The stone of authority c.., p.23
The Stone of Authority Complete Set (The Stone Cycle Complete Sets Book 2), page 23
Viggor’s eyes sought out Elena.
Others saw it too. “She knew,” a voice called from among the gathered Clan. “She has the Sight.”
Looking back at Viggor, Elena saw raw hatred in his face. In spite of his lustful intentions, he would have killed her then and there if he dared—that much was obvious to her, even without the stone. But the people of the Clan would never permit it. Not when they believed she had the Sight.
She had established her standing in just one afternoon, and with very little effort. She made no attempt to manipulate anyone. Nor had she tried to influence them to act in any particular way. She had done nothing more than show concern.
Sitting down with individual family members, she had probed their thoughts and memories as they conversed. As she had done with Andri, she quickly gained their respect by mentioning innocent secrets known to them alone, then proceeded to reveal things they were not aware of.
She had set out to reveal mysteries hidden deep within them that she believed they would benefit from knowing. She had done it in her own gentle way, choosing only to disclose insights that would encourage and restore them.
She hadn’t lingered—she had soon moved on. Within a few hours she had bonded deeply with many of the adult members of the Clan. Word of mouth had done the rest. Glancing around at them now, she had no need of the stone to see that these people would never allow harm to come to her. Viggor was not without his supporters, but they were a small minority, and most of them also held her in awe.
If only Viggor knew, it was his own mind that had provided her with the crucial information about their laws. He was well aware of the right of a challenger to appoint a champion, and he had done everything he could to keep it quiet.
He had also persistently used his influence as leader to weaken Ronya—to isolate her and keep her wrong footed. He arranged for some of his supporters to whisper to Andri that Ronya secretly despised him. Others went to Ronya pretending that Andri had confided in them. They claimed that he had no interest in her.
Viggor intended to ensure that even if the relevant provisions of their law came to light, none of the Clan would ever consider championing Ronya.
His scheming could not be hidden from the stone, though. And it took little more than a few well placed words from Elena to quickly undo much of the damage done by the whispering.
“Ronya is the rightful leader of the Clan,” said Andri loudly. “I challenge Viggor on her behalf.”
He did not wait for a response. He slowly stripped to the waist, exposing his muscular physique. One or two of the older women whistled their appreciation. He ignored it.
Andri was powerfully built. He had the frame of a fighter, and his jaw was set with determination. After pounding his massive chest, he reached down for a pair of knives, carefully balancing one in each hand. Then he began to feint forward and back, stabbing and slashing in precise motions. His face was calm, but Elena could see that fierce anger bubbled not far beneath the surface. Andri had a point to prove.
Viggor went pale. He was a big man, but he had established himself by cunning rather than by physical prowess.
He also had the right to appoint a champion. But Elena already knew that the Clan boasted no fighter to compare with Andri. And she guessed that none of them—including Viggor’s supporters—would risk their chances against Andri. Not for Viggor’s sake.
There could only be one possible outcome from the looming fight. And in spite of Viggor’s dishonor and deceit, Elena had no desire to see him or anyone else die that day.
She stepped forward. “There is no need for blood to be spilled,” she called, trying to keep her voice steady. “Your law provides another way.”
No one said a word.
“Viggor can yield to the claim. He can separate himself to establish a new camp. He must go far away—a journey of at least five days. But he need not go alone. He has supporters who can help him.”
She turned slowly, facing each of his supporters in turn. Some of their faces colored quickly. Others glared back at her with angry expressions. But she continued until every one of them had been clearly identified.
Elena’s action had been carefully considered. Viggor might accept her compromise while quietly instructing a few of his followers to remain with the larger group to undermine and spy on Ronya. Elena had preempted any such ploy by openly identifying every one of them. No one would doubt the accuracy of her insights. She knew where their loyalty lay. She had the Sight.
Her words hung in the air. Andri stood silent, waiting for a response from the leader.
After a long pause, Viggor turned and spat on the ground. “I will go,” he said. “For years I have selflessly served the interests of this camp, and this is how I am to be repaid? Your disloyalty shames you. You are not worthy of my leadership.”
Then he pointed at Elena. “You have torn our Clan apart. But your turn will come. You are being hunted, and every hour brings the hunters closer. I will make sure they know where to find you.”
Her heart skipped a beat. She was careful not to show it.
He glared at her poisonously. Then he spat again, turned on his heel, and left. His supporters followed close behind him. All of them quickly began to prepare their wagons for departure.
Those who remained gathered around Ronya immediately to anoint her as their leader. They drew Elena into their midst, and it was some time before she managed to steal away.
Noisy celebrations had begun, and as Elena left the revelers, she saw that gaps had appeared in the circle of wagons. Viggor and his supporters had already departed.
Spotting Rubin, she ran to him. “We need to leave!” she said urgently.
He nodded. “We’ve saddled our horses. We’re ready to go right now,” he assured her.
“There is one thing I need to do first,” she said. He nodded as she ran back to find Ronya.
Andri stood at her side, her hand clasped firmly in his own. Their faces were glowing.
“Ronya, I must speak with you.”
Ronya smiled at Andri, then left him and followed Elena away from the celebrations.
“We must leave,” said Elena. “Viggor did not speak truly—we are not fleeing from justice. But the men pursuing us do not wish us well.”
“You have used your gift to benefit us all, and I honor you for it,” said Ronya, bowing her head. “It has also earned you a new set of enemies. We will help you in any way we can.”
“If the men who are hunting us arrive here,” said Elena, “perhaps you could send them in a different direction from the one we will take.”
“Gladly,” said Ronya with a smile.
The new Clan leader gazed upon Elena with respect in her eyes. “I thought you were weak,” she said, “and I held you in contempt. I was jealous of your beauty, too. But you have shaken me.”
She shook her head in wonder. “I was raised to lead the Clan, but the opportunity was stolen from me. You have given me a chance to fulfill my birthright. And thanks to you, the man I love is now standing beside me as well.” She stole a glance across at Andri. He caught her glance and grinned back at her.
“All my life I have witnessed violence, scheming, and unscrupulous behavior from everyone around me. I believed there was no other way to accomplish anything worthwhile. Yet you have done all this without resorting to violence or deception. And when I treated you unjustly, you refused to sacrifice your honor in an attempt to get even.” She shook her head once more. “I promise you that I will learn from what you have done.”
She dipped her head respectfully. Then she smiled. “If there is anything I can do for you, Elena—anything at all—you need only ask.”
“Thank you, Ronya. What you have said means a great deal to me. I truly need nothing from you though—apart from my heirloom, that is.”
The smile vanished from Ronya’s face in an instant. “I haven’t told you!” she said. “So much has happened, and this matter was pushed entirely from my mind.”
Dismay twisted the new leader’s face, and she passed a hand across her eyes. Then she shook her head. “Viggor is a greedy man. You already know that he planned to take you for himself when he thought the time was right. He also witnessed me snatching away your heirloom when you first arrived, and he has been lusting after it ever since. It wasn’t because he cared about it for its own sake—he didn’t even know what it was. He simply couldn’t bear for me to have something that he didn’t have. When we met this morning he took it by force. I no longer have it!”
Elena felt the blood drain from her face.
“I am so sorry, Elena,” said Ronya miserably. “Andri and I will gather some men and pursue him right now. We will do whatever it takes to get it back.”
Elena shook her head firmly. “No. You have separated peacefully from Viggor, and you must not turn to violence now. We will pursue him.”
Ronya opened her mouth to argue, but Elena cut her off. “Perhaps there is a way you can help us. Would you be willing to send us away with a few supplies? We must leave quickly, though.”
Ronya agreed without hesitation. Then she hurried away, calling for Andri’s help.
Thomas joined Elena. “We are ready to go,” he said.
She took his hands and peered wretchedly up into his eyes. “Viggor has taken the stone,” she whispered.
Thomas was thunderstruck. He shook his head in anger. Then he groaned, placing both hands over his face.
“Look at you, Thomas! You’re not even fully recovered yet,” she exclaimed. “I know what you’ll want to do. But it’s still my problem. I’m the one who lost the stone, and it’s my responsibility to get it back.”
“But how?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. But I’ll find a way somehow.”
He gazed into her eyes, then he shrugged helplessly. “You’ve already achieved more than I would have ever believed possible,” he acknowledged.
Thomas turned to Rubin. “Viggor has taken something that belongs to us. We must retrieve it from him before we continue our journey.”
Rubin raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t argue.
While they were waiting for Ronya, Rubin brought out a simple sling he had fashioned during their time with the Clan. It was designed to hold Tamara while she was on horseback. His intention was to avoid any repetition of the incident that had led to Thomas’s head injury.
Rubin now put on the sling, and Thomas handed Tamara up to him. She was soon perched snugly and securely in front of her grandfather, while he retained full use of both hands. Seeing how well it worked, all of them were enthusiastic in their praise of his innovation.
At that moment Ronya returned and pressed two bulging sacks into Thomas’s hands. They thanked her warmly, and Elena embraced her.
As soon as they were all mounted they said their goodbyes and set off after Viggor.
The wagons had left a plainly visible trail, and they followed it swiftly. They caught up with Viggor after little more than an hour had passed.
When he became aware of them he stopped his wagon. The other wagons quickly came to a halt as well. “So you have come to throw yourself upon my mercy,” he said mockingly.
“You have something of mine,” said Elena, her voice trembling. “An heirloom that you took from Ronya. I want it back.”
So much had changed for her since Thomas’s accident. She had turned Ronya from an enemy into a grateful friend. One at a time she had won the respect of most of the members of the Clan. And she had orchestrated a bloodless change of leadership. She had also made a bitter enemy.
All of it, the good as well as the bad, had come at considerable cost. The pressure within her had built up relentlessly until she was almost at breaking point. The tension from this latest crisis was finally more than she could bear. Her body began to tremble. She tried to master it, but failed miserably. Soon she was shaking uncontrollably.
The woman sitting beside Viggor on his wagon turned to him in alarm. “She is going into trance,” she said. “Who knows what might happen? Give her what she wants! Now. Quickly, before she does something that ruins us all!”
Viggor stared at Elena with wide eyes. Then he pulled the chain with its golden clasp from a hidden pocket and threw it to the ground.
“Take it, then!” he said. “You’ve done enough to us already. Leave us in peace!”
He called to his horse, snapping the reins sharply. His wagon began to move away, the others soon following.
Thomas climbed down from his horse. He retrieved the chain, looking curiously down at the stone held within it. Then he brought it to Elena and placed it into her shaking hand.
Viggor’s face appeared from around the side of his wagon as it rumbled away. Her tension subsided at the sight of him leaving, and she finally managed to control her shaking.
The ease with which she had retrieved the stone astounded her, and the means by which it had happened was no less remarkable.
Back at the camp she had reached a crucial turning point. She had thrust aside the suspicion, fear, and shame that had assailed her since Thomas became incapacitated, choosing instead to return to what she knew best—a gentle manner that sought to encourage rather than to disapprove.
She remembered something she had heard many years earlier from Brother Vangellis, the monk who later become Thomas’s mentor. He had told her, “God’s grace is all you need—his power is strongest when you are weak.”
It hadn’t made sense to her at the time, but it did now. She hadn’t outsmarted Viggor with her cleverness, nor had she come after him with overwhelming force—that simply wasn’t her way. Strange as it seemed, her weakness had been the means of resolving this latest crisis. Somehow that seemed fitting.
Slipping from her saddle, she handed the stone to Thomas. “It’s yours!” she whispered spiritedly. “I’m giving it to you!”
He tore his gaze hastily away from her, looking instead toward Viggor’s wagon. She followed his glance and caught a final glimpse of the deposed leader as his head disappeared behind the wagon.
She understood why Thomas had avoided looking at her once he regained possession of the stone. Gently taking his face in her hand, she turned it back toward her. His eyes went wide as the stone showed him the reason for her action. A fleeting look of disappointment crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by awe and amazement as he perceived everything she had achieved while he was laid low.
He closed his eyes and looked away again.
She gazed earnestly up at him. “I know you never wanted to see into my mind. But I needed you to understand.”
“I do understand,” he said, “and I don’t blame you. It wasn’t your fault that you saw into my mind when I gave you the stone.”
He slipped the stone into his pouch along with the chain and the clasp.
“Let’s not do it again,” he said.
She nodded her agreement, leaning forward and kissing him gently on the lips.
“We need to go!” he said. “I caught a glimpse of Viggor after you gave me back the stone. He’s very angry, and he’ll make us pay if he can find a way to do it.”
She looked at him in surprise. “I saw him, too—as I was handing it over,” she said. “All I could see was his pain. His parents never praised him—not ever—and he’s been trying all his life to prove he’s worthwhile. Now he sees himself as more of a failure than ever.”
They stared at each other in confusion for a lingering moment.
Then they remounted. Thomas retrieved Tamara and the sling from Rubin, and the little party set off.
They rode until well after dark, aided by the light of a moon that was almost at its full. When they eventually made camp, they didn’t risk lighting a fire.
Tamara soon fell asleep. The others sat quietly, saying very little.
“These men that chase us,” said Haldek finally. “They want your little heirloom?”
Thomas groaned inside. So many eyes were now upon the stone. Keeping it unknown and out of sight was becoming almost impossible. He looked at Haldek then across at Rubin.
“Haldek and I have been talking,” Rubin confirmed.
Thomas sighed. “The man who found us doesn’t know exactly why they’re chasing us,” he said. “I can’t speak for the others riding with him. But I won’t try to pretend that the heirloom has nothing to do with it.”
Rubin turned to Elena. “I don’t understand what happened back at that camp,” he said, “and I’m not sure I want to know. But I have a bad feeling that you’re now mixed up in it as well.”
Elena glanced at Thomas. “The heirloom belongs to Thomas,” she replied. “He gave it to me so I could keep it safe while he was injured. As you know, Ronya stole it from me, but we got it back in the end. More could be said, but those are the important parts.”
Neither Rubin nor Haldek looked satisfied, but Rubin did make a final promise. “Haldek and I will keep this to ourselves. And we will do anything we can to protect you both.”
Both Thomas and Elena quietly expressed their gratitude for the support and the discretion shown by the older men. Then Rubin and Haldek lay down with their blankets and were soon asleep.
Elena and Thomas settled down beside each other.
“You said that the stone belongs to me,” whispered Thomas. “That’s not completely true anymore.”
“What do you mean?” she whispered back, alarm in her voice. “It’s yours! I don’t want it!”
“You let me into your mind,” he replied, “so I saw what you did when you were with those people. None of that would even have occurred to me. I just don’t think the same way you do. And even now that I’ve seen what you did, I still don’t think I could do it.”
He paused, trying to find a way to properly express his thoughts. “When I have the stone I can see what people are thinking and planning, and I see their motives. I see what they’re feeling, too, but it never occurs to me to dig down to understand why they feel that way. That doesn’t particularly appeal to me.”
