“Your mother was a cousin of our house, so technically you do have some Delvayon blood,” Kadan offered gently. “Well then, who in the bloody hell is my true father?” Neph demanded.
“No one but your mother knew that, and no one has seen or heard from her since the night you cast your first spell at three years of age. It was strong enough to knock a hole through the keep wall, and far more powerful than any Delvay child would have been capable of. After that, Ren told us all that she had run off. Most of us didn’t believe it,” Kay explained softly. She chewed on her lip for a long moment before meeting Neph’s eyes once more. “Delvay won’t stand much longer at this rate, Neph. My brother is leading us to ruin and only a few of us even realize it.”
“Are you expecting me to save it somehow?” Neph asked incredulously.
“No, I’m not expecting it, but I’m hoping that you will,” Kay answered softly. “There is no one else that is strong enough to take control from him. Go and learn, Neph. Gain strength and wisdom and consider what I’ve said today. I will pray that you return but I will never expect it of you. The choice is entirely yours, and Delvay will do as it always has and try to survive either way.” Standing slowly, she dusted her armor off and looked down at him. “Let’s see to Zyi now and make our peace with our grief,” she said softly.
“I thought it wasn’t allowed to bury those accused of cowardice? Why are the two of you helping me with this?” Neph spoke carefully to keep the anger and frustration from his voice. They were both questions that he truly wanted answered and he didn’t want to give them reason to ignore him.
“Everyone buries their dead, Neph. Most sneak out of the city to do it to avoid difficulties. No one leaves their child for the wolves, though,” Kay answered with a sigh.
Kadan simply shook his head and shrugged. “She was my sister, Neph. I do what I must to keep him happy, but I didn’t want this anymore than you did. I simply knew I wasn’t strong enough to challenge him on it. You lived, Neph, I wouldn’t have. My hopes are resting on you as much as Kay’s are.”
“I haven’t forgiven you for allowing it, Kadan. You should have spoken up regardless of strength. Maybe if the two of us had stood together, he would have listened.” Neph stared hard at his brother as he spoke, but Kadan didn’t so much as flinch, instead he smiled with approval.
“I don’t expect you to ever forgive me, Neph, and if you do I’ll be disappointed. I doubt I’ll ever forgive myself. Don’t expect me to say more on the topic, Neph. Let it lie between us as it is. You never know when you are being watched, or by whom.” Kadan turned with those words and walked silently back toward the trees where he had dug the grave.
“Fetch the body, Neph,” Kay said softly as she followed after Kadan.
Chapter 1
(Seven years later.) Southern Goswin
The sound of footsteps rang through the early morning darkness outside his tent. Neph glanced up briefly as the regiment passed. The faint gleam of their armor was barely visible through the crack in his tent flap, but still he recognized them as Goswin forces. Turning back to his table he opened his bag and began pulling his dueling armor from its depths. The leather had been stored for nearly a year without being oiled, but it was still soft and supple and the metal studs that lined it shone as just polished. Systematically, he began removing the leather armor he typically wore, dropping it piece by piece into his travel bag. On a normal day, he wouldn’t have bothered switching his armor out. Today wasn’t normal, however. Today the odds were set so far against them it was almost laughable. He needed every edge he could get today. Jala’s life depended on it. Flipping the leather vest over, he examined the inside, carefully checking each metal stud for any sign of filth. Satisfied that it was as clean as he could make it, given the circumstances, he pulled the vest on over his scarred back. The sharp metal points jabbed into his flesh as he laced the armor and he seized the pain in his mind.
Other channelers generally chose the elements for their focus. He, however, had chosen pain and the anger it bred in him. Fire could be doused. Wind was a gamble. Pain, however, was always in ready supply, either from his armor or simply from the world itself. Sanctuary was filled with pain and Neph had never had difficulty summoning anger. Both of his focus elements were as constant as the sun and sky and had never failed him.
He laced the bracers on next, followed by his gloves. Each piece of armor bit at his skin, the pain more an irritation than anything else. Over the years he had developed a pain tolerance that would have impressed any masochist. Today, however, he needed more than irritation. He needed to channel everything he could. Flexing his hands, he tested the spikes digging into the back of his arms and inhaled deeply. A small smile spread across his lips as he slammed his two arms together driving the spikes deep into his flesh. Agony tore through him and he seized it, opening the full channel to his magic. His reserves soared as his focus narrowed on the pain.
“I finally see why you have such a sunny personality,” Shade whispered from the tent flap and Neph turned to glower at him.