The Silver Crown

Chapter 12

Caleb

I slice the dummy's head off and bring my sword around to slice through the straw sack that is its body. Wheeling around I lodge my sword in the wooden shoulder of another dummy, then kick it over and yank my blade free.

Of all the stupid, arrogant, blind-sighted fools that ever walked the face of Lindolosun, I must take the cake. I actually escorted the princess directly to the Crown! How dumb could I be?

I swiftly annihilate three more training dummies and continue. Now the Crown is in the open. We've been in Sĩlron for three days. The shircnak ended yesterday. Now, Kylee has recovered, but the Crown has attached itself to her and cannot be removed. Rolcarnagur has a new army which he is planning to use, somewhere, sometime soon. Also, according to the Guardian, he has a device of some kind that will lead him to each artifact one at a time. We have to sneak into Galrath and steal this device before he uses it to destroy the world. But if we go anywhere near Galrath, Rolcarnagur will kidnap or kill Kylee so he can take the Crown.

I sheath my sword and walk towards the castle. I'm in the training yard for soldiers behind the palace keep. Valus and I plan to leave for Galrath in the morning, but now I have to tell Kylee that she can't come with us.

Halfway back to the castle, I stop. Kylee emerges from one of the small back entrances that dot the back of the palace accompanied by several maids and three guards. She was finally able to get out of the water this morning and spent most of the day meditating. When she emerged from her room, the guards had been waiting for her. Now that she bears the crown, Kylee isn't allowed anywhere without an escort.

Kylee sees me and walks swiftly towards me. I consider ducking away, but decide to wait. She smiles as she approaches and for a second her face is brighter than the gem on her forehead. The palace staff have given her a long, floor-length dress that I'm sure was in some fine pattern or color. However, as soon as Kylee put it on, the dress turned pure white. All her clothes seem to do that now.

"Caleb, I've been wondering where you were. I couldn't find you in the palace."

"I've been...practicing." I say carefully. I exhale and ensure that my face is neutral. It's a skill I've worked on for a long time.

"Apparently." Kylee says, looking over my shoulder. I turn and see a group of squires gathering up the remains of the manikins I had vehemently destroyed. "Caleb, I came out here to try something. I think it will help us get to Galrath quicker and make escape easier."

"Um, Kylee–"

"I think, now that I've accepted the Crown and know how to cope with it, that it will help magnify my power."

I pause. "Naturally it would, along with having its own power, but Kylee you have to understand: the Crown is still one of the Artifacts of Light. To use it is dangerous, to carry it even more so. For you and for it."

She places her hand on my arm. I stiffen. "Caleb, I get that. But the Crown chose me. I feel like I was supposed to come here and get it. That's why I'm on this journey. So far you've done everything. You've carried me the whole way. Now I have the strength to do my share. It's not dangerous, it's right." She smiles again, begging me to understand.

Her smile ripples through me. The gleam in her eyes makes me want to give her everything I have. Her ringing laugh filling my soul.

I snap back to the present. "What are you thinking?"

Kylee grins broadly. She turns and runs out onto the lawn. Spinning to face me, I see a mischievous look in her bright blue eyes. I realize that her eyes are the same color as the sapphire in the crown. "If my power is the air, then I think I can summon enough wind to fly." She closes her eyes and extends her arms.