Free Lives of Kings by Lucy Leiderman Page A

answering.
    â€œYes,” he replied in the Kaligan tongue.
    â€œWhat are you called?” the commander asked.
    Kian had to think for only a moment. “Master,” he said. “And Apprentice.” To his surprise, a small curve appeared in commander’s thin mouth. He was actually smiling.
    â€œThen I am to be called M-A,” said the commander, “and these are my men. We were given orders to kill any natives we come across. Give me a reason why we should not kill you.”
    It seemed like an honest question. As far as Kian could tell, M-A was being earnest. Perhaps he didn’t truly want to kill them. But Kian knew he was a Kaligan, and as a Kaligan he would do what he was told. Kian was lost for words, so M-A prompted him.
    â€œAsk your master then, why we should spare your lives.”
    Kian turned to Magician and began to translate, but Magician cut him off halfway.
    â€œI know what he said,” Magician spat, eyeing the men surrounding them. “Tell him we wish to speak to his general.”
    â€œWhat?” Kian sputtered. “That’s completely out of our way! Why would we want that?”
    â€œDo it,” Magician said in a low tone.
    Kian sighed, clenching his fists, and relayed the message. M-A’s response was expected.
    â€œAnd why would the general like to speak to you?”
    Kian turned to Magician, beginning to translate again before being cut off just as abruptly.
    â€œTell him we have information on a rebellion by one of the southern tribes,” Magician said.
    Again Kian was about to protest, but Magician’s eyes flashed with fury. Kian doubted Magician could possess any real information, considering the solitude he lived in, but he relayed the words to the Kaligan commander.
    M-A considered, rubbing his grey beard. “Fine,” he said finally. “You are our prisoners tonight. Death can wait until tomorrow.”

Chapter Five
    I t felt like a thousand different hands were shaking me. I was getting pulled from my memories, pulled from Seth, and I was fighting it. Sharp nails dug into my shoulders and tried to yank me back to reality, but I resisted. Finally, the squawking voice calling me grew louder and louder. I opened my eyes.
    I still lay on the ground outside the tent. The back of my head pounded with sharp pain. Seth lay near me, unconscious. The strange woman stood over me, her face even more leathery and weathered up close. The sight was suddenly frightening, and I scrambled back.
    â€œWhat did you do to us?” I accused. “What happened? What was that drink?”
    As I sat up, I tried to wake Seth. I shook his shoulder, but nothing happened. The panic grew in my stomach and threatened to bubble up. I thought I was going to be sick, but maybe that was just from the ingredients of the drink.
    Despite my scrambling, she managed to put her small index and middle finger to my forehead, right between my eyes. I froze.
    â€œWhat are you doing?”
    As she opened her mouth, I understood the words coming out, though I was positive she wasn’t speaking English. She pressed her fingers harder to my forehead with each word, and somehow I could understand.
    â€œThe drink was a sleeping brew,” she said in a thin, raspy voice. “It allowed you to let go of this world and fall deeper into your past. You have seen all there is to see, and though you may not have understood the threads woven into your destiny, you now have access to them.”
    â€œThat’s it?” I was on my knees, staring in shock. “Is this as powerful as I will ever be?”
    The tears in my eyes told me more about myself than about my past. I couldn’t bear the fact that I would be without magic or with little magic forever. Everyone had had such high hopes for me.
    â€œNo,” she said.
    From my position on the ground, she seemed to grow an extra three feet. Suddenly she was no longer a small, hunched-over woman, but