creature’s voice in my mind. I saw Blondie gulp, go pale, then turn to the great eyeball. To my surprise, she fell to her knees.
“Sire,” she whispered, tears choking her throat. “I’m so sorry…”
[No need, my child. We are past apologies. It is good to see you with my real sight,] it said.
She sniffled, and then turned to me.
“I’m proud of you, Jane. You did what you had to do.”
“I found the creature,” I said, trying to figure out if I might actually deserve the creature’s confidence. “And I did pass the Alfar tests. Well, sort of.”
“And you defeated your Rival,” she said. I frowned.
“Did you let Phaedra get to me?” I demanded.
Blondie looked guilty.
“I knew it. I knew you could have just kicked her ass. Why did you let her get through to me?”
[Do not blame my child, my child,] the creature said. It needed to expand his pet name vocabulary, for sure. [You had to face your Rival, to earn my power. The Alfar set certain rules. I was not able to do away with them, only alter them. One of the Alfar rules was that you had to face a Rival. My child only did as commanded, facilitating your duel.]
“I’m sorry, Jane,” Blondie said. “I hated keeping all those secrets. Now, however, my mission is complete, so no more lies?”
“There better not be,” I said, admittedly rather petulantly.
“So, why was I brought here?” Blondie asked, uncomfortably.
[I was telling Jane news you must know. What I saw in Phaedra’s mind—there is much to fear, and her people have been busy.]
“Did you see where they’re searching? And which things they’re looking for?” Blondie asked.
[They are gathering their forces behind two creatures of evil—of darkness. These beings would destroy everyone merely for the joy of creating chaos. Jane must stand in their way.]
“Me?” I squeaked. Blondie gave me a sympathetic look.
[With the weapon you now possess, yes. You must fight, Jane. And you must lead.]
“But what if I can’t? What if I’m not good enough?”
[You shall not be coerced, child. I do not write your destiny. I am giving you a choice. But the rebellion needs a leader—someone who can be as much figurehead as warrior.]
“A figurehead? Like what… Joan of Arc?”
The creature thought over my question. [Yes, that is an adequate analogy.]
“She got burned at the stake,” I reminded it.
[Perhaps not entirely adequate.]
“So that’s all I have to do? Exist? Point at things and make speeches? Try not to get set aflame?”
[No, Jane. You will have to fight. It’s why I gave you my weapon. I meant it when I said you were my champion. It couldn’t be the one you call Blondie—she’s the cause, in some ways, of all of this, although she can’t be blamed. At heart, this is my fault. My fault for interfering, my fault for being naïve. And so I have created this weapon, imbuing it with my own power, for one whom I deemed worthy in both heart and mind. It will give you what you need in body and strength.]
I looked at the labrys, still glowing with power. I let it go ahead and cool off, so I could really see my so-called destiny. It wasn’t much, to be honest. It looked very plain, very rough-hewn. But when I applied my power again it glowed like it was made of crystal.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” I admitted, my voice small.
[I know. And that is why you were chosen. Your humanity will bring you victory. I knew you were a candidate when you were younger, but after being in your soul, when you were attacked… You are what the rebellion needs.]
“Speaking of being attacked, do you know who did it?” Blondie interrupted.
[Yes, I know who did it. They were humans, hired by the enemy months ago. That was the first chance they had to attack. And before you ask, it was not Jarl, but one very like him. They work for the same forces.] I felt the creature’s concentration again focus on me. [You must learn to think bigger than merely Jarl, Jane. Your enemies are not solitary, nor are they without resources beyond the physical.]
So all of the conjecturing I did with Trill and Nell was correct. There is something bigger going on… and Jarl is just one face of our enemy.
“Can you tell me who, exactly, ordered that attack?” asked Blondie.
[I will brief you on what you need to know about what I found in Phaedra’s mind, including