Free Kinshield's Redemption (Book 4) by K.C. May Page B

sense the feelings of others, though her ability to perceive the essence without physical contact is undeveloped.”
    “So you could scare off my enemies,” he said hopefully, imagining being able to quell an enemy attack without bloodshed.
    “We can frighten your enemies or inspire your allies if the Nal Disi is present, but we cannot travel across the sea to do so.”
    “Oh, I see now.” Gavin felt an excitement he hadn’t felt in some time. This was possibly the most valuable, powerful tool a king could ever have. “Can I return the power of Wayfarer to one of Carthis’s people?”
    “One would have to be present at your death to inherit the power. Unless you traveled to the violet realm moments before your death, the power of Wayfarer will remain among your people until the world ends or someone in another realm slays the Wayfarer and takes it. It is for this reason that we implore you to exercise caution when traveling to the lower realms. They’ll try to take your power, for that is the nature of the kho-bent.”
    He nodded. Ritol had tried to kill King Arek for it, and later Gavin, hoping to become Wayfarer. With the Guardians’ ability to get information from any realm at any time in the past, Gavin had little need to do the traveling himself.
    “You have my thanks,” he said. “Your information’s been helpful.”
    “We owe you a great debt for returning our essence to the Nal Disi, Emtor.”
    Daia opened her eyes and settled her gaze upon Gavin. “How long have you been awake?”
    An orange glow lit the eastern horizon. “Not long. Been talking to my new friends. Oh, one more thing. You said that drinking the essence-infused water only affected someone’s essence once. Is there another way to reverse the water’s effect?”
    “We cannot guide you in this, Emtor. We have learned from our past mistake.”
    What the hell does that mean?
    “It is best to leave the essence as it is,” they said.
    “I can’t do that. My wife was affected, and she’s carrying...” He hoped it was his son she was carrying. It had to be. She’d conceived in the early days of their marriage. Even if she’d been having an affair with Adro, Gavin had requested her presence in his bed far too often for the baby to have been Adro’s.
    “The kho-bent man lied to you, Emtor. He couldn’t have fathered a child with your mate.”
    Gavin straightened, excited. “Are you sure?”
    “What is it?” Daia asked, straightening.
    “Rest assured, Emtor. The child is of your mating.”
    “Feanna’s baby is mine,” he said. “That takes a lot off my mind.”
    Cirang awoke and blinked the sleep from her eyes. “Is something wrong?” When she sat up, she pulled the cloak draped over her tighter.
    “You’re awake,” he said. “Good. Let’s pack up and get on the road.”
    “Where are we going first?” Daia asked, rising to her feet. “Do you need to go to that midrealm place?”
    Gavin shook the dirt from his bedroll and began to roll it up. “Yeh, but first to Ambryce. I want to talk to Jennalia.”
    Cirang handed him the cloak. “My thanks, King Gavin,” she said in a sincere tone.
    “You’re too kind to her,” Daia said. “She can freeze to death for all I care. It’d be a slow, painful death that would give her time to reflect on all the evil she’s done.”
    Gavin sighed. “Drop it. I haven’t forgotten that I owe her a death, but it’ll come when I say it comes.”
    The old Cirang would have shot back an insulting quip. Gavin didn’t truly know the woman riding with them now, but from the way she averted her eyes and bowed her head, he suspected that her feelings of remorse for her actions were genuine and much deeper than Daia gave her credit for.
     

Chapter 10

     
     
 
    Edan stayed up well into the mirknight, reading Jaesh’s find at the small table in his bedchamber. He turned the wick on the lamp, brightening his light, knowing he would regret staying up so late but unable to stop