Vindicate (Insight #5)(9)

“We tell them nothing , ” Alamos said bleakly as he rose from Drake ’s side. “As dark and twisted as you think this dimension is , its traditions and beliefs are going to give you the time you need now.”

“What tradition?” I asked .

“Mourning last s two weeks for any member of the court . Due to the mass loss , we coul d extend that well past a month. I n that time , there will be no speeches – no words. Silence is demanded as we reflect. In e ffect , we can freeze this dimension in place while we fight the battle in their mind s right now , ” Alamos said as his eyes moved bac k to Drake. “Marc has no choice. Either he initiates the mo u rning , or he declares it invalid , the way Drake did with Donalt’s death . I f nothing is done , war will erupt immediately as other s try to rise and take control. Countless men desire to rule this world.”

“This world didn ’t mo u rn Donalt?” I asked with a smirk. Oddly , that brought me the hope that I could one day sa ve them all from the destruction that that man brought them.

“They didn’t mourn because the ruler – Drake - told the court that there wasn’t time . Because in his own way , he didn’t th ink his death deserved mourning. That was the spark. After that it was said that Drake’s heart and not his mind were leading this world. That he had given his reign to another man.”

Perodine looked down at her folded hands. “Is that your perception?”

“Why would it not be?” Alamos asked smugly.

“Because you know just as well as I do that that is not why Drake didn’t initiate the mourning,” s he said , linking stares with Alamos.

“What are you talking about?” Brady asked as we all felt the anxiety fill the room.

“Tell them, your majesty , ” Alamos said with heavy sarcasm as he mocked a bow.

Perodine glared at him for an endless moment , then looked at me . “It is tradition that when our King dies – his court – his Queen – her court are to be put to death with him. They are to be murdered so that when the King enters hi s next life, his status…his reign is in place , just as it was in this life.”

“They would have killed you?!” I asked as a sick feeling rose and settled in the back of my throat , e ven though I doubted anyone would be powerful enough to end her long life.

“They defin i t e ly would have tried , ” Perodine answered. “Drake incited a law weeks back that stated that death would only come to thos e who would not benefit his reign . The law has to reside for one moon for it to be in place ; his pause in the announcement protected me and Alamos.”

I felt respect rise in Brady. “Wise act?”

“Perhaps…Don alt’s rule was near everlasting. I t was a tradition that has not been ex ercised for millions of years. Drake’s decision divided the parts of the world that believed Donalt to be dead.”

“What do you mean ‘parts ’?” I asked , completely bewildered .

“Communication is no t as clear here as it is in the home where I raised you , ” my father answered.

“There are people who don’t know he’s dead?! No wonder I ’m having such a hard time here , ” I said as my frustration washed across my face.

“Why are the ones who know divided?” Marc asked , befuddled.

Alamos crossed his arms. “Several reasons. The majority of the population has no clue ; only the priests who reside over the cities have the notion that a shift in power has occur r ed. Some of those priests believe that because the court was not executed , Donalt’s soul is not at rest – that now they will suffer even darker times . Those people are seeking the lives of each person in the court. I believe the underground group is called ‘Redeemers of Light.’ From what I understand , they are taking credit for the coll apse on the island last night. For the battle Willow won single -handedly. Then …” he looked at Drake , “t here are ones that are seeking to rule . They argue that Dra ke is not the child of Donalt. That with the execution of the current court , a new sovereign is needed. They are seeking the death of Drake simply to take away the memory of Donalt.”

Perodine nodded along. “Then , of course , there is the general population that is blindly obedient to the myths that were told to them as a children ... that Drake with the heart of his soul mate will redee m this world, and they believe that a dark man has trapped her heart . That until he dies they will be trapped in darkness.”

“Seriously?!” I said in a frustrated tone. “Wh y can we not just go out there and lay it all out ? Tell them this is what happen ed. Who Donalt was - who I am. And tell them to get over their foolish f airytales and take the peace I’m giving them?!”

There didn’t seem to be any way to win . Those that knew Donalt was dead were either calling for Drake’s death or Landen’s , and the blind public was waiting for me to love Drake . They were all wrong , and I wasn’t going to sit here and listen to how jacked up the entire thought process was. I had a good min d t o carry both Drake and Landen away from t here and never look back.

“Willow,” August said , walking to my side and holding my stare. “Could you imagine going home to Infante and telling a nyone there that their beliefs, their religion was false ? That what has been told – preached and practice for thousands and thousands of years was untrue ?”