The council meeting went on for what felt like hours, and during that time, Thalia and I sat and waited anxiously. I couldn't focus on anything, my mind consumed with thoughts of revenge and the prophecy. I knew that I needed to stay grounded and focused, but it was easier said than done.

  When the meeting finally ended, Kael came to get us. "The king will see you now," he said gravely.

  We entered the throne room, and my eyes were drawn to the figure seated on the throne. He was older than I remembered, his hair streaked with silver, but his eyes were as hard as ever. He looked up as we entered, and I could see the weariness written on his face. "Tristan Silverblade," he said.

  "Your Grace," I said, dropping to my knees. Thalia did the same thing from behind me.

  "You may rise," the king said. We did as we were told and stood before him.

  "I am deeply sorry for your loss, Tristan," he said. "Your father was a great man, and his death has left a void that cannot be filled."

  I nodded, my jaw clenched. I didn't come here to talk about my father's death. I want to know who attacked the castle and why. But I couldn't say that. I had to wait for him to reveal whatever information he wanted to. "Thank you, Your Grace."

  "You are here to take your father's place in the council," the king said, his voice measured. "We have much to discuss."

  "I am ready to serve, Your Grace," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.

  The king's eyes narrowed slightly, and I could tell he was scrutinizing me. "Do you know why your family was chosen for the council?" he asked.

  "I do not, Your Grace," I replied.

  "It wasn't just your father's land and his sharp nature, though certainly that has something to do with it."

  I held back a smile.

  "It was because of the prophecy," he said, his voice low. "The prophecy that foretells a great war, a war that will decide the fate of our world. Your family has been chosen to lead us into that war."

  I felt a chill run down my spine at his words. The prophecy. It was all coming back to that. Did that mean that he had seen the book?

  "What does the prophecy say?" I asked, unable to keep the curiosity out of my voice.

  "It speaks of a chosen one, a hero who will rise up in a time of great need and lead us to an important victory," the king replied. "It speaks of a great power that will be wielded by that hero, a power that will be used to defeat the enemy and bring peace to all our lands." His voice wavered, like there may have been more to say, but he decided against it.

  "And how do we know who the chosen one is?" I asked into the silence, my heart pounding with excitement and fear. Despite the hefty cost the past two days had extracted, I was now a member of the king’s council. A cause for celebration, under normal circumstances.

  "That is what we are working to discover now," the king said, his eyes never leaving mine. "Your father firmly believed that you were the one, Tristan. He believed that you were destined for greatness. Though he never offered any evidence to support his beliefs."

  My mind went instantly to the ancient book. If my father believed in the prophecy…perhaps I should, too.

  I felt a mix of emotions--pride, fear, uncertainty. How could I be the chosen one? I was just a man, with no special powers or abilities. I was pretty good with a sword, but Thalia was right (again, dammit). There were many other talents I did not possess which would be crucial in leading a kingdom through a war.

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  "My father always had faith in me," I said. I didn't want to tell him too much about the book with my name in it, just in case. I didn't know if I could trust him and I didn't know how much my father had told him. "Perhaps, too much."

  The king smiled a little. "Yes," he replied. "Most fathers do. However, I have reason to believe your father's faith was based on something more than the bond between a man and his firstborn son."

  "What do you mean, Your Grace?" I asked, not sure where he was going with this. Did he know of the book after all?

  The king leaned forward, his eyes intense. "I believe your family has a connection to the ancient power that the prophecy speaks of," he said. "A power that has been dormant for centuries, waiting for the right person to wield it."

  My mind raced as I tried to wrap my head around what he was saying. Was he suggesting that my family had some kind of magical ability? That we were the only ones who could unlock this power and save the world from destruction?

  "What is the nature of this power?" I asked, feeling like I was grasping at straws.

  "That, my boy, is what we need to discover," the king said, his tone urgent. "We need to find out what this power is and how to use it. We must prepare ourselves for the war that is coming, whether we want it or not."

  I felt a sense of dread wash over me. "Does this have something to do with last night's attack?"

  "Yes," he said. "And the attack on your home. Kael told me about the slain servants, and he told me about the berserker who tried to kill you. Your village won't be the only one affected."

  The king stood up from his throne and walked down the steps towards us. "That is why I need you, Tristan. I need you to take your father's place on the council and work with us to find out what is going on. Your family's connection to the power of the prophecy makes you a valuable asset in these troubled times."

  I looked over at Thalia, who nodded her agreement. We both knew that we had to do whatever it took to protect our land and our people. If that meant unlocking a long-dormant power and using it to fight in a war, then so be it.

  "I accept, Your Grace," I said, bowing my head.

  "Good," he replied. "I suggest you start by investigating the attack on the castle. We have reason to believe that it was a concentrated assault carried out by veterans."

  "What do you know so far?"

  The king's expression became serious. "We have discovered evidence of a group of rebels plotting to overthrow the current order and seize control of the kingdom. They are a dangerous group, Tristan, and they have already proven that they are willing to resort to violence to achieve their goals."

  Thalia spoke up. "Do you know who is leading this group?"

  The king shook his head. "Not yet. But we have reason to believe that they are working with powerful allies from outside our borders. We cannot afford to underestimate them."

  I felt a knot form in my stomach. The thought of a rebel group, working with foreign allies to overthrow our kingdom, was unsettling. I couldn't let that happen. I had to do everything in my power to stop them.

  "There's something else," he said.

  "What is it?" I asked, figuring having a firm grasp on the bad news was the first step towards finding a solution.

  "We believe they're using dark magic," the king said, his expression darkening. "It's possible that someone is trying to use that magic to bring about the end times and fulfill the prophecy in their own way."

  Thalia and I exchanged a worried glance.

  "What can we do to stop them?" I asked, my voice firm.

  "We need you to investigate and gather any information you can," the king said. "We also need you to find out who their allies are and what their plans might be. This is a dangerous mission, Tristan. You will need to be careful and keep your wits about you. You will have all the resources you need and you will stay in the palace until you find the information necessary."

  It was only then that he turned to face Thalia. "Is this your betrothed?"

  Thalia’s mouth fell open in shock.

  I paused for a fraction of a moment. Thalia had long told me that she was sent by the king. How did he not recognize her?

  "A friend," I said evenly, taking the slight confusion in stride. "She'll be valuable. I trust her with my life." Or at least I had until the people around me started dropping like flies or trying to kill me. I had questions for her, now that the king did not seem to recognize her, but they would have to wait for later, in private.

  The king nodded. "Good. You will need someone you can trust. Now go and get started. Time is of the essence."

  With that, Thalia and I turned and left the throne room, already discussing our plans.

  "We need to start by gathering information from the wounded guards," Thalia said. "If the rebels have already infiltrated the castle, then we need to be careful and move quickly."

  I nodded, already feeling the weight of the responsibility on my shoulders. "Agreed. We'll start with the guards, and then we'll move on to anyone else who might have information."

  Thalia looked up at me, her eyes flashing with determination. "We'll find out who's behind this, Tristan. And we'll stop them."

  I smiled, feeling a sudden surge of hope. With Thalia by my side, and with the power of the prophecy behind us, we just might have a chance.