Page 87 of A Bond So Deadly

King Malgur tosses a dagger in Leira’s direction, and I wince as it embeds in her shoulder. She cries out and stops struggling.

“Don’t!” I call out. “I shouldn’t have removed you from her mind. I guess I got carried away when you asked me to display my power. You should be punishing me, not her.”

“I thought the goal was survival?” Elgen croaks. “Not sacrifice.”

“I can’t let Leira pay for what I did,” I reply.

“You mean how you kept her alive instead of slaughtering her as the king asked?” Elgen replies.

“I mean how I’ve made her a target,” I counter. “And of all people I know how bad that feels.”

King Malgur smiles, his white teeth gleaming in the light. “Punish you? Oh, quite the opposite. This student is here merely as proof of what you did. This is a celebration. I’ll admit, I’d thought Commander Yevar was wrong about you, but you’re even better than he described.”

“A celebration?” I ask, not liking the sound of that.

King Malgur nods. “Yes, and to show my appreciation, I’ll even let this human live. All you have to do is tell me where you encountered it.”

I frown in confusion. “Where I encountered what?” I think back to what Professor Yevar had said. Something about the king believing I’ve found whatever he’s been searching for. Which makes no sense, especially seeing as I don’t even know what they’re after. “I just gave Leira her mind back. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

There’s a stretch of silence, and then King Malgur laughs. It’s a hollow, harsh sound that bounces off the stone walls. When he finishes, I shift uncomfortably on my feet.

“Don’t play dumb with me, human.” He gestures to where Leira stands, a trickle of blood oozing from where the blade is still embedded in her body. “I can let her live, or I can just as easily torture her and take her life instead.” The smile falls from his face, and his milky eyes bore into me. “Tell me where you found it.”

I swallow hard. I would lie, but I’ve always been terrible at that. “I told you. I don’t know what you’re talking about. If I could I⁠—”

“The power! Where did you find it?” King Malgur booms as he rises to his feet.

It’s only then that I think about the strange energy I’d felt from Elgen and Tarlaz. The energy I’d touched before my power exploded and freed Leira. But that couldn’t be it, could it? “Is it you guys?” I ask the shadows, my heart racing. “Is that what he’s after?”

“I hardly see what the king would want with us,” Tarlaz replies.

But it’s the only thing that makes sense. Can this power be what both King Malgur and Queen Krosia want?

King Malgur strides toward me. “We’ve been searching for centuries trying to find that power source. It will finally give me what I need to complete my mission, and you…” He trails off and reaches down, grabbing me by the throat and lifting me to my feet. “I can sense it on you. On your own, you wouldn’t have been strong enough to give this human back her mind.”

There’s no way I’m going to tell him about Elgen and Tarlaz. I still don’t know if that’s what he’s after, but I won’t be responsible for putting more power into the hands of a deranged king. Besides, I wouldn’t betray my friends like that. “Perhaps you’re underestimating me,” I wheeze.

The king’s lips thin. “I didn’t just take her mind. I shattered it, and nothing could have brought her back. But look…” He gestures to where Leira is staring at me and the Xalgrith king with horror. “Here she stands, no longer under my influence.”

“So… you want the power because it’s a threat to yours?” I surmise.

He leans close, his breath hot on my face. “I need the power because with it, no one in all the realms could ever stop me. With that power, I would be…a god.”

I shiver. “Elgen and Tarlaz,” I hiss. “I could really use an explanation right now.”

“Yes, I too am intrigued,” Elgen replies, completely unhelpfully. “For all we know, he’s talking about you. You know we have no memory of our past.”

“Great. This is just great. And now you’re going to get me killed!”

“Always with the dramatics,” Elgen replies.

Glowering at me, King Malgur releases my neck. He turns, striding toward Leira. She struggles harder, kicking out, but Jensen and the other student hold her tightly. It’s hard for me to see what the king is doing, but white light glows in his veins, and Leira slumps. When she lifts her head again, her eyes are a pale white, and she stands up straight.

“There,” King Malgur says. “All is well again.” He turns back to me, his gaze thoughtful. “Now, enough stalling. You’re going to tell me exactly where and when you encountered the source.”

He gestures to two guards, and they grab under my arms and force me to my knees again. I grit my teeth as I hit the stone floor and pain vibrates up my bones.

I rack my brain for anything that can get me out of this, but my mind is blank. “It was in a forest,” I blurt.