"All of our people used to have powers?" Greer says, leaning back in her chair and grazes her palms along the shaved sides of her head.
I lock eyes with Raelle, and she tips her head down, urging me to share more of what we know. I slide the book to the center of the marble table and keep my voice down as I say, "According to this, yes."
"And you think if you find the Cruel King's Stone—"
"The Imperium," Raelle says, cutting Ulric off.
He carelessly circles his wrist and continues. "You think if you find the Imperium, you will awaken the power in every Cyffred?"
Raelle grips my hand, pulling it into her lap. Finding the stone is bigger than we could imagine. Not only could the dormant power in every Cyffred come alive, but we will have the power to take the gifts of anyone who unjustly uses theirs. The Imperium does what no other Sacred Gift of the Statera can—it rules over the powers of the other kingdoms.
Raelle pulls her plump bottom lip between her teeth and scans the athenaeum. Most in the open study area have their noses in books, paying us no mind. But we have drawn the attention of a few. They glance at us from time to time with curious stares. I'm sure we are quite the site, dirty and dressed for war. We are an elephant sitting among the studious minds surrounding us.
Raelle drops her voice to a whisper, saying, "Ours is the only kingdom that has people who have dormant powers. Haven't you ever wondered why that is? Why would the Statera allow for discourse like that amongst us, but not the other kingdoms?"
Terro shrugs and, with a sheepish look, says, "I just thought the Statera was an asshole to be honest."
Ulric and Greer nod while Ashavee's eyes grow wide with shock. It isn't every day that someone speaks ill of our creator. Most would fear retribution for such disrespect. Stories have circled from generation to generation about people who cursed the Statera and lost their ability to speak, watched their homes go up in flames, or woke to find their entire family dead. The fear of angering the Statera was always there. The funny thing is, that to this day, I've known many people who've spoken badly about it, and not one of them was struck down by lightning. It is still a risk most wouldn't dare take.
"Centuries ago, there were no Khiros or Cyffreds, just the Pliris people," I say, unable to hold back my smile. "Back then, every kingdom had a responsibility to the entire continent. Each was called to care for different attributes of a person. Saras looked after the physical wellbeing. The spiritual was handled by the Sibyls, and the Esspress tended to the mental by sharing the knowledge of our ancestors. Allajis were the protectors, but it was Pliris who shouldered the heaviest responsibility."
Raelle nods and picks up where I leave off. "Pliris was the peacemakers. Our people were called to handle any disorder. We maintained a balance between all people. Anyone who caused harm with their gifts was brought before our sovereign. They would listen to the accusations and determine if the accused should keep their power. If they were found guilty and their crime warranted it, they would use the Imperium to render their gift useless."
"So the Imperium is the Posseda?" Greer asks.
I slide my hand in my pocket and roll the stone in question and its counterpart in my palm. I can see why she thinks the Posseda is the one we are looking for. The stones hold the same attribute in regard to taking power, but they are different. I shake my head and say, "No. The Imperium doesn't drain our gift, just makes it dormant. It also can awaken that power again."
Raelle places her hand on my thigh, stroking her fingers back and forth as she says, "The Pliris king or queen could also determine when the guilty paid their penance and had earned their gift back. They had the power to pass judgement on any person in the five kingdoms. That power proved too tempting for one king. Erix."
"Let me guess. Good ole' Erix wasn't satisfied only ruling Pliris," Greer says, crossing her muscular arms over her chest.
I cock a brow and nod.
"Figures. I stand by my notion that powerful beings are assholes." Terro shakes his head with disappointment, catching the attention of an Esspress man and woman sitting at a table down from ours. They glance at him over the top of their books, and Terro throws his arms up. "Oh, come on, it's not like you've never thought it."
I clear my throat and reel everyone back into our conversation. "The Statera must have thought cursing Erix with discord in his kingdom would distract him from conquering the others. Overnight, half of his people's powers went dormant."
Ashavee leans forward and folds her hands on the tabletop. "How did he hide what he had done from everyone? People had to know he'd done something wrong."
"His sin was between him the Statera. The only people who would have known what he did were here." I sweep my arms in front of me and look around the athenaeum. "We are all aware that the sibyls don't bother themselves with the affairs of other kingdoms. If he didn't want his people to know, they wouldn't have told."
"So how did he explain it?" Ulric asks.
Ashavee's eyes sparkle as she pieces the story together. "He blamed it on the Cyffred," she says, easing back in her chair. "Always blame it on the weak. They don't have the power to fight back without facing harsh consequences."
Raelle taps her finger on her nose. "He turned it into a shameful moment in Pliris' history. The Khiros use it as leverage over the weaker people, and the Cyffreds wanted to forget it ever happened."
"How did he explain that the Imperium is now the Eporri and Posseda?" Greer asks.
I pinch the bridge of my nose as anger boils inside of me. I could stomach everything in the small tome but this. Some people are inherently bad. They have no limit to their cruelty. Erix was one of those people.
My throat tightens with emotion, and I struggle through the hold to say, "Erix said the Eporri proved that the Statera still trusted him and his line to rule Pliris. He was divinely chosen, the next best thing to a god, hence the power he now had to control all his people's powers. The Posseda was punishment for the Cyffred. They were called to make the good—the Khiros—stronger. Only when they scarified their life-force would they obtain the grace of the Statera again. He forced men, women, and children to be syphoned from. Thousands died during his reign. With no written record in Pliris, his story relied on word of mouth and was distorted over time into the fairytale we know. It was the perfect crime."
"Asshole," the entire table says in unison.
We cover our mouths in a poor excuse to stifle our laughter. I don't care about the stares and the harsh attempts to quiet us down. This might be the last time we laugh together for a while. Finding the Imperium won't be easy, and once we do, our lives are still at risk on the battlefield. I will deny no one the simple joy of laughing.
"When do we leave to find the stone?" Ashavee asks.
Everyone sobers, and I answer, "As soon as possible. We still have questions about the location of the stone. The book says nothing about what happened to it. If we can save time by getting clear directions, it would be best."
As if they were waiting for this moment, the old sibyl steps out from behind the shelves across from us. They walk over to the table and say, "What do you know of the Imperium's location so far?"
Terro removes the map from his satchel and lays it out in front of him. "We believe it is in northern Sibyl."
They lean forward, their eyes wide with surprise. "Where did you get this?"
"It was stolen by Outlanders who raided a Stigian ship. It was given to the Allaji's coffers, and I gave it Raelle," Ashavee explains.
"There was a prophecy of a Pliris ruler having a vision of the Imperium's location. The prediction was never shared with anyone. Not even us. I believe this might be that map." The sibyl rubs their wrinkled hands together as if they are tingling to touch the parchment.
"What makes you say that?" Ashavee stands and leans over the table next to the sibyl.
With a shaking finger, the sibyl points to the small marking under the Stigian crest. "That is the signature of Queen Jocelyn. Her reign was brief, a decade at best. Still, she was known for her talent with paints. Many of her pieces still hang in the Stigian palace, I'm told."
"This will lead us to the stone," Raelle says, fidgeting in her chair like a child eager for a treat.
"How can you be so sure, Elle? Others have followed this map and never found the stone. How do you know it won't lead us in circles and waste our time while our kingdom is attacked?" Greer asks, sitting straighter.
"It calls to me. I was meant to find its secrets."
Raelle's certainty sends goosebumps down my arms. This is the woman who captured my heart, full of self-confidence and an unwavering resolve. She was never one to fall to her knees and bend to the will of others. Kings and gods alike can't break her.
"The former queen is right," the sibyl says, drawing our attention again. "She has a purpose, and this map is meant to lead her to it. Others have failed because it is not theirs to find."
My heart pounds against my ribs and my words tumble out of my mouth as I say, "If she completes this mission and restores Pliris to its calling, will this redeem her with the Statera?"
"Restoring Pliris is Raelle's destiny, and I can't imagine the Statera being anything but ecstatic with her if she fulfills her purpose. But her redemption is between her and the creator. She will know if and when its graces are granted to her again," says the sibyl with a smile.
I run my thumb over Raelle's knuckles, and she quirks her lips. She felt the map that calls her to fulfill her fate. I have that same feeling in my gut. We are so close to getting what we want... to commanding our own future. I'm ready to call us into action and race out the door, but I'm brought to a stop. Everyone across the table goes stiff. Their eyes grow wide as they scramble to stand. I turn around, resting my arm on the back of my chair. My happiness deflates into a shriveled corpse of dread.
"Fuck," I mumble under my breath.
Raelle places a comforting hand on my forearm and rises. "And I thought our day couldn't get more eventful," she says, forcing a smile.
I run my hand over my face to hide an eye roll and prepare to play nice.