Gift- Book 1

Chapter 40

Leiea manages not to move. She watches Firyah shake Therin and Hania waving his hand like he did around her, talking and yelling animatedly. Suddenly, he pulls off the black rope tying the two and they break apart, rubbing their arms. He jabs Hania with his elbow and she stumbles forward to Leiea. Her eyes are frightened but she gives a small shake of her head before Leiea could talk or reach for her.

Hania silently approaches Leiea and jerks her head, telling her to stand up. Leiea complies, although tripping over her feet with her arms tied back, and struggling to take a deep breath. She tries to bite back the pain throbbing through her and watches Firyah stalk forward. Hania rushes back to Therin, and Leiea sees a tear floating down the girl's face.

The king curls his fingers in the air dramatically and her legs cramp as if collapsing on itself. She screams and attempts to shake the feeling off, finding her feet stuck to the ground.

"Foolish girl," Firyah hisses standing a foot from her with his hand still raised. "This would normally be where I tell you everything you'd need to know here, but I put that forward a bit early." He grimaces. "I put too much effort into people like you to make a statement. To get into your mind what you already know."

Leiea sets her jaw and avoids eye contact, focusing on his dark purple cape flowing in the breeze. She draws a ragged breath. "I don't want anyone to have that emerald. It wronged everyone in the village, and it'll wrong anyone else that holds it."

He smirks. "I've managed it, and drew power from jewels just as perfect as that one, some more so. I know my limits."

"Did you just use them for power, or for the traits they might bestow, regardless of perfection? You told me the difference yourself."

"That doesn't matter. Anyone could do what I do without the pain of what happened here."

"Anyone could, but they tend to be more sane than you."

Firyah sneers at her and drops his hand. The cramps in Leiea's legs stop and her knees buckle.

"Stand up straight, idiot." He waits for her to do so. She takes her time, and looks off into the fields to see Sheyric riding to them on Odenne at an impossible speed. She tries not to stare or react as she stands.

"You love wasting time." Firyah snarls. "If you do that with finding the emerald for me, things are going to get much worse than they already are. And I wouldn't bother asking how that is possible, because I might just do it early to demonstrate."

Leiea frowns, she was about to ask that exact thing. She looks out again to find Sheyric much closer, but slowed down enough that the galloping is muffled by the wet earth.

"Also, you are severely mistaken if you think you can go search for the emerald on your own. I'll follow your path to keep you from running, which I know you'll attempt. I'll also make sure you don't pass out from those nasty wounds."

Sheyric's only yards behind Firyah, aiming his rifle. Leiea doesn't respond to the king, too concentrated on wishing him to be killed.

A shot rings through the air. Leiea flinches and opens her eyes to find Firyah with his hand in the air, clenches tight. His expression is unchanged, but slightly more pleased than before. He lowers his large fist and opens it for Leiea to see. Inside lays the bullet Sheyric shot. A streak of raw flesh on his palm where he caught it is the only harm visible.

He grins at Leiea. "I've never attempted that, but I did once hear the reflexes you gain from gems' power is otherworldly. I'm impressed with myself." He rolls it between his fingers. "Would you like to say goodbye to your friend?"