gestured for Cleve to follow him.
Reela walked beside Cleve as he entered the castle. The door was shut and latched behind them.
“It's a pity that man must die.” Welson spoke with deep remorse. “We can’t allow anyone who attempts an assassination to live.” After a sigh, he turned to Reela. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Reela Worender.”
“You as well.” They shook hands. “How do you know my name?”
“I know you’re half Elf and one of the strongest psychics in the Academy, possibly in all of Ovira next to Rek and Vithos. I know you shared the same father with them. I also know you’re an ally. You’ve been investigated thoroughly.”
“I see,” she said.
Reela’s indifferent expression seemed to intrigue Welson, for he leaned in close and tilted his head.
“You’ve already assumed this?” he asked.
“I have.”
“But even though you’re an ally, I must speak to Cleve alone. In the meantime, I believe there’s someone who wants to see you.”
Reela smiled widely, already sensing his presence.
Then Cleve recognized Rek’s voice. “Hello, Reela.” The Elf stepped between a line of guards.
Reela practically jumped on her way over to hug him. When Cleve noticed Rek smiling at him, he only had time to nod and smile back before Welson whistled to him.
“Let’s go. There’s a lot we need to discuss.”
As Cleve followed the King up the stairs, he looked back at Rek and Reela. They were concerned for him, their eyes wide and mouths flat.
On the second floor, Welson brought Cleve down one of many hallways. He followed as the King turned and continued through the maze of corridors. Although most of the castle consisted of black ironbark wood, they soon were ascending a circular stone stairway.
There was only one room after the twisting stairs ended, and two guards snapped to attention as the King passed between them. Cleve could hear someone coming up the stairs behind them. Shortly after he entered the room, the tall and pale psychic who he’d met the last time he was in the castle brushed by his shoulder, taking a spot beside their ruler.
Welson sat with a long table between him and Cleve, a chair waiting on the opposite side. Welson gestured at it. “Sit.”
Cleve did. Then he heard the door close behind him. He turned to find the two guards now inside, standing in front of his only exit.
Cleve wondered if he’d be able to lie now that he’d trained with Rek. But I’ve never practiced that, he realized. It was the detection and resistance of psyche that Cleve had learned so well, not getting away with lying. He decided he’d better test it sooner rather than later.
“What has Rek told you about me?” Welson asked.
“Nothing.”
Welson didn’t even need the psychic. He shook his head at Cleve and said, “Don’t lie to me. I don’t have the patience for it.”
Cleve regretted not choosing something else to lie about, something easier to get away with. He still didn’t want to reveal what Rek had told him about his parents’ deaths, though, not until he knew whether the psychic could detect his lies. He thought of what else Rek had said.
“He told me you blame yourself for this war,” Cleve said. “He told me about an incident—a battle over the discovery of an island. I don’t remember the details.”
Welson began to nod, so Cleve stopped.
“That was only two years after my coronation. I was seventeen when that battle happened. That’s your age, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“I made a lot of mistakes. I didn’t have my father’s guidance as I should have.” Welson went silent as he glared, waiting for Cleve to say something.
But Cleve chose not to, not yet. He wasn’t ready to admit Rek had told him about Welson’s crazy belief that Cleve’s father was the one who killed Welson’s father. It was madness, and just the King hinting at it made Cleve angry.
At Cleve’s reticence, Welson forced a sigh and continued. “Our relationship with
Reela walked beside Cleve as he entered the castle. The door was shut and latched behind them.
“It's a pity that man must die.” Welson spoke with deep remorse. “We can’t allow anyone who attempts an assassination to live.” After a sigh, he turned to Reela. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Reela Worender.”
“You as well.” They shook hands. “How do you know my name?”
“I know you’re half Elf and one of the strongest psychics in the Academy, possibly in all of Ovira next to Rek and Vithos. I know you shared the same father with them. I also know you’re an ally. You’ve been investigated thoroughly.”
“I see,” she said.
Reela’s indifferent expression seemed to intrigue Welson, for he leaned in close and tilted his head.
“You’ve already assumed this?” he asked.
“I have.”
“But even though you’re an ally, I must speak to Cleve alone. In the meantime, I believe there’s someone who wants to see you.”
Reela smiled widely, already sensing his presence.
Then Cleve recognized Rek’s voice. “Hello, Reela.” The Elf stepped between a line of guards.
Reela practically jumped on her way over to hug him. When Cleve noticed Rek smiling at him, he only had time to nod and smile back before Welson whistled to him.
“Let’s go. There’s a lot we need to discuss.”
As Cleve followed the King up the stairs, he looked back at Rek and Reela. They were concerned for him, their eyes wide and mouths flat.
On the second floor, Welson brought Cleve down one of many hallways. He followed as the King turned and continued through the maze of corridors. Although most of the castle consisted of black ironbark wood, they soon were ascending a circular stone stairway.
There was only one room after the twisting stairs ended, and two guards snapped to attention as the King passed between them. Cleve could hear someone coming up the stairs behind them. Shortly after he entered the room, the tall and pale psychic who he’d met the last time he was in the castle brushed by his shoulder, taking a spot beside their ruler.
Welson sat with a long table between him and Cleve, a chair waiting on the opposite side. Welson gestured at it. “Sit.”
Cleve did. Then he heard the door close behind him. He turned to find the two guards now inside, standing in front of his only exit.
Cleve wondered if he’d be able to lie now that he’d trained with Rek. But I’ve never practiced that, he realized. It was the detection and resistance of psyche that Cleve had learned so well, not getting away with lying. He decided he’d better test it sooner rather than later.
“What has Rek told you about me?” Welson asked.
“Nothing.”
Welson didn’t even need the psychic. He shook his head at Cleve and said, “Don’t lie to me. I don’t have the patience for it.”
Cleve regretted not choosing something else to lie about, something easier to get away with. He still didn’t want to reveal what Rek had told him about his parents’ deaths, though, not until he knew whether the psychic could detect his lies. He thought of what else Rek had said.
“He told me you blame yourself for this war,” Cleve said. “He told me about an incident—a battle over the discovery of an island. I don’t remember the details.”
Welson began to nod, so Cleve stopped.
“That was only two years after my coronation. I was seventeen when that battle happened. That’s your age, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
“I made a lot of mistakes. I didn’t have my father’s guidance as I should have.” Welson went silent as he glared, waiting for Cleve to say something.
But Cleve chose not to, not yet. He wasn’t ready to admit Rek had told him about Welson’s crazy belief that Cleve’s father was the one who killed Welson’s father. It was madness, and just the King hinting at it made Cleve angry.
At Cleve’s reticence, Welson forced a sigh and continued. “Our relationship with
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