Secrets - Book 7 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter 24

Luke found it hard to listen to Minette's revelations let alone comprehend them.

The most unbelievable revelation was that Minette had been named 'Miriam' by her mother, Alice, who was also Elliad's mother. "You mean, Minette, you're a full sister of Elliad's?"

"Yes, to my shame," she said bitterly.

Intermingled with fear, Minette felt a sense of relief, that at last, she had strength enough to share these oppressive secrets with Luke. It was like large stones were being lifted from her, unburdening her mind and heart.

For Luke, the most astounding secret was the fact that there was a living man named 'Elliad John' —an identical twin who lived in Valdemar castle. "He's known as 'The Master', or, 'The Boss'," Minette told him.

"I can't get my head around all this —but —particularly —that!" Luke exclaimed. He felt sorrow, dread, and anger pulsating in his head, one by one, then pounding together at the same time, making his head ache in a way he'd never experienced.

Luke's sorrow was for Jobyna, for what she would go through, to be in the presence of this Elliad twin, an identical look-alike! —another Elliad!

His dread was for his sister and himself; they both had been treated with violence by him. His anger was that something so inconceivable could have been kept secret for so long! "It's like everyone around me has been playing parts that are much different from reality," he said, with anguish in his voice.

Emotionally exhausted from revealing some of her long-term heart-wrenching secrets, Minette said, "People change. Mother said to me, years ago, 'Don't depend on any human being, Miriam; depend only upon the Lord. Even those closest to you will disappoint you now then; if you focus on the Lord, putting your full reliance and all your faith in Him, you will not be disappointed.'

"You now know my background. Dorai found out about this when he was in Jydanski. I believe that since then, he's been scheming as to how he can use it to his advantage. It's all he thinks about. He goes on and on, questioning me.

"When he married me, he told me never to speak of my past, that I was not Alice's daughter or related to Elliot Pruwitt. I was not Elliad's sister, Dorai told me; I was his wife, he said, and therefore my past was obliterated. But it never could be, nor can it be. He referred to it often and used it to intimidate me to control me..."

"Which one did my Uncle find out in Jydanski —that you are Alice's daughter, or that Elliad has a twin? —and you are Elliad's older sister? —or, the part about..." Standing, Luke exclaimed, "I don't know how, or where to start! It's —impossible! What do we do next? —Should we leave this tower, or stay? —Most of all, I must stop Jobyna reaching Valdemar. Lord knows what this 'master' —Elliad John —will do when, if, she arrives... oh, my head is pounding!"

Minette bowed her head and said softly, "It's now that we need to believe that 'with God, nothing shall be impossible'..." She started at the sound of thunder. "It's dark," she said, adding, "The sun is completely hidden."

Luke shook his head, saying, "It's all so impossible."

"Can God really do... anything? —how can I believe it? —I don't know what I can believe in anymore...

"I know it's written in the Book but it sounds trite, 'mimicked'. It's like... my life, my past, my kingship, my future... it's all... dissolving."

Lightning lit up the inside of the tower. The silence following it seemed deadly...

Both Luke and Minette jumped at the clap of the thunder; it sounded close.

"Come into the chamber," Loren called, "come inside. Rain will be falling any moment!"

As Luke and Minette walked around the tower to the entrance to the inner chamber, another bolt of lightning lit the sky.

"Get down, right down!" Granville urged.

Flattening themselves on the floor inside the room, thunder struck and it sounded as if it were right inside the tower.

As torrents of rain fell, laced with more lightning and thunder, Luke wondered when and how he would get out of here... was there a way? —Would it be safe —out there?

The next bolt of lightning was followed a split second by a thunder-boom so loud that it seemed the whole castle shook. It was head-shocking! All those in the tower felt small, meaningless, numb; unable to think or move...

Another struck bolt of lightning, followed some seconds after by its thunder gave the signal that the storm was moving away from Kings Castle.

Granville was the first to step outside, moving from pillar to pillar, checking around the perimeter that no fires were visible in the keep or any other tower. Shaking his dripping wet hair away from his face, he called, "It struck somewhere close, but nothing's burning."

A flash of lightning, around three miles away, lit the sky, revealing a brief image. "Perhaps, yes, it was one of the flagpoles." He did not voice it, but the Frencolian Flag with Prince Dorai's personal insignia limped in wet, tattered black ribbons. The other, on a taller flagpole, with Luke's insignia, flew undamaged. Shaking his head, he whispered, "We don't believe in omens... we believe in God..."

Whispering as well, Loran pronounced grimly, "Yes! God has spoken."

As if returning, the lightning struck again, a little louder.

In a larger deluge, forced by swirling winds, hail fell. Rushing into the shelter of the octagon chamber, Granville slumped to sit beside Loran. "We should have gone into that center cavity, beneath the stairway..."

Loran had to shout to be heard above the torrent, "What? If this tower is struck, then I'd rather not be down there if it were to fall!"

Granville yelled back, "Most Frencolians believe that storms are given to make people rest; so we will rest. I'm sure that those downstairs will find the throne room a safe place to stay in right now."

"Let's rest," Loran agreed.

Hail pounded the strong tower roof, it was more of a roar; the ice droplets were not large, but the volume of them caused the temperature to plummet. Bouncing on the outer floor, a lot of hail rolled into the octagon chamber and soon the inner floor was wet as well.

The storm, the lightning, the noise, the hail —Luke's focus, on himself and his angst, had been broken.

The impossibilities, the threats, the plots, the treachery. It's still impossible, he thought, but I need to get my mind off myself and off the storm ... or is that another impossibility right now?

Swirling winds twirled the storm back into a path towards the south. The hail stopped as did the rain and the wind began to die.

Luke asked, "Sabin —What did Felix say, way back —when we were locked in the woodshed?" Remembering, he answered for himself, "'There's always a way'... yes —there will always be a way out. We just have to find it..."

"You're right, Master," Sabin said, "I remember that time. What was impossible became possible..."

"It's good to hope... any hope is worthwhile," Miriam said.

"That's so right —we won't remain in despair if we can envision even the faintest spark of hope," Granville agreed.

"Our hope must be in the Lord," Luke concluded. He stood and said, "Let's put our faith, and our hope into action, and ask God to show us the way out of here..."

Continued in Book 8 - More Secrets and the Horse Race -

Read about Book 8 in the next chapter - Chapter 24 / Epilogue / of this book - there is a spoiler in the blurb - a great surprise as another contender joins the horse race...