“As far as the people in these towers are concerned, and for all the people who live outside of these towers, I've always been willing to help.” On her terms, but he didn't need to know that. “I’ll do whatever is necessary to protect these people. But your methods suck ass and forcing people to wear those stupid bracelets so you can get your little power trip is out of line.”
“Enough,” Edwin hissed and the vein in his temple throbbed. “This is a public forum. Your accusations have no basis in fact.”
Seara stood, holding up her wrist to display the bracelet to the entire forum. She moved toward the front of the room and announced, “My name is Mistress Seara Rath’Varein and my daughter is correct. For the past nine months, the Inner Circle has been imprisoned. What started as an attempt to locate resources for the people of this tower has turned into a power play by some of the members of the High Council, namely Edwin Veritan.”
The audience gasped in shock. Edwin reached into his pocket, fumbling for something. His head jerked when Seara didn't react. “What’s wrong, Edwin? Your leash isn’t working?”
She turned back to the audience, gesturing to Kayla. “My daughter has discovered a way to remove these bracelets. Earlier today, my bracelet was deactivated. To my fellow Inner Circle members, if you stand with us now, your bracelets can also be removed. It’s time we returned to our old ways and use our skills collaboratively to locate new resources.”
Several members of the Inner Circle stood up. A man asked, “Is it true, Seara? She can remove them?”
Seara nodded. “Yes, Fredo. Edwin Veritan no longer has the power to control me.”
As the din of voices in the audience grew louder and more agitated, Alec's shoulders tensed and he shot Kayla a worried look.
“Connect with me now. This may get ugly.”
Kayla did as he asked and connected all of her threads of energy to Alec. He asked her to send a large stream of energy to him. She watched in amazement as he forged a powerful shield around them.
Edwin looked at Kayla in shock. “You deactivated the bracelet?”
“Yes. I intend to deactivate all of the bracelets. No one should have that sort of power over another person. If the Inner Circle wants to use their talents to help the towers, they should be given the option. You have no right to make the decision for them.”
“I have every right as the leader of the High Council,” Edwin sneered. “And as for you, your appeal is denied. Take her into custody and have her equipped with a bracelet.”
Some of the other council members looked alarmed, shifting in their seats uncomfortably. Keith pushed up from his seat and held up his hand to stop the security officers from approaching. “Edwin, the rules clearly state we have to vote on whether or not the appeal is denied.”
“Forget it,” he declared, banging his fist down on the table. He turned to the rest of the Council members, some nodding at Keith's objections while a few others seemed to support Edwin's ruling. The remaining few looked apprehensive about the entire discussion, but not willing to take a side yet. “This woman is a nuisance and threatens the towers. The bracelets were implemented to discover untapped resources. She’s threatening our existence with her claims and causing dissention amongst our people.”
Kayla blinked. She'd been blamed for a lot in her life, but this was a little much. Before she could formulate a reply, Seara spoke up on her behalf. “You're wrong, Edwin. Your intentions may have been honorable in the beginning, but you've taken away our people's free will. We should be given a choice about how our abilities are used. Kayla can help us correct the mistake.”
Edwin glanced at Kayla and she felt a suffocating pulse of energy press against the wall of the shield. Her eyes widened. She'd known he might try something but she never dreamed he'd attack her in front of the entire room. Alec squeezed her hand, reminding her that she wasn't alone. “
Keep the flow constant, if you can. We'll need to maintain the shields. If he takes you out of the equation, he can bring the room back under his control.”
When the shield didn't crumble, Edwin's focus turned to Alec. Kayla had a sinking feeling in her stomach. Awareness and betrayal flickered in his eyes and his nostrils flared. He'd realized Alec was shielding her and it only seemed to ignite his fury. Kayla flinched as another attack pulsed against the shield, stronger than the last. She gripped Alec's hand tighter, increasing the energy flow she was sending him to reinforce the weaker areas of the shield.
Some of the other council members stood up in concern, realizing what was transpiring. Keith turned to Edwin. “Edwin, what are you doing? This isn’t how we handle things.”
Enraged, Edwin ignored him and reached into his pocket. Kayla looked at Alec and he warned her,
“He’s tapping into the pooled energy now.”
Kayla closed her eyes, gathering up the loose energy around her. She channeled it toward Alec and reached for more. Loose energy floated throughout the room. Kayla grabbed at it and pushed it toward Alec.
Someone cried out in the audience, but Kayla couldn't stop to look behind her to see what was happening. Two of the Council members, a sharp-eyed middle-aged woman and a younger man with a sculpted face, moved to stand next to Edwin and linked arms. The woman's face was blank and emotionless as she whispered something, and then placed her hand on Edwin's shoulder.
The push on the shield became even more powerful and she felt Alec falter trying to maintain the defense even with the additional energy she supplied. Someone moved next to her and she heard Seara's soft voice telling her to take what she needed. A warm hand slipped into hers and a rush of cool energy passed through her.
Understanding what she offered, Kayla reached out and threaded Seara’s energy through to Alec. Alec wove it into the shield, struggling to keep it up against Edwin’s continued assault. It still wasn't enough. Thinking quickly, Kayla moved her hand to Seara’s bracelet. Even though it was deactivated, it could still act as a link to the energy pool. If Edwin was going to use it against them, she might as well try to even the playing field.
Alec realized what she was doing. “
Kayla, don’t. It’s too dangerous.”
“I can do this,”
she told him, trying to project a confidence she didn't quite feel. Edwin was too strong and Alec couldn't keep up his shield forever. She had to do something.
She followed the energy patterns back through the bracelet until she reached the energy pool. Energy swirled around her, and she felt the link to dozens of people who wore the bracelets. Edwin was burning through their energy at an alarming rate and she had to act quickly.
Kayla followed the energy channels and found Edwin’s source. She gathered all of the loose energy within the pool and directed it to the source. A brilliant white light flashed in her mind and there was a deafening cracking noise.
Kayla staggered as Edwin’s source burst apart. Loose energy floated around her chaotically as her world turned dark.
The entire forum was in an uproar. Alec caught Kayla as she started to collapse. He looked up and saw Carl pushing through the throng of people to get to them. Alec pushed her toward him. “Stay with her. This isn’t finished yet.”
Alec stood as chaos erupted around them. Someone from the audience shouted, “The bracelets have been broken!”
Edwin staggered and leaned against the table for support, squinting and rubbing his temples. A mixture of shock and rage was plastered on his face as he realized he no longer had the ability to tap into the energy pool.
Alec scanned the room. Something needed to be done to take control of the situation or people might break out into a riot. Most of the Council members still seemed dazed by the energy feedback from the destruction of the bracelets. Seara met his gaze and seemed to come to the same conclusion. She stepped up on the platform, raising her hands for attention. Her voice cut across the room as she announced, “As the head of House Rath’Varein, I claim my right to a seat on the High Council.”
The announcement was enough to quiet down most of the audience.
“You?” Edwin sneered, recovering from the blast. “You know nothing about the politics in this tower, Seara. You’re nothing but arm candy for those who actually get things done.”
His words didn't seem to faze her. “That’s where you’re wrong, Edwin. I admit I've been blinded by grief, allowing you to lead the High Council and watching while you ran these towers nearly into the ground. For that, I appeal to the people of the tower for forgiveness. But my passivity is at an end. I will not watch you abuse and manipulate these people any longer.”
Keith hesitated and rubbed his temples, looking at the angry faces in the audience. “Edwin, if she claims it, it’s her family’s right.”
Alec couldn't resist a smug smile when several of the other council members nodded in agreement. With the volatile Inner Circle members in the room no longer being controlled by the bracelets, the High Council was backpedaling fast.
Edwin glared at Keith. “Absolutely not. As the leader of the High Council, I reject her claim.”
“You have no right to reject my claim, Edwin. You are merely a facilitator. The rules and the law have always been clear. There is a seat for each of the families who founded these towers.”
Marcus stood and gestured to an empty chair. “Your acceptance is enough, Seara. Your position on the High Council is acknowledged.”
She inclined her head. “As the newest member of the High Council, my first request is that a formal inquiry be made into Master Edwin Veritan’s activities. It is my belief he is no longer fit to lead the High Council.”
Edwin’s face lit with fury. Alec had seen that expression before and it boded nothing good. He quickly reinforced the shield to include Seara too. Without Kayla’s energy, he was uncertain how long it would hold. Edwin sent another large burst of energy toward the shield and Alec winced. In a voice low enough only Seara could hear, he said, “Seara, I don’t know how long I can maintain the shield. I’m using what energy I can to keep my connection with Kayla active. But she’s slipping even further away.”
Seara nodded in acknowledgment and whispered, “Break the shield and go to Kayla. I’ll handle Edwin.”
Alec stepped off the platform and knelt beside Carl, who was unsuccessfully trying to revive Kayla. Edwin sent another assault toward Alec’s shield and Alec felt it weaken even more.
As his shield fell away, Seara quickly wove a wall of energy around Edwin. Even from several feet away, Alec could sense Edwin's energy pummel against hers. Seara wasn't as skilled in defensive maneuvers and he cursed the fact that she'd always preferred the more nurturing aspects of energy channeling.
Another large burst of energy erupted from Edwin and it hit one of the weaker areas of Seara's shield. It tore through her defenses and she cried out as pain lanced through her.
Keith jumped to his feet, rushing forward to intervene. “Edwin, stop! We do not attack other High Council members. You’re behaving irrationally. Seara has the right to a formal inquiry.”
Edwin grabbed the man, unleashing a powerful blast of energy that sent residual waves throughout the room. Keith’s eyes widened in horror, his hesitation and shock at Edwin's attack delaying his reaction. The full force of the impact hit him and he was helpless to defend against it. With a strangled gasp, he collapsed in Edwin's grip.
Like a connoisseur appreciating a fine wine, Edwin inhaled deeply as Keith’s lingering energy flowed into himself. Once he'd finished savoring the effects, he released the man and his lifeless body slumped to the ground.
“I will not tolerate my orders being countermanded. This woman—this entire family—has done nothing but hold us back.” Edwin raised his head and snapped his fingers at the security officials standing around the room. Up to this point, they'd been focused on keeping the audience in their seats. “Security! Take Seara and Kayla into custody immediately.”
Alec knew his father was power-hungry and irrational at times, but he'd never before seen the madness in his eyes. The other High Council members gasped and looked at each other uneasily, sensing the same thing. No one seemed willing to step up after seeing what happened to Keith.
Alec glanced down at Kayla, feeling humbled for the first time in his life. Not only had she sacrificed escaping the towers to try and break the shackles binding the Inner Circle, but she'd stood before the entire room and faced his father head-on. He'd felt her fear, but she'd pushed it aside and focused on accomplishing her goals with unrelenting determination.
She didn't know any of them nor did she owe them any loyalty. They'd assumed she'd perished in the ruins with everyone else and written her off. He'd seen Carl's reports and the interviews with Ramiro's crew. He knew what she'd suffered at the hands of OmniLab her entire life. Yet she was able to put all of that aside and try to protect them.
He looked up at each of the High Council members. Shame filled him. They were all cowards, even him. Each one of them could have taken a stand a long time ago. But they'd all stood back, smug in their own superiority and egocentricities. Alec's jaw clenched in determination and he turned to face the approaching security officials.
With a sharp energy blast designed to stun, he knocked them away from Kayla’s unconscious form. “If you lay a hand on her, I’ll kill each and every one of you.”
Turning to face his father, his eyes narrowed. “You’ve gone too far. Seara and Kayla have done nothing wrong. Kayla had the opportunity to leave the towers, but remained here to free the Inner Circle. She didn’t grow up knowing any of us, but her bloodline is true. She risked everything to reverse the prison you created. You’re the one holding us back, not the Rath’Varein family.”
“So you intend to betray your own father?” Edwin roared, knocking a pitcher of water off the desk. “I should have let you go down into those ruins with your mother and Andrei Rath’Varein. We were well rid of those easily manipulated fools when the ruins collapsed.”