A Prince Among Killers - By J. B. Redmond Page 0,14
heat rising and waning on his face. He knew from his encounter with Platt that she was probably right, perhaps even understating her abilities. Yet her assertion humiliated him. Strangely, it also soothed him. He didn’t know whether to offer her thanks or stalk out of the chamber.
Why did he always feel so confused and stupid in her presence?
“Please don’t feel any shame with me.” Dari’s soft tones made him look at her again, despite his embarrassment. “I know these lessons weren’t your choice—that very little has been your choice. But mastering your legacy is perhaps the most important task you have at Stone.”
“Why?” Aron almost shoved himself to his feet, then decided that would be childish and kept his seat. “I’m not allowed to use it, and if Lord Baldric has his way, I never will be.”
This made Dari sigh, then frown. “I know he’s the Lord Provost of Stone, but Aron, your graal isn’t like Stormbreaker’s. My cousin was right. Your mind-talents could be used, I think, if properly controlled.”
Aron shook his head, relieved, at least, that his cheeks weren’t so hot anymore. “I don’t understand.”
Dari raised her arms and gestured, like she was drawing down the sky. “Stormbreaker’s emotion brings weather to him, or generates aspects of weather where none should exist. Even if he could channel it and direct it against one person, or a group of people—or into some far more benign task such as stopping a dangerous storm—the consequences would be far-reaching for all of Eyrie’s climate. We couldn’t predict what effect it might have, either locally or across the entire land. There is no such thing as using his graal safely. As a rule, there is no controlling a merging of natural phenomena and graal. His legacy is more a curse than a useful talent.”
Aron still felt hopelessly confused. “And my legacy is useful?”
“It could be.” She lowered her arms and let her hands rest in her lap once more. “There are ways to employ it in limited fashion. For example, you could truth-seek when everyone being confident of the truth might facilitate peace or agreement. And you could be present for important meetings, and share with your friends and allies any insight your graal gives you—the kind that happen without you even seeking them.”
Aron tried to imagine this, then realized in times past, that was probably how Brailings served the ruling lines—when they weren’t the ruling line.
“I also believe you could use your graal to avoid killing, to save lives.” Dari spoke more quietly, as if she might be telling a secret. “Though again, such a use would have to be very limited.”
It was all Aron could do not to laugh. “Lord Baldric wouldn’t agree with you. Stone never uses unfair advantage. You heard him.”
“I’m not talking about hunts or combat, or even Stone business.” Dari sighed again, fell silent, then focused her dark, sparkling gaze on Aron’s face. “When the time comes, Lord Baldric may not be present to make your choices for you. All I can tell you is, robbing a human being of free choice, truly taking a person’s will, is a violation. It could be a murder of the soul. You will never use the full measure of your graal without being changed by it. Yet there may come a moment when using it is the right thing, for the greater good of someone else, or even Eyrie itself.”
Aron’s mouth came open, and it took him several long moments to add up her words in his mind. The embarrassment came creeping back. “I’m an oathbreaker waiting to happen.”
Dari narrowed her eyes. “You aren’t.”
Aron could have sworn he heard the rest, the not yet that Dari kindly kept to herself.
“It’s still half an hour until weapons practice begins.” She tugged at his tunic sleeve. “Try one more time to travel over distance with me. I’ll help you—to prove what I say about being able to help you if your resolve weakens.”
Aron intended to refuse her, but he wasn’t much good at that, and he saw little point in pretending he could walk away from her wishes. So, moments later, he was seated in front of her again, breathing slowly and deeply, pushing himself back toward the Veil. He didn’t think he could relax enough to comply with the task she had set for him, but he would try.
Soon enough, the world took on a louder quality, with colors flaring brighter, and the tiniest details of his surroundings growing large