Robert Keller - The Heart of Shadows

"I meant no offense," said Lannon. "I'm just concerned."

"Lannon was just being talkative," said Aldreya. "Sometimes he-"

Shennen silenced her with a stern glance. "Lannon can speak for himself, though he'd be wise to choose his words carefully."

"Again, I'm merely concerned," Lannon explained. He'd provoked Shennen's quick temper and now would have to simply ride out the storm.

"So you think I'm inept at what I do," Shennen said. "You want my business to be your business, because you think you can do better. You think I need an arrogant Squire to watch out for me. So why don't you use your Eye on me, lad? I'm standing right here. Go ahead and probe my secrets."

"Arrogant?" Lannon questioned, wondering how Shennen had gotten that impression. Lannon considered himself humble, especially in comparison to Jerret and Vannas. Lannon had seen Shennen angry before-but not quite this angry. Shennen seemed on the verge of losing control.

"A few days ago," said Shennen, "in the Dining Hall, you told me how arrogant and demanding Prince Vannas had become. Don't deny it, Lannon. You've also complained to Taris about it, and what did he tell you?"

"He told me to mind my own affairs," Lannon mumbled, embarrassed. He didn't look at Vannas, but he was aware that Vannas was glaring at him.

"Indeed," said Shennen. "You call Vannas arrogant behind his back, yet the prince is the one showing me respect. You have become arrogant, Lannon, and the pathetic thing is that you don't even realize it."

Lannon cringed inwardly, aware that Aldreya was also glaring at him. "I'm sorry if I appear arrogant, Master Shennen. I'll work on my character."

"I accept your apology," said Shennen. "But you don't just appear arrogant. You are arrogant. And you must come to realize this."

"Thank you for correcting me," said Lannon, though he felt nothing but irritation at Shennen for revealing the things he'd said about Vannas. Now the prince was going to be mad at Lannon, and what did that accomplish?

Shennen sat down on a bed, next to Vannas. He smiled at the prince. "By the way, I have you to thank for slaying the Dragon and allowing its remains to come into my possession. I've never told you that, but now is as good a time as any. That was a heroic deed that will be remembered throughout the ages. When we return to Dremlock, you are scheduled to be honored in a special ceremony in which you will be renamed Vannas Dragonslayer."

Prince Vannas beamed. "Thank you, Master Shennen!"

Shennen patted him on the back. "You've certainly earned it."

Lannon couldn't help but feel envious of Vannas, and his suspicion that Shennen was a puppet of Tharnin grew stronger. Shennen seemed to be deliberately trying to make Lannon jealous, perhaps to drive a wedge between the Squires.

"Yes, you've certainly earned it," said Lannon. He fought to control his tongue, but lost the battle. "All I did was kill Tenneth Bard and send the Hand of Tharnin into that pit. Not much, really, compared to slaying a Dragon."

Shennen's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh, so you want a special ceremony too, Lannon? Shall I summon Taris and Furlus and let them know?"

Aldreya looked away, pity in her eyes.

Jerret looked embarrassed.

Lannon groaned, wishing he hadn't spoken. "No, I wasn't saying that. What Vannas did was amazing, and I'm grateful for it."

"Obviously, you're jealous," said Shennen. "Pure, raw, jealously. And you think you're too important to be ignored."

Vannas continued to glare at Lannon.

"You're jealous and overconfident, Lannon," Shennen went on. "You've already decided I'm a slave of Tharnin, without even using your Eye. So I invite you to use it on me-and you're afraid. Surrendering to fear is the mark of a coward."

"I'm not afraid," Lannon said, though that wasn't entirely true.

Shennen stood up and extended his hands. "Really? I think you are. Prove it to me, then. Show me your strength. Summon your Eye of Divinity and lock hands with me. Hurl me into the stone wall…if you can."

"Master Shennen," said Lannon, "I don't want to…"

"Hurt me?" Shennen finished for him. He laughed mockingly. "You really are arrogant and deluded. Go on and test your strength against me. You may find I'm not the weakling you think I am."

Lannon made no move, wishing that Taris or Furlus would come along and put an end to the madness. The other Squires looked tense and uncomfortable, wondering how far Shennen would take this. If Shennen wasn't corrupted by the Deep Shadow, then surely his mind was being affected negatively somehow by the dark sorcery of the Dragon bones-just like his pale skin.

"Lock hands with me, Squire," said Shennen. "That's an order!"

Reluctantly, Lannon rose and seized Shennen's hands. They felt deathly cold and Lannon shuddered. "This isn't necessary."

"Now summon your Eye," said Shennen, "and hurl me into the wall. I grant you permission to crush my bones…if you can."

"This is pointless, Master Shennen," Lannon protested. "You're a fully trained Knight, and I know I can't match your skill."

"Are you going to defy me?" said Shennen. "I am the Lord of the Blue Knights, and you are still a Squire-no matter how important you think you are. I have the right to train you as I see fit. Consider this a lesson!"

Lannon summoned his power and channeled it into his hands, but he hesitated. Shennen was a powerful Knight, but the Eye of Divinity was nothing to fool with. Lannon could accidentally kill Shennen.

The other Squires looked on with wide eyes.

"Throw me into the wall," said Shennen. "And when the deed is done, if I feel you didn't try hard enough, I'll make you suffer!"

With a sigh, Lannon shoved Shennen with all his might, hoping Shennen knew what he was doing. But Shennen sidestepped Lannon and somehow turned Lannon's own energy and momentum against him. Lannon's body hurtled across the bed and struck the cavern wall with vicious force. Lannon barely had time to shield himself with the Eye, or he might have been severely injured. Instead, he was knocked dizzy for a moment and collapsed to the floor.

An instant later, Shennen's dagger was pressed against Lannon's throat. "Just like that, Squire, and I bleed you dry!"

"You've made your point," Lannon mumbled, his head throbbing from the impact with the stone wall. He now had no doubt that Shennen was possessed by Tharnin. The other Squires looked on with expressions of dismay.

"You're not as strong as you thought," said Shennen, sneering. "You fought the Hand of Tharnin and Tenneth Bard-sorcery against sorcery-and it made you think you're invincible. Yet there are many ways to kill."

"Understood," Lannon mumbled. He reached up to push the long, curved dagger away from his throat, but Shennen slapped his hand away. Anger surged through Lannon and he readied the Eye again.

Then door swung open and Jace strode in. The towering sorcerer's eyes widened when he beheld Shennen pressing his dagger into Lannon's throat. "What is the meaning of this?"

Shennen sheathed his blade and pulled Lannon up from the floor. He grinned at Jace. "Just a lesson in humility that needed to be taught. Lannon is unharmed, though his ego may be bruised."

Jace looked thoughtful, but didn't reply.

Still grinning, Shennen strode past the sorcerer and left the room. "More lessons to come," he called back. "For all of you."

The journey south was delayed without explanation. As the winter moved along toward spring, two more highly ranked Knights were found assassinated-Garver Pureheart and Deleena Dragonclaw. Garver had been a powerful Red Knight and was considered the best at the use of the heavy throwing lance, while Deleena had been a talented sorceress.

This latest devastating loss to Dremlock caused fear and paranoia to spread throughout the fortress. Morale was low, and some disgruntled Knights began to mutter that they should abandon Dorok's Hand in spite of the great sacrifices made to secure it from the enemy. Furlus, who'd led the raid on the fortress, responded angrily to such suggestions-at one point shoving a sneering, defiant Knight against a wall and knocking the defiance right out of him.