Dawn of Man (Thanos Book 1) (18 page)

Ahnon closed his eyes. “There was so much pain I don’t even remember that part to be honest.”

“So mine will be with me forever?”

“As long as you live, it can’t be taken off.”

“So I will even have it in the royal tomb? We will always be tied?” he asked, and Ahnon nodded. Jedek noticed a look on Ahnon’s face. “What are you not telling me?”

“Your chain can be taken off with a natural death or my death. The magic holds true…” Ahnon said and moved to the stairs.

“Ahnon, please tell me,” Jedek pleaded.

“The magic of the infusion demands the amulet be taken. It contains part of my life force, and if left on you after death, it would drain me. It is tied to the part of the spell that demands if the sire is murdered, the sho-ka will kill all responsible, never stopping, driving them insane with bloodlust,” Ahnon said sorrowfully. “The first council knew that the sho-ka needed to be used later to train others. So they made it so the sho-kas would have to retrieve the amulet, severing their ties with their sire. I saw something long ago that I still don’t understand.” Ahnon stopped in deep thought. “To this day, I don’t understand it, but I’ve seen them, but I will only have one sire. You will take that with you when you leave this world, and I’ll use it in the next to find you.”

“You can’t do that, Ahnon, if it would kill you or hurt you. I can’t even think about something like that happening to you. I would damn my own soul before letting that happen.”

Grabbing Jedek’s shoulders hard, Ahnon shook him. “Don’t you ever say anything like that! Just because I don’t believe in the Gods doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I really don’t want to descend into the abyss and fight legions of evil because you damned your soul, but know this: I would.”

“Then promise me if I die, you will take it back. You can leave instructions when you die to have it replaced.” Not seeing Ahnon budging, Jedek threatened, “I mean it, Ahnon. I’ll go to the shrine of every God and make my demand.”

“All right, you win. Stop talking about your soul like that,” Ahnon pleaded.

“What about the infusion hurt?” Jedek asked then saw Ahnon shiver.

“That is for another day, sire, and today is to see you married. And your dumb dog not to chew up stuff,” Ahnon said, looking at Minos.

“He’s smart, Ahnon,” Jedek said, leaning down to pet Minos.

“Whatever you say, sire,” Ahnon said, looking at Minos and shaking his head. “You do know Minos ages like humans and will probably live sixty to seventy years, right?” Ahnon asked, seeing in his mind’s eye a lot of stuff being chewed up over the years.

“Oh, that is so cool,” Jedek said, hugging Minos.

“Thought you would see it that way,” Ahnon said, shaking his head.

Jedek followed him down, and Minos took off after them. “Ahnon, how come royalty lives longer than regular people?” Jedek asked.

“No one knows for sure, sire, but the ancient texts say the first royal families married into the elves. That’s where I think the long life comes from. Elves live thousands of years, and half-elves live up to seven hundred. If you keep breeding into it, you get the hundred and fifty to two hundred years of the royalty,” Ahnon said, watching Minos take off after some chickens.

“Yeah, but some regular people that use magic live that long,” Jedek pointed out.

“Yes, they do, sire. When you use magic, your body ages slower even if you only use it once, but it averages out to about forty to sixty years added onto your lifespan.”

“So royalty that use magic live over two hundred years,” Jedek stated.

“Give or take. What are you trying to figure out?”

“Just want a rough idea how long I have.”

“Jedek, not an hour ago, you thought getting married would kill you. Now, you’re scared that you only have a few centuries? You’re twelve years old. In a few years, I’ll be three hundred. You live as long as you can, Jedek. A dragon can fly here and burn down the palace, and all the years in the world don’t matter. What matters is how you live now.”

“Can a dragon really come here and burn down the palace?” Jedek asked, glancing at the sky.

“Yes, parts of it, but there are enough troops here that it would pay for it with its life. Dragons are not stupid and wouldn’t do something so foolish.”

“Have you ever seen a dragon?” he asked.

“Many.”

“Have you ever fought one?” he asked, stopping.

“Unfortunately two.”

Jedek stood, blinking at him. “Two. Unfortunately,” was all he could say.

“Jedek, dragons live for tens of thousands of years. One dragon I talked to remembered the time before humans. That was over twenty thousand years ago. Killing a dragon is not to be taken lightly.” Ahnon grabbed his arm and pulled him along.

“Yes, but they’re mean and evil.”

Ahnon laughed. “Not all of them, Jedek. They are just like people; some are bad, some are good, and the others don’t care one way or the other.”

“Will you tell me about fighting dragons?” Jedek asked with delight.

“One day, I will. I promise,” Ahnon assured him. “If you’re late to the wedding, you will really hurt Kenna’s feelings. She’s not sure you will go through with it, leaving her at the altar. Then, she’ll have to go back home with her mother.”

“Ahnon, we can’t let her think that,” Jedek said, breaking into a run.

“We,” Ahnon said, catching up.

“Ahnon, she told me the two years she’s been here were the best in her life,” Jedek said, gulping in air. “Her dad didn’t let her do anything as he worked on treaties to see who he could get the best deal from,” Jedek said, feeling his legs burn. Minos saw them running and took off, falling in beside Jedek, wanting to know what game they were playing.

“You make her sound like a horse at an auction,” Ahnon said, running along at a nice pace.

“I can’t let her think I’m not going to show, Ahnon. That would hurt her feelings,” Jedek informed him between huffs of air.

Ahnon looked over a Jedek moving at a dead run. “You do realize we have another three miles to east wing, right?” Ahnon asked calmly.

“Yeah,” Jedek gasped. “You can at least…act like this is…tiring,” Jedek gasped.

“It’s not really,” Ahnon said then grinned. “Would you like to get there faster?”

“I don’t know that spell,” Jedek wheezed.

“Lucky for you, I do,” Ahnon said, smiling. “Minos, home!” Ahnon shouted as he scooped up Jedek. In a puff of dust, they rocketed to the castle.

Minos skidded to a halt and looked around. “Oh, hide and find,” he panted happily, putting his nose to the ground, following their scent. “I smell them,” he said, lifting his head and letting out a howl. “I find!” he howled and broke into a run, knocking over two guards and a maid inside the castle.

Chapter 13

True to his word, Ahnon stood behind Jedek as he was married. King Vilarius had to give Kenna away since her father didn’t show up, sending only the queen. When Kenna walked in wearing her dress, Jedek beamed.

“Remember; don’t run. She knows griffons,” Ahnon whispered.

“Shh, Ahnon,” Jedek whispered back.

After the two were wed, the reception started, and the newlyweds were the first to dance with the great hall packed to overflowing. Kenna looked up at Jedek as they waltzed around the room. “You dance very well,” she said.

“Thank you. Ahnon’s been teaching me for the last few months. He told me if I stepped on your toes or fell down, I had to scrub the castle walls till they were clean.”

“Well, let’s make sure you don’t. That would take a long time, but I would help you,” she said with a smile.

Jedek smiled back. “Thank you.”

“Jedek, thank you,” Kenna told him with affection.

“For what?” he asked.

“For marrying me. I really didn’t want to go home. Father is mean. If you wouldn’t have shown up, I was running away with Karme.”

“So it was either me or run away?” he asked.

“Yes. I wasn’t going home. This is the best place ever,” she said. “I know you didn’t want to, but we can just keep doing what we were doing. Play, let Michi and Ahnon make dresses, read, play some more, and have fun,” she said, smiling.

“Sounds good to me.” Jedek agreed as he spun her around.

Ahnon was bobbing his head to the music, watching his sire. “You taught him well, Ahnon,” Vilarius said, moving beside him.

“Thank you, your majesty. He was a great pupil,” Ahnon admitted, cringing slightly when Jedek missed a step. “He was worried, that was all. He was sure being twelve and getting married was going to kill him.”

“I know someone who was fourteen and thought the same thing,” Theobald said, stepping up on Ahnon’s other side.

Vilarius shrugged. “Hey, what can I say; I’m still alive.”

“And didn’t move into the royal apartments with your wife until you were twenty if I’m not mistaken,” Theobald pointed out.

“Okay! So I’m hard-headed.”

Theobald grabbed Ahnon’s arm. “You heard that; he admitted it,” Theobald said, smiling. “Life is great.” He let out a long breath.

“I wasn’t that bad, Theobald.”

“No, sire, you weren’t. I have no regrets and a great family.” Theobald looked over the throne at the ten-by-ten-foot painting of the family with the three sho-kas. Wiping a tear away, he said, “I can honestly say I’m a happy man.”

Ahnon smiled and looked at the king. “You need to have a talk with your son soon about life.”

“I will. I promise,” Vilarius said as he grinned and watched the two dancing.

Theobald leaned toward Ahnon. “If he hasn’t done it before Jedek’s thirteen, I’ll turn him into a boot for Minos to chew on.”

“So you heard the mutt got my boots?” Ahnon asked, shocked.

“No, the beast has three of mine, and all of them for the left foot,” Theobald said with a scowl. “Three sets of boots ruined.”

“I tried to talk Jedek out of him, but it was no good.”

“Let him keep it so he doesn’t get something else. Trust me; it could be worse.”

“Theobald, I told you I was sorry,” Vilarius said.

“That mastodon tore up half of the royal garden, sire, and we won’t even get to the rock ape.”

“Rock apes are huge. Why on earth would you want one?” Ahnon asked, shocked.

“Nobody else had one, and Eira thought it was cute,” Theobald said in a small, mocking tone.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Vilarius moaned.

“Oh, the broken arm and ribs weren’t that bad when the ape threw you through the air, wanting to play?” Theobald asked, and Vilarius wouldn’t answer.

“We’ll keep the dog,” Ahnon assured him as the kids separated, and Kenna grabbed the king, and Jedek grabbed his mother.

“You’ll have to have the talk with Jedek, Ahnon. Even after his father does,” Theobald informed him, making Ahnon wince. “Do you regret not being able to have children?” Theobald asked.

“No. I have part of one,” Ahnon said proudly.

Vilarius looked down. “I hope you’re happy here, little Kenna,” he said, grinning. Kenna looked like a toddler dancing with Vilarius.

“Oh, I am, King Vilarius.” She grinned. “I’ve never been as happy as I have been here the last two years. I can play outside, and I don’t get in trouble, and I can read and write now. This is the best place.”

“This is your home now and always. Remember that,” he said, and she stopped dancing, wrapping her arms a quarter way around his massive waist. Her head didn’t even touch the bottom of his chest.

“Thank you, and I’ll be nice to Jedek. I promise,” she said with a serious face.

“I know you will.” He smiled and picked her up, continuing the dance.

The Grand Mage of Nazar moved over to Ahnon, watching him smile at Jedek and Kenna. “I see you are happy.”

“You could say that and not be far from the truth,” Ahnon replied.

“Ahnon, I wanted to talk to you before I leave tomorrow. I had to get rid of three prime level wizards this year,” he said, and Ahnon stopped watching the dance and turned around.

“
’Get rid of
’ sounds kind of permanent.”

“Oh, it was permanent. They’re buried in the forest. I found out they were taking bribes from Kyros to get sho-ka that weren’t ready to guard the women of his house.” Anger flushed Ahnon’s face. “Oh, there’s more. He wanted sho-ka that would be easy to intimidate. He wanted ones from lower-level royal families that he could threaten, using their families to get compliance. Kyros doesn’t want the women of his house to have any formal training of anything. Honch is the last of the five kingdoms that isn’t ruled jointly, and Kyros intends to keep it that way,” the Grand Mage said.

“I think I will address this with him,” Ahnon replied coolly.

“I’ve told the king, but there really isn’t much he can do. I’ve put a stop to it, but you wouldn’t believe the sums of money the man was using to get what he wanted. I’m afraid I’ve made a very dangerous enemy, and so have you.”

“I will add him to my collection,” Ahnon said, shrugging.

“Ahnon, you publicly embarrassed him. Kyros is the type of man that won’t let that go.”

“You sound really worried.”

The Grand Mage nodded. “Oh, I am, and that’s why I wanted to inform you before something
happens
to me.”

“Do you know of Count Regon?” Ahnon asked.

“Who doesn’t? He’s reportedly the richest man in the world,” the Grand Mage replied.

Ahnon shook his head. “No, he
is
the richest,” he corrected. “Do you think Regon is afraid of Kyros?”

“After the assassination attempt on his family fifty years ago, he fears nothing,” the Grand Mage stated.

“The emissary of Fantshu is here; tell him you need to get a message to Regon. Tell him what you’ve told me and your fears. At the end, tell him I will take it as a personal favor if he handles this for me,” Ahnon said, and the Grand Mage gaped at him.

“You know the count that well?” he stuttered.

“Yes, I know lots of people that can do many unkind things. The count will take care of it, and you’ll have no worries, but I do ask for a price from you, and it’s nonnegotiable.”

“Please, Ahnon, don’t ask me to spy on my kingdom. I can’t do that.”

Ahnon laughed. “No, that is not my price. My price is your silence. You will tell no one it was me who told you to contact the count. And I mean no one, which includes the king and the council. I can have no ties to him for other reasons. If you accept, you will not have to fear retaliation.”

“I accept those terms and hope one day to repay this debt.”

“You already have, Grand Mage, so we will call it even if you keep your bargain.”

“Oh, of that, you can be sure, but I will still owe you. I should’ve been paying more attention,” he said regretfully.

“Grand Mage, you had men under you that betrayed the crown and the council. Let me give you some advice. Have little fear of those equal to or higher than you, but be terrified of those under you. They are the ones that can hurt you.”

The mage nodded. “Have you talked to Michi since his infusion?” he asked.

“Of course I have. That was over a year ago,” Ahnon answered.

“No, I mean about the infusion,” the mage clarified.

A shiver ran down his spine. “We really don’t like talking about it. I’m sure you understand why.”

“Ahnon, we stopped at seven because I thought he was going to break, but he demanded to continue.”

“And you did?” Ahnon asked, shocked.

“The law says we must.”

“How many?” Ahnon asked.

“He made it to ten and was in a coma for two days,” the mage answered.

“He seems fine to me,” Ahnon said.

“Ahnon, he thinks if he doesn’t perform as the best, he’ll lose what was given to him. Please correct that. I really like Michi and don’t want to see him throw his life away,” the mage begged.

Ahnon clasped the man’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I thought so lowly of you when we first met, and I will talk to him tonight,” he promised.

“Don’t apologize. If it would’ve been the other way around, I would’ve hunted you down for doing the infusion to me.”

Ahnon nodded. “I’m not going to lie; the thought crossed my mind.”

“Thank you, Ahnon. I see the emissary, so I’ll take my leave. If I hear anything, I will send word,” he promised and moved away through the crowd.

Ahnon looked around the dance area and spotted Michi. Moving around the dance area, he stopped beside Michi. “How is it going, Michi?” Ahnon asked.

“It’s a good day,” Michi said, smiling.

“Yes, it is,” Ahnon agreed.

“What?”

“That transparent, huh?”

Michi smiled. “No, but I’ve noticed to friends, you show your real face, and that honors me.”

In a low voice, Ahnon asked, “I just talked to the Grand Mage of Nazar. Care to explain?”

“That man babbles worse than my wife,” Michi said, irritated.

“On that subject, I’m glad the king granted clemency for your firstborn son and your marriage,” Ahnon said.

“What? He’s still going to be bhari along with my other two and three girls. I will still only see my wife when duty permits.”

“Michi, your family doesn’t need to all fight for Nazar. Keep it up, and you won’t have a family,” Ahnon warned.

“I know, Ahnon, and my two youngest will return to the estate to run it after my father dies. My family will be a family of warriors,” he said proudly.

“That’s fine, but don’t kill yourself to prove it to anyone because we already know,” Ahnon told him. Michi looked at him, confused. “Michi, you are in charge of this castle. I’m just over one person. You must keep the castle safe for the family. What is the sho-ka’s prime order?” he asked.

“To keep your sire alive at all cost,” he answered immediately.

“Right. I can leave if we are attacked. You can’t. You will have to hold the castle till we return.”

“Ahnon, there hasn’t been an assassin siege in a thousand years,” Michi reminded him.

“You’re missing the point. If a large group comes, I’m getting Jedek, and we’re gone. You know how close I came to leaving at the garden?” he asked, and Michi shook his head. “Kenna would’ve died, and don’t ask me how I know, but she can’t yet. Karme is now comfortable with magic, so we are gone, and Karme better do the same. It’s your job to make sure we have a home to come back to. If you die, they might not appoint a replacement, and I’m not bringing Jedek home. The kingdom can kiss my backside.”

The shock set in on Michi.

“You see what I’m talking about now. Don’t try to prove yourself. You’ve done it. Now, set about guarding this castle. I mean have back-up plans to back-up plans, and above all else, continue to learn. There are many areas you can study right here.”

“I see, and I’m grateful that you tell me this,” Michi said solemnly.

“Michi, I need you. So does the sovereign family and the five kingdoms, so please don’t keep trying to prove anything,” Ahnon begged.

“I wish we would’ve had this talk before I went—” He stopped as a shiver racked his body.

“It’s my fault. I really thought you knew.” Looking out on the dance floor, Ahnon saw Jedek dancing with Kenna’s mother and Kenna dancing with Admiral Gither. “Michi, they’re the closet things I have to kids. I can’t let anything happen to them,” Ahnon admitted.

“As the Gods are my witnesses, you will not ever have to leave, and if you do, it won’t be for long,” Michi vowed.

Kenna spun away from the admiral and ran to Ahnon. She stopped in front of him and curtsied. “Sho-ka Ahnon, may I have this dance?” she asked, breathing hard with a smile ear to ear.

Ahnon gave her a deep bow. “Princess Kenna, I would be most honored to accept this dance.” He stood, and she grabbed his arm, pulling him out on the dance area. The celebration lasted almost till dawn with everyone tired but full of joy.