crayken explained patiently, as if he were talking to a child.  He was not talking down to Kade, but he was talking as if explaining that the sun will come up day after day.

             
Kade felt himself sink inside at the thought of all his new allies separated and the white spider being killed in the unfortunate event of the king’s death
.  Crayken could have died today, and this all would be for nothing,
Kade thought. 
There just has to be a way.
  Just then, Darcienna whispered in Kade’s ear while the king and queen waited patiently.   Kade looked at Darcienna for several long moments, uncertainty filling him.  She nodded once in encouragement and he continued.

             
“Crayken, you said that I was to be honored as if I were a king, correct?” Kade asked, holding his breath as he waited for the king to respond.

             
“Correct,” the king said, sensing where Kade was going with this.

             
“And you said that my word was to be treated as if it came directly from you?”

             
“I did,” Crayken said, as the spider king took a step toward Kade, starting to see more depth to this line of questioning.

             
“Then, can the clutch be instructed to follow me, in the event that you should fall in battle?” Kade asked.  The irony of the situation hit Kade hard.  Here he was fighting for the queen’s life, and it was her own clutch that was the threat.  Was there a solution to this dilemma?  Something deep inside said he was onto something, but it had to be done perfectly.  Kade took a deep breath and jumped right to the point.  “Can I be king so as to keep the queen from being killed and to keep the clutch from separating if something were to happen to you?” Kade asked as he felt his palms start to sweat.

             
Darcienna put her hand on his arm and squeezed in encouragement.  His heart pounded heavily in his chest.  Why was this so difficult to ask?  Were they ready to shun him for asking such a bold thing?  His head spun slightly as he tried to stay calm.  After a moment, the king and queen locked eyes again.  The queen flinched and looked at Kade.  He feared he may have gone too far but there was no turning back now.

             
“You did lead most of the war, even if I was the one giving the orders,” the king said slowly.  Kade swallowed hard as he processed the king’s words.  “And you were instrumental in defeating our most feared and hated enemy,” Crayken said as he thought back on the battle.  Kade was not fooled for one moment.  He knew immediately where this was going.  Darcienna squeezed his arm hard in excitement.  “And I don’t think there is a spider in here that does not respect your judgment or fighting skills,” the king continued methodically.  “And, you are a Chosen, so they would have that protection, also,” the king finished thoughtfully.

             
“So then it is possible?” Kade asked hopefully.

             
“It would be impossible to change tradition but to bend it, maybe,” Crayken said as he performed what appeared to be a nod.  “There is nothing that says the king must be a spider,” he added.  Kade knew the argument was its weakest with this fact.  “It would be up to the clutch.  If they accepted this, then it would be binding and the queen would rule with you if I were to meet an unfortunate end.  But, it must be unanimous amongst the elders or it will not be binding.”

             
Kade looked at Rakna and saw her staring straight ahead, as if hearing none of this.  Crayken and Rakna exchanged a glance as the king turned to address the clutch.  Kade got the impression that Crayken had taken a deep breath as he prepared to speak.  Kade worried he may be asking for something that would cause the spiders to revolt against the king?  Or worse, would these spiders look on the king as a buffoon for even suggesting it?

             
Crayken started to address the congregation and instantly there were gasps from all corners of the great hall.  He continued on, confidently.  “Confidence was half the battle,” Zayle used to say, and here it really showed.  Kade watched intently for any indication of acceptance or rejection. Again, he drew the attention of many of the spiders as they took in what was being asked of them.  He could not tell if this was good or bad, but he continued to hope.  He tried to appear confident, but inside, his stomach felt as if he had hundreds of bats fluttering wildly.

             
The spiders started to buzz excitedly for several long moments until the queen quickly shot to her feet.  The king and queen both said something in their language that caused all the spiders to quiet.  It took a short time for the excitement to die down, but eventually, calm was restored to the Great Hall.  The queen slowly sat down and held such a regal pose that Kade felt his admiration for her grow immensely.  The king buzzed a few short words, and one of the older spiders with grey on its legs buzzed back.

             
They aren’t sure about your proposal
, Rakna said in his mind.  Kade almost jumped.  He was not aware that she had moved to stand close to him.  But, even if she were across the room, he still would have jumped due to the fact that he was so focused on the interaction between the king and what appeared to be one of the elders. 
They give you a lot of credit for vanquishing our enemy, but not all are comfortable with you as their king.  They say it is ludicrous to consider such a thing.

             
“So they have rejected my proposal?” Kade asked, disheartened.  The queen swept the clutch with her gaze as she analyzed their reactions.

             
I cannot say just yet.  They understand why you are asking, so they are not concerned with your motive, and you are a Chosen, so they credit you with the right to lead.  And your feat today showed that you would make the most formidable leader this clutch could ever hope for; after Crayken, of course.

             
“Of course,” Kade said, quickly agreeing.  He was wise enough to understand that leading a society was much more than wielding great power.  But, he did not expect to be leading.  He was doing it for the queen.  That was not lost on the clutch.

             
“But…,” the queen added and did not need to speak anymore.  There were too many buts for this to be accepted easily.

             
Kade looked out over the crowd of spiders and noticed several of them looking at him, analyzing him as they contemplated the request.  He tried to give what he thought was a look of confidence and hoped it was not one of arrogance.  He was careful not to look too long at one spider, as it might be seen as a challenge, so he made sure to keep his eyes moving.  One of the spiders that had been studying Kade turned to the king and started to speak.

             
It would appear you have some support,
the queen whispered in his mind
.  This is more than I expected,
she thought in controlled surprise, but Kade could feel the intensity in her tone.  It was only because of years of practice at remaining calm that she was able to hide her emotions as well as she did.  Kade was sure that she, too, had dozens of bats flapping around in her stomach.  The king turned and confidently made his way back to them.  The Apprentice Chosen felt his stomach clench as he dreaded the news.  It had to be good.  He hoped more than anything it would be, but the doubt in his heart was there, and he could not ignore it.

             
“They argue for your proposal and against your proposal,” the king said calmly, but Kade could sense the tension in his voice.  “Raksin says that even though you are indeed an excellent leader and would make one of the greatest kings ever, there should be no talk of their king dying.  He says we should deal with that situation when and if it arises,” Crayken said while pointing out the spider.

             
“Raksin is one of the king’s most loyal supporters,” Rakna added.

             
“Archon says that your intentions are honorable, and that if I endorse you, we should accept the proposal.  Archon was very impressed with your prowess in battle and your ability to command during the fight.  He says that the clutch would be assured to live on forever with you as a leader,” the king said while indicating the second spider.  “They seem to think you Chosen can live forever,” Crayken said as he leaned forward and whispered, almost chuckling.  Crayken stood back up.  “I cannot just tell them to accept you.  If all of the elders were to agree, with no coercion, then it would be law, and they would follow you loyally to the end of time.  But, if just one of the elders disagrees, it cannot be accepted.  This is our law and it must be followed”

             
Kade took one step forward as he looked out over the spiders.  Some of the clutch met his gaze as he swept the room with his eyes, while others glanced away.  It was close, but it appeared that the key to this were the two elder spiders.  Kade turned confidently, moving in a way he thought a king would move and approached the royal couple.

             
“May I address them?” Kade asked.  He sounded much calmer than he felt.  His nerves were on edge, and the bats in his stomach had multiplied.

             
“They are not able to understand your words,” Crayken said.  “If you would like me to translate, I do not think it would be an issue,” the king said as he waited for Kade to respond.  Kade was shocked to see he had missed something so obvious.  Never at any time had he interacted with any of the spiders except through the king or queen.  None had tried to talk directly to him, even one time.  Rakna must have realized what was going through his mind and explained.

             
“Only royalty are born with the gift to talk with our minds.  All spiders do have the ability to learn to speak your language, but kings and queens are the only ones who do.  It is the mark of royalty,” Rakna said.