Page 11 of Tangled Power
The sound barrier around them fell as Rose spoke. “I won’t entertain accusations that I am unfit due to my relationship with the Suden Point.” She stood taller as the power flooded her again, the land acknowledging the right of her words, her rightto speak before the Norden. She flexed and stretched her fingers, her water magic rippling through her.
She didn’t need it, but given the elders’ fascination with the godly artifacts, she wanted to use it now. She pulled Aurora’s dagger from her boot. It would be another item she carried with her always, just like her compass. “I have claimed Aurora’s dagger. I offer it as further proof that I’m the rightful Norden Point. I passed our test, as Elder Samuel can confirm.”
Samuel nodded, and the crowd began to murmur, finally hearing the words discussed before them.
Meg and Catherine started to interrupt, realizing they’d lost control. Rose spoke over them. “I don’t care about the reasons the elders left this secret buried.” She glanced at the elders as she said, “I’m sure you even thought you were doing what was best for the Norden court. The problem is those assumptions were wrong. The power to deny my claim is no longer yours.”
Her focus returned to the fae on the hill. “The mist plague is here because of the imbalance on the continent.” Juliette and Carter moved closer to Rose and Luc as she ramped up her speech. The Compass Points stood together, uncoerced for the first time in Rose’s existence. “We must maintain our own balance to counteract any selfish acts of the gods. The Compass Points, with Aiden, were incapable. With me as Norden Point, we stand a chance.”
Rose held out Aurora’s dagger again. “I have claimed our goddess’s blessing to the first Norden Point. Only one that can claim the position can wield the weapon. I accept the responsibility to find and bring Aiden to justice and will not do it alone.” She glanced at the other Compass Points beside her. “I claim my place as the rightful Norden Point.” Rose held out her arms again, in a final challenge, and her magic surged, a wall of water erupting in the lake behind her.
The murmurs on the hill shifted to cheers at Rose’s display of power.
“You can’t just do this,” Catherine hissed.
“I can, and I have. Now, if you’ll excuse me. The Compass Points and I have some work to do. We have to rid the continent of a plague.”
No one stopped her as she walked up the hill and into Norden house.
CHAPTER FIVE
The newly confirmed Compass Points entered the lavish Norden house library. Rich, leather-bound volumes covered the walls. No fire was burning, but the fireplace held ashes from recent use.
Carter strode to the western seat of the circular table. Juliette, to the drink cart. She must have realized that more information was coming, and it wouldn’t be good.
Luc sat in his traditional southern seat, and Arie perched on his shoulder.
“Did you get a new familiar, Luc?” Juliette asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Something like that.” He shrugged. Arie’s feathers ruffled, and he poked Luc in the face with his wing.
Carter’s gaze was fixed on the bird—Rose had seen him watching Arie at the beach meeting as well. How well could Compass Points sense their patron god? She’d never had occasion to think about it.
Rose barely took time to appreciate this as the momentous occasion that it was—her first meeting as Norden Point. She surveyed her new partners in what she knew would be no easytask. “So, how do you want to do this?” she asked, looking at Arie.
“Why don’t you two get us started, and I’ll add commentary where I feel necessary,”Arie spoke into Rose and Luc’s minds, the other Compass Points still in the dark about his true identity.
“We’re telling them everything?” she asked, choosing her words carefully for those listening.
“Technically, the continent is doomed if you can’t figure out how to work together, but I guess it’s up to you. The good news is…there’s almost no way for the Compass Points to trust each other less than they currently do.”The bird flapped its wing into Luc’s face again.
Rose gave Arie a look that suggested his motivational skills could use some work.
Carter tracked the interaction. His head moved back and forth as if anticipating that someone—or something—was responding to each of her questions. He knotted his fingers together on the table before him.
“Why don’t you start from the beginning,” he suggested.
The unease was heavy in the room. Though the Compass Points had stood together against the Norden elders, Arie was right, they were far from trusting each other. Rose understood on some level. Revealing her magic to Luc had been its own struggle, but as Arie also pointed out: They were short on time.
“The distrust among the fae courts is something I’m all too familiar with,” Rose said. “I want to start my tenure as Norden Point differently. With that, I think you should know some things.”
Looking at Luc, she paused. She wasn’t sure how much detail of his side quests for weapons masters he wanted to reveal to the Compass Points. She would tell her story, but she didn’t need to tell his. He caught her hesitation and picked up her thread seamlessly.
“Wethink you should know,” he echoed.
Rose swore she felt a reassuring squeeze of her hand and the faint brush of his touch slide up both arms as he emphasized they were united. It sent chills down her spine. It was also impossible since Luc was sitting directly across from her, but pine and cinnamon lingered in the air as the warmth left her hand. She smiled as his magic retreated. It would reassure her when he could not.
“I found Rose when searching for a rumored magical weapons master. I was looking for my own solutions to the mist plague when I felt the Compass Points were no longer taking my concerns seriously,” Luc continued.
