*Drayek*

“Someone had to have told them!” one of the Elders hollered from his place near the front of the stone room.

Murmurs of agreement erupted so loudly it hurt Drayek’s ears. The Priests sat in their designated places at the head of the Elders’ Council, each one scowling at the chaos transpiring before them.

Drayek stood near the back, as he always did, even though he’d been the one to insist on the meeting of the Council.

As panic ensued, Priest Kane said nothing and glared in Drayek’s direction. Drayek glared right back with arms folded tightly across his chest. Did the Priest think Drayek had something to do with the approach of the Nagari army?

To hell with that.

Drayek spat on the floor, daring Priest Kane to lay out any accusations against him.

But that’s not quite what happened next.

“It was Drayek’s boy!”

Drayek perked up and scanned the room to find where the ridiculous allegation had come from.

“Explain,” Priest Kane said to the speaker but kept his studious eyes on Drayek’s face.

The other Elders stepped back to reveal Nicolas, one of the Tradespeople at the Markets. Drayek clenched his fists and stared the shorter man down. But Nicolas took it upon himself to avoid Drayek’s glare at every cost.

“He returned from that failed hunt days after Drayek, Krato, and Korin had,” Nicolas announced to the room. “He traveled back to Edrona by himself. An UnMarked child who would not know how to make sure a monster was not following him.”

Nicolas finally dared to meet Drayek’s eyes and sneered. “It’s that untrained boy’s fault.”

“Untrained?” Drayek scoffed. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I trained him better than any of the other Edronan children could dream of!”

That comment brought on some anger. Drayek had to lift his fists and prepare to defend himself against the oncoming mob, but the hollering and threats ceased as Priest Kane rose from his tall chair, and he bellowed for silence.

The mob obeyed the command, but the angry scowls thrown in Drayek’s direction did not desist.

“It does not matter how the Nagari found us. What matters now is how we will fight against them.” Priest Kane outstretched his arms to the crowd, billowy red sleeves waving underneath his arms almost comically. “Please, we must work together now to decide our next steps.”

An eerie hush absorbed everyone’s words and thoughts as no one could provide any insight into the problem at hand.

“Well, the other Priests and I have discussed these matters and have come up with one thing we should change right now.” Priest Kane gestured at the other Priests, and they nodded in acknowledgment. “All loot and prizes won on hunts and excursions should immediately be brought to the goddess’s temple and placed into the Priests’ care.”

An entire crowd gasping at once was a new sound Drayek hoped never to hear again.

“What is wrong with reporting our findings at the Markets?” Nicolas said, voicing everyone’s thoughts.

“Nothing, of course. At least in a normal situation. But in preparation for war, the Priests are best qualified to gather anything that can aid in battle and use it as the goddess sees fit. We will return everything to the people as per Lady Euridice’s timing, for she knows all, and she knows best.”

Drayek pursed his lips. He wasn’t so sure about that sentiment anymore, not with everything that had happened to Rayden recently.

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But if the Priests wanted to take the people’s loot, fine. That wouldn’t stop Drayek from smuggling away what he needed to in preparation for this war. And he was sure others would do the same.

Drayek spoke up, “Well, putting that aside for now, we all need to prepare. Meaning, we should enlist the help of every able body.”

“Of course all of the Marked will fight,” Priestess Rowena Hale snarled at him. “No one is so cowardly.”

Drayek shook his head. “Yes, of course all of the Marked should fight, but that is not what I meant.” He stepped further into the light of the blazing torches and scanned the room. “All the people in Edrona have some training with weapons and fighting, even the UnMarked.”

More arguing. Drayek rolled his eyes but waited for the contention to die down.

Priest Kane ceased the arguing for Drayek with the raise of his ringed hand. “You can’t be serious, Drayek. We cannot ask the UnMarked to fight. It will be a slaughter.”

Drayek shrugged. “It’s a slaughter either way! You all know that! Our odds against their numbers are not great, and we need every hand we can get.”

Priest Kane, and the other Priests for that matter, shot daggers at Drayek with their stares.

“Fine,” Drayek said. “We won’t force the UnMarked to fight, but I don’t think we should stop them if they’re willing. This is their home, as well. These are their lives we are talking about–not just ours. In fact… we should let all of the UnMarked go through another Marking Ceremony.”

Drayek half expected another outburst of debate and fury, but he was met only with slack jaws and wide eyes–including the Priests.

Finally, Priest Kane gave a violent shake of his head. “Absolutely not! That is a ridiculous idea, Elder Grim.”

Drayek folded his hands behind his back and stood taller. “It really isn’t, and I can tell you why.”

No one moved to interject. He had baited everyone’s curiosity. At least for now….

“I know it’s never been done before–allowing someone to have a second Marking Ceremony. But do you know what else has never happened? Someone coming out UnMarked with any amount of Soul Strength.”

Drayek spun around the room and met eyes with those who would return his gaze. “You have all heard the rumors. Rayden came out with a ridiculous number of Soul Strength. And we know the goddess won’t Mark people without Soul Strength to protect them–because cultivating would destroy them. So, why would she not Mark someone with a high number of Soul Strength, like Rayden?”

Priest Kane raised an unruly brow. “How much Soul Strength does the boy have, exactly?”

“More than me,” Drayek said matter-of-factly. That brought on more off-putting, simultaneous gasping from the crowd of Elders.

Imagine their reaction if I said Rayden’s Soul Strength was so high, it was innumerable….

Priest Kane glanced at the other Priests behind him, and they all laughed. Rowena winked mockingly in Drayek’s direction, and the others waved him off like he was insane.

“Lies,” Priest Kane hissed. Most in the room offered their agreement.

Drayek stood his ground. “It is not a lie. And because I am telling the truth, I believe the goddess made a mistake. Rayden should be Marked.”

“The goddess does not make mistakes!” Priest Kane’s voice rose to such a high volume that most of the Elders cowered in fear.

But not Drayek.

“In fact, we know that Soul Strength can increase over time,” Drayek continued, ignoring the reddening in the Priests’ faces. “How do we know that the other UnMarked haven’t grown from zero Soul Strength to even one since their ceremonies? Meaning, the goddess may now want to offer them her Mark.”

Looks of realization struck many faces around Drayek, and he even saw the beginning of slow nods as his words struck true with the Elders. It sent a flame of hope through Drayek’s chest.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Drayek offered the Priests. “Let Rayden go through another ceremony. Afterward, if he comes out Marked, you can offer a test for him to prove himself. If he is Marked, you will let all of the other UnMarked go through another ceremony. Who knows? Maybe more will receive a Mark, which would only increase our chances against the Nagari.

If Rayden comes out UnMarked, or if he can’t prove himself to your standards, you don’t have to offer anyone else a second ceremony. And then you can send the both of us, Rayden and me, out to meet the army by ourselves. We will surely die, but we might kill off a few of the bastards before they reach you.”

The smile that stretched across every Priests’ face made Drayek shiver. He knew that deal would appeal to them, but they didn’t have to look so eager.

“Fine!” Priest Kane said to the room. “We will allow Rayden–”

“Rayden Grim,” Drayek interrupted.

The smile faltered on Priest Kane’s face, but it seemed he wouldn’t chastise Drayek for taking on an UnMarked as an apprentice and allowing the boy to use Drayek’s surname. At least, Drayek wouldn’t receive chastisement for now.

“Rayden,” Priest Kane emphasized just the boy’s first name, “will go through another Marking Ceremony under those terms. And if he indeed receives a Mark and proves himself, we will allow all of the willing UnMarked to go through their own second ceremonies. Is tomorrow afternoon soon enough for Rayden’s?”

Drayek nodded and gave just a grunt in reply. Now satisfied, he retreated from the room before the Priests could even offer a dismissal.