Believe: The Complete Channie Series (113 page)

They both whispered ‘sorry.’ Shep closed his eyes.

Josh didn’t blame him.

Tim pointed at the mage on his right, a brute almost as large as he was. “Sustained attack.”

“Your curse had to have damaged his shield. I don’t want to burn the crown prince.”

“Do you want to
join
him?”

The mage looked as if he were considering it then bowed his head. “No, sir.”

“Then do it.”

The mage held one hand in front of his body. Blue light formed in his palm then flowed towards Josh.

He appreciated the guy’s reluctance to curse them and didn’t want to use his own power against him so instead of repelling the energy, he absorbed it. His shield grew stronger.

Tim shoved the mage aside and shot his own bolt of sustained energy at Josh.

He absorbed that energy as well.

Tim’s face turned red, then purple. “What are you waiting for?”

The other two mages added their magic to Tim’s, but it only made Josh stronger. And not just his shield. His entire body drank in the extra energy. It was too much.

“You need to stop. I don’t know how long I can hold on.”

“Do you surrender?” Timmy growled the words.

Josh knew he’d never gain the respect of these men if he backed down. “No.”

“Company, attack!” Timmy sang the first word, drawing out the last syllable, then barked the word ‘attack.’

The entire group of mages fired their own streams of magic at Josh.

“No! You don’t understand.” Hunter waved his hands over his head. “He’s gonna blow something—or someone—to smithereens. He cain’t help it!”

A few of the mages broke off their attack. But there was still too much energy pouring into Josh.

He panted with the effort of holding all that power. Sweat trickled down the back of his neck.

Shep yelled, “Blast the mother trucker.”

Mother trucker?
Josh gritted his teeth. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“And I don’t want to die. Blast him before you blow us all up.”

Hunter tugged on Josh’s pant leg. “Just blow up a tree or something.”

Josh shifted his attention to a giant oak about a hundred yards away. He cupped his hands in front of his heart, palms out, and
shoved
the energy away from everyone.

The tree exploded with a
boom
that shook the ground. The post-blast shockwave knocked everyone, except Josh, Shep and Hunter to the ground.

Hunter stared at Josh with wide, glassy eyes. “I’m sure glad you’re on our side.”

Shep blinked and shook his head, as if he were trying to get water out of his ears. “Damn.”

“Come on.” Josh slung an arm around each of their shoulders, Hunter on his right, Shep on his left. “Help me check on everyone else.”

Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. Tim’s ass was full of splinters, but that was the worst casualty. Josh expected him to tear into him, but when he limped out of the first aid tent, the first thing he did was try to shake Josh’s hand.

Josh prepared to have every bone in his hand crushed. Tim’s grip was firm, but not painful.

“I’m ready to swear a death pledge to you.”

“That won’t be necessary. Your word of honor is all I require.”

“You’ve got it. Anything else I can do for you, Mr. Veyjivik?”

Josh smiled then lowered his voice. “Do you know where Wisdom’s sister, Prudence, is being held?”

All the color drained from Tim’s face. He nodded solemnly. “I gave you my word of honor. That’s more important than any death pledge.”

“No!” Josh slapped his hand over Timmy’s mouth. “I’ll find out another way. I’m going to take my hand off. Promise me you won’t say anything that will trigger a death pledge?”

Timmy nodded, but as soon as Josh uncovered his mouth, he said, “Ms. Wisdom’s been busy giving folks orders ever since you got here, but it’s a big camp. I doubt she’s gotten to every one yet.”

Josh held his breath until it was obvious that Timmy wasn’t going to die.

He’d already figured out that Wisdom had spent the morning ordering people to keep their mouths shut about Prudence while he was in his impromptu history lesson. “That was too risky. Don’t do it again. Man! I hate those damn death pledges.”

“Me, too.” Tim slapped Josh on the back then cringed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to smack you so hard. It’s just a part of my nature.”

Josh rolled his shoulder but resisted the urge to rub the sore spot. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Do you want me to save a spot for you in the mess hall?”

“No, thanks. I’m not that hungry.” Josh’s stomach growled, but after learning about the limited food supply, he didn’t want to eat. “I’ll wait until dinner.”

“We only get one meal a day. And this is it.”

“Oh.” That meant everyone would be preoccupied eating. There wouldn’t be a more perfect time for a little reconnaissance. “I’m a little queasy after discharging all that magic. I better wait until tomorrow.”

“Do you need a healer?”

Tim’s concern was touching but inconvenient. “I’m fine. Go ahead and eat.”

Josh waited for Tim to leave then grabbed Hunter’s elbow and tugged him away from the line of people heading for the food. “Can you find Prudence while everyone else is eating?”

“That ain’t much time.”

“I know, but it’s our best opportunity to snoop around.”

“We need to find the Book of the Dead first. Ms. Wisdom ain’t gonna be your biggest fan after you kill her sister.”

“Let me worry about the book. Can you find Prudence or not?”

“My momma didn’t name me Hunter for nothing. If I cain’t find her, nobody can.”

“All I’m asking is that you try.” Josh didn’t like putting Hunter at risk, but he
had
to protect Channie. “Be careful. And don’t do anything stupid.”

Hunter winked at Josh then turned and trotted towards the entrance to Freedom Ridge.

Josh
decided to give Wisdom a taste of her own medicine. He threw his shoulders back and held his chin high then marched through the crowd of people to the head of the food line. He ignored the murmurs of disapproval, knowing they’d stop when he made it clear he wasn’t trying to jump the line. He motioned for one of the kitchen workers to move the pot of mystery stew out of his way then leapt onto the serving table.

I want my voice to carry as if I were using a microphone with the best PA system money can buy.

“May I have everyone’s attention, please?” Josh’s voice rang out, clear, deep and
loud
.

The immediate and total silence that followed buzzed with anticipation.

“I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Valor Veyjivik.”

No one made a sound, not even the babies. Josh hoped Vince was right about the rumors. His plan depended on people already knowing about the Book of the Dead’s prophecies.

“I know that many, if not all of you, are bound to Wisdom by death pledges. So let me begin by saying that I don’t want anyone to do anything that might trigger the curse. This is between Wisdom and me.”

The silence deepened. Every gaze locked on Josh’s face.

“Wisdom, are you here?”

She shoved her way to the front of the crowd, bristling with anger. She lowered her voice to a whisper, but that didn’t disguise the underlying fury. “What are you doing?”

“You have, in your possession, a book that belongs to me. I want it.”

She plastered a fake smile across her face and raised her voice. “That’s enough, Josh. Stop making a fool of yourself and get down so these people can eat.”

“I’ll get down when you return what is rightfully mine. And you will address me by my title and with the proper respect.”

“Oh, this is rich.” Wisdom laughed and rolled her eyes. “I thought you didn’t want to be king?”

“I don’t.” This could backfire, but Josh refused to set himself on a throne, real or imaginary. “I only want to fulfill my duty.”

“I refuse to let you kill my sister!”

“Give me my book.”

Wisdom lowered her voice. “You aren’t ready. That book will destroy you.”

“You don’t know that.” Josh spoke quietly, but his voice still carried.

All those hours of studying the book’s cryptic messages was about to pay off. Josh recited from memory.
“For every choice there is a cost
And the things you lose are forever lost.”
 

Josh’s heart ached as he searched the hungry and desperate faces in front of him. This wasn’t a game. These people were counting on him. “We’ve all lost too much because of one woman’s greed and obsession with power, my grandmother, Dominance Veyjivik.”

A few murmurs of assent broke the silence.

“You’ve come together here at Freedom Ridge, hoping to end her reign of terror.”

A few brave souls added their voices to the background hum. Speaking quietly in whispered voices. Nodding slowly.

“So have I.” Josh didn’t know where the words were coming from, but he knew they were true. “The Book of the Dead burned my name upon its cover and gave me a direct order to lead all mages out of this darkness.”

Josh closed his eyes again and unintentionally chanted the words as if he were delivering a repeat performance of his bar mitzvah.

Son of Vengeance seeking light,
Grasp the hilt and join the fight.
For you were born to rule and reign,
To save us all from ruin and pain.
The total eclipse on solstice night
Ordains the heir that wins the fight.
 

He waited for the last echo to fade then pointed at Wisdom as if he were an avenging angel and she the devil. “Do not stand in the way of justice. Free these people from your cursed death pledge and give me my book so I might fulfill my destiny.”

Wisdom’s chest heaved six times before she answered him with a single word. “Fine.”

She planted a foot on the table and hitched up her skirts, revealing a heavily bandaged leg. As she unwound the bandage a box-shaped lump took shape on her inner thigh. She held it in place as she removed the final wraps then handed it, bandages and all, to Josh.

He dropped the bandages and found a small, wooden box with a hinged top. A golden glow seeped between the cracks. He hopped off the table and set the box down. “I want everyone to stay back. This thing’s dangerous.”

He waited for the sound of shuffling feet to cease then lifted the lid. The words ‘Valor Veyjivik’ were barely visible on the stained and cracked leather cover of an ancient book. It was about the size of a small diary. As soon as he touched it, a brilliant light shot out of the letters forming his name, temporarily blinding him.

A distant howl of agony rent the air.

Prudence knows the rightful owner has reclaimed the book.
Josh heard the words in his mind, not with his ears. It sounded as if a hundred people spoke in unison.

Josh blinked until his vision cleared. No one else reacted to the heart-wrenching cries that continued to echo off the cliffs surrounding Freedom Ridge.
No one else can hear it.

He suspected his sudden insight and enhanced hearing came from the Book of the Dead.

Open the book.

Josh would have preferred to open it in private, but it didn’t seem wise to disobey a direct order. Especially when his name on the cover was pulsing like a ticking bomb.

He lifted the book out of the box and let it fall open in his hands. Flames danced across the fragile pages without consuming them or producing any heat. When the magic burned itself out, it left behind a new set of instructions. Josh knew without being told that he needed to share it with everyone. Besides, he didn’t believe in doing anything half-assed. He’d started this show, he needed to finish it.

He jumped back onto the table, the book in his hands, and read it out loud.

Evil born of a righteous heart
Remains as it was from the start.
Coercion devours the best intent
And leaves all souls broken and spent.
Loyalty pledged under duress
Will falter and fail when put to the test.
Free the people bound by Wisdom,
And unite them all within one kingdom.
Cleanse your heart of spite and hate.
When the hour draws nigh, don’t hesitate.
Forgive and set free the one burdened with guilt.
There’s mercy in death, when righteously dealt.
The road is rocky. You’re bound to stumble.
Trust yourself. Be strong, yet humble.
Keep your mind open, there’s much you don’t know.
Seek out your clan, and the gifts they bestow.
Gather your army and feast on their power.
You must prepare for the final hour.
You’ve been warned before, our patience wears thin.
Solstice approaches. It’s time to begin.