Chapter 18
Seth felt a surge of strength rush through him as the floor rumbled. He knew Serina was awake, but he didn't know what caused the tremble in the floor. He saw that his uncle had felt it all too. Not just the tremble, but the surge of strength in Seth. His eyes flashed wide with fear for a second, then he grinned as he reached his hand out to take Seth's strength.
Seth broke the ropes binding his hands together as if they were string, and not a three stranded rope. Then he stretched his hand out the same way. Instead of Seth's strength leaving him, he took some of Arnath's strength. It was something he never realized he could do.
Arnath stumbled back and fell onto the throne. He held his right hand as if Seth had hurt him. Instead of cowering he grinned knowing exactly what Seth had done.
“You're like me,” Arnath said.
Seth looked at him, still surprised by what he'd done.
“You have my ability to take strength from others.”
“No,” Seth said.
He let his guard down for a second.
“Cease him!” Arnath yelled at the soldiers in the room.
Karis and Sasha came out of hiding, engaging the soldiers in battle. Arland broke his bindings, grabbed the sword of the closest soldier and decapitated him. Moving to the next solider he ran the sword through his chest then took his sword from him.
“Seth!” he called.
Seth turned, catching the sword in midair. Then, he swung it around to deflect a soldier's sword. Flicking his wrist he disarmed the man then ran the sword through his belly. As he fought and killed soldier after soldier, he searched for the man with his red sword.
He saw a flash of red coming for his head. Blocking the sword with the one Arland tossed to him, Seth was able to grab the wrist of the man wielding his red sword. He squeezed his wrist, feeling the bones break. Seth ran his stolen sword through the soldier's belly then picked up his red sword from the ground. His joy fled from him when heard a blood curling scream come from the throne. He spun around to find Arnath holding Jennifer in front of him at knife point.
“Drop your weapons!” Arnath shouted over the sounds of battle.
“Let her go!” Seth demanded.
“You are not in a position to negotiate. I have the power right now.”
Arnath was right. Seth could do nothing. He had let Mark down. He had failed Eranithia.
Jennifer prayed to Sol for His strength. She knew what she had to do, but she didn't think she could actually go through with it. To her right a door flew open. Garandol, Mark and Serina came running into the Throne Room with one of Arnath's soldiers right behind them.
No! Sol, please help me! I can't do this. She pleaded.
I am with you, I will protect you.
“NO!” she heard Mark's hoarse scream ring throughout the Throne Room.
“Take them!” Arnath commanded his men.
“No,” Jennifer said.
“You have nothing to bargain with either.”
“Trade me for them. I will stay with you if you let them go.”
“No!” Mark screamed again.
She looked at him as best as she could, pleading with her eyes. Realization dawned on his face as he realized this was what she had seen on the wall of the Cave of Truth.
“No! Not this!” he pleaded with her as he continued walking towards them.
“Mark, stay back,” she cried, tears falling from her eyes.
He stopped, frozen in his tracks.
“Yes, stay back, Mark,” Arnath teased.
I have more power than they know, she told Arnath.
Do you? He asked, half skeptical half curious.
Yes.
Prove it.
Now?
Yes.
Barely using any of her power, she lifted the throne high in the air then threw it into a wall. The wood of the chair shattered, the golden legs and arms twisted into knots.
“My throne!” Arnath screamed like a child whose toy had been taken by a bully.
Then she picked up the pieces, reassembled them then placed it back as if it hadn't been touched.
That's just barely a taste of what I can do. Your sorcerer, Engard, was nothing compared to me. She said confidently. Jennifer hadn't said it out of pride, but more as a fact. Engard didn't have the power she wielded.
Kill one of them. Arnath commanded after thinking for a moment.
No!
I can kill you instead. Then I will have no reason to keep the others alive.
You don't even realize that I could turn that knife around and kill you with it right now do you? I let you find me because this was prophesied by Sol that I would be taken by you.
You give yourself willingly?
Yes.
You realize that the prophecy won't be fulfilled. I will turn you.
Jennifer didn't respond. She knew Sol was with her always. Arnath may be able to poison her mind, but she knew Sol would pull her out of his grasp when he chose to.
“Leave here!” Arnath said to them.
Seth and Arland both took a step forward, but Jennifer spoke to both of them.
This is Sol's will. He will deliver me from this bondage. Please, take Mark and Serina and go! I will be fine. Arland, trust me like you've never trusted me before. You know me; you know that I won't be turned for good. Please take care of Mark.
Arland wanted nothing more than to take Arnath's head off. But he couldn't argue with the will of Sol. He nodded to her, grabbed Seth's arm and led him to the others.
“Mark, please come. There's nothing we can do now. She's giving us a chance to escape. We can come up with a plan to rescue her,” Arland said to him.
“No! I'm not leaving without my sister!”
He stopped Mark from rushing Arnath by grabbing him by the arm. Seth grabbed Mark's other arm to help. Mark put up a good fight, kicking at both of them as he screamed for Jennifer. It broke Arland's heart, but he trusted Jennifer enough to know she was doing Sol's will.
Mark couldn't believe what was happening. They were leaving his sister behind in the clutches of evil. He didn't care what Arland said about being able to rescue her. That had to happen now!
He tried to fight back, but Seth and Arland were too strong for him to free himself. But nothing would stop him from doing what he could to rescue his sister. He couldn't allow Arnath to turn her! He had to protect her. Seth had made him promise to always protect Jennifer.
Mark looked right at Seth and shouted, “You made me promise! You made me swear to always protect her! How could you force me to go against that promise?!”
Seth whispered hoarsely, “I'm sorry, Mark.”
Mark tried to punch at him, but Seth and Arland had his arms held too tight. He could barely move. He kicked his feet wildly, but couldn't break free. Even in his torment he was amazed at their strength. Strength that was greater than his own. Strength he needed to rescue his sister one day. He glared at Arnath who smiled evilly back at him. Mark made a vow to himself that he would never stop fighting Arnath, and would never stop training until he had his sister back with him. Nothing could stand in his way.
Tears flowed down Jennifer's cheeks as she saw her brother carried away from the castle, Serina and Garandol right behind them. Serina turned back and looked right into her eyes.
I'll take care of him. Guard your mind. She warned.
Thank you. I will. Jennifer promised.
Once the others were out of the Throne Room, Arnath spun Jennifer around. She found a memory to protect with a strong wall of defense. It was locked inside a steel box. She just hoped that one day, Mark could get through to her. Somehow she knew that only he would be able to break through her defenses and rescue her mind from Arnath. She had to let Arnath gain control of her for a time. It was part of Sol's plan to bring him down.
Jennifer lost control of her mind, but she was still somewhat conscious of what was happening. It was something like an out of body experience, but she wasn't seeing everything from above. She still saw everything through her own eyes, but she couldn't keep herself from doing what Arnath told her.
“Lift every solider in this room,” he said.
Turning towards them, she lifted her right arm level with her shoulder. Then she flipped her hand so it was palm up. The men raised into the air a few feet. All thirty who were still alive.
“Good, very good,” his evil voice slithered into her ears. “Put them down. You!” he pointed at one of the soldiers. He stood up from having been dropped a few feet and staggered over to Arnath and Jennifer.
“Yes, sire?” he said bowing to Arnath.
“Jennifer. I want you to stop his mind.”
The soldier's eyes grew wide, bulging from his face. “No, please don't.”
“Do it.”
Jennifer entered the soldier's mind with her own. Their eyes locked for a moment. She spoke to him.
Are you loyal to Arnath? She asked the soldier.
No, he answered, I was forced to join this army. He rules us with the power of his dark sorcerer.
Good. I have no wish to kill you, but I needed to know where your loyalties lied. When you wake later, find somewhere to hide. Search out Seth in Ashenland, tell him Jennifer said to protect you.
She slowed his mind down, putting him into a deep sleep. The soldier's eyes rolled back into his head, his mouth dropped open, then he slumped to the floor.
Arnath bent down and put his hand in front of the soldier's face. Satisfied the soldier was no longer breathing, he turned to Jennifer with a smile from ear to ear.
“You are powerful,” he said impressed. “With our friends from across the sea, and the Geoth, we will be unstoppable.”
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