He sighed and stared down the road, realizing that was the greatest question. Knowing his brothers and Elenyr, they would have figured out how to stop the generals, perhaps even destroy the Dark Gate. But it was Draeken that was the greatest threat. If he survived, he would be unstoppable. He didn’t even need the fiends to conquer, he could do it all on his own.
“I don’t know,” he finally said.
“You’re the only one that can.”
He shifted in the saddle to regard Jeric. “What makes you say that?”
“Because you already did so at Blackwell Keep.”
“I didn’t destroy him,” Mind said. “I made him.”
“You cannot create what already exists,” Jeric said. “And he was always part of you. If he were stronger, he would have killed you and your brothers, and you would have all become a distant memory. But it was you that proved victorious, and it’s you that can defeat him again.”
“His magic is stronger than mine.”
“True,” Jeric said. “But you didn’t use magic to defeat him the last time.”
“What am I supposed to do? Hit him with a spoon?”
Jeric chuckled. “Of course not. You are the fragment of Mind. Outthink him, and then use your magic to stop him.”
“You say that like its easy.”
Jeric shrugged. “It’s simple, not easy. But you should be grateful you have your brothers to help.”
“You haven’t talked about your brothers,” Mind said.
Jeric gave him a measuring look and then seemed to decide it didn’t matter. “Krey family life is not like here. There are usually over sixty houses in the Empire, although when I was born there were more than a hundred. The stronger houses control a multitude of worlds, and in order to maintain that order, the head families frequently have dozens of children, and each are placed in positions of power. Mine was to control Kelindor as Primus.”
“You controlled an entire world?” Mind asked.
He grappled with that idea, of a single head for all the people on Lumineia. How many millions, or more likely billions, had served Ero?
“My house was a mid-tier house,” he said. “I was the Primus, with my two brothers as Secondus and Tertious.”
“You still owned a world.”
“It’s not like what you think,” he replied. “Although billions of individuals were directly under my authority, my position was similar to a duke of Griffin.” He swept his hand at the forest of oak and pine. “Our house was our kingdom, and as a son of the king, I controlled a region.”
“A region the size of a world.”
“It didn’t stop our destruction,” Jeric said.
Mind saw the parallel to Draeken’s invasion. It didn’t matter the size of the province or kingdom, there were always greater threats. It was actually comforting, in a way, to know that the Krey Empire experienced upheavals and conflicts like any other government. The only difference was how many lives were lost, and that elicited a frown.
“Were you close to your siblings?” Mind asked.
“Some were rivals,” he said. “Some were friends. Skorn and Thengor were those I trusted. After Kelindor, my house was punished, and my parents lost their status. My house resources were divided among rivals, and Skorn and I were bereft of home. All houseless krey are called mercenaries, because they are paid to work for other houses.”
“From Primus to mercenary,” Mind said.
“A sad tale,” he replied, “but one that ultimately led to all this.” He swept his hand to trees bordering the road.
“Lumineia was your new house,” Mind realized.
“It was. And then it became so much more.”
“And Skorn?” he asked.
“A tale for another day,” he replied. “Suffice it to say, the Dawn of Magic saw the loss of my second brother.”
The sun had set and shadows filled the road. Most of the travelers had shifted to camps along the side of the road, subdued affairs where the people ate quick meals and retired to uneasy rest. Guards were plentiful, and soldiers huddled around their campfires as if the flames would protect them from Draeken’s generals.
Mind and Jeric continued on the road, which grew quiet, a dark lane bordered by scattered camps. Both required less sleep, and Mind intended to push the steeds as long as they could. As the moon began to rise, he pondered Jeric’s revelations, and the deeper meaning to the story.
It was clear why Ero guarded Lumineia with such zeal. It had become his home when he was homeless. At one time Ero had thought it would return him to his power, but then the people had become his family, and he’d become more than a Primus. He’d become their protector.
A shape appeared ahead, crossing the road and flitting into the darkness. Mind reined his steed and peered into the gloom. Jeric caught the handle of one of his sword hilts and drew the weapon, the aquaglass hardening into a longsword.
“Gendor?” Jeric murmured.
Mind reached out with his consciousness, into the dark forest. He couldn’t breach the assassin’s mental shields, but he should be able to sense the man’s presence. Nothing. Mind drew his own sword, the tension rising as he turned his horse to the side. He caught a glimpse of movement, closer than before, and scowled.
“If it’s Gendor, don’t hesitate,” he said. “He was a lethal assassin before he became Draeken’s puppet.”
The seconds ticked by and Mind scanned the trees with sight and magic. Distant clanking of a ladle over a stewpot, and a muffled whinny from a horse. Whoever it was, they didn’t care about the camps . . .
A large shape leaped from the darkness and Mind whirled, raising his sword. But it collided with him and carried him to the road. He landed with a grunt as large jaws clamped on the sword and yanked it from his grip. Then it dropped its jaws to his face.