“We demand answers!” someone yelled from the crowd, and the huge mob cheered angrily.
“You cannot just take us all from our homes like this!” cried out another.
“Why are you demanding evacuation? We’re not under attack!”
“I shall not run from my birth-given home while in the most fortified city on earth!”
“We want answers!”
The crowd cheered again. Gwendolyn faced them all, feeling hated by her people. Yet deep down, however hard it was, she knew she was doing the right thing.
Gwen stepped forward and there came a lull, as all eyes turned to her in the silence.
“I had a dream,” Gwen called out to the crowd. “A dream of destruction, coming for us.”
“A dream!” someone yelled.
The entire crowd laughed derisively.
“Are we to uproot and leave our whole lives behind for your dreams?”
The crowd cheered, and Gwendolyn felt her face flush, embarrassed.
“Gwendolyn is your queen, and you shall treat her respectfully!” Steffen yelled out angrily.
Gwendolyn laid a reassuring hand on his wrist; she appreciated his support, but she did not want him to incite the crowd further.
“If you wish to leave based on your dreams,” one of them yelled out, “then do so! We shall find ourselves a new ruler!”
Another cheer.
“We will not leave!” another yelled.
The crowd shouted, rising to a fever pitch.
Godfrey rushed forward beside her and faced the crowd, waving his arms.
“Gwendolyn has always been a good and fair queen to you!” he yelled. “She has stood by you through thick and thin. Now you must return the favor. If she has cause to believe we should evacuate, then you must listen!”
“Even good queens can make bad decisions!” a crowd member yelled, to the cheers of others.
Gwen looked out at the faces, and she could see every one of them was angry, determined, and perhaps afraid. None of them wanted to venture out into the unknown. She could understand.
“I understand how you feel!” Gwendolyn yelled out. “But my decision is not based on dreams alone. It is based on prophecies. Ancient prophecies that I’ve read. Portents that I’ve seen coming. Argon’s predictions. I do not believe King’s Court will stand much longer. I want you all in safety before it happens. I know it is hard for you to leave your homes. I myself do not wish to leave my home. I love King’s Court. But I ask you to trust me. I understand the unknown is hard. But it will be safer than where we are now.”
“How can we trust you when you show us no danger?” one of them yelled, and the crowd cheered in agreement.
“We shall not leave!” another yelled.
As the crowd roared and cheered, Gwendolyn could not believe what she saw before her. Were the masses so fickle? Could they really love her one moment, and hate her the next?
Gwen recalled something her father had once said to her, something she hadn’t understood at the time. The masses will love you and the masses will hate you. It is a trap to be swayed by either.
“I’m sorry,” Gwendolyn said, “but I am your leader, and I must decide what is best. If you do not leave voluntarily, my soldiers will have to forcibly escort you out of the city. This city is being gated up and evacuated—and no one will stay behind. Not on my watch.”
Boos and jeers rose up, and a man stepped forward and faced Kendrick.
“This is why a woman should not rule over us,” the man said. “A woman gives in to her fickle dreams. You are King MacGil’s firstborn son. We would rather have you lead us.”
The crowd cheered behind him, and Gwen could not believe what she was hearing. Kendrick reddened.
“This is your time,” the man continued. “Take over the rulership of the MacGils. The Silver will answer to you. We shall not listen to her—but we shall listen to you.”
Gwendolyn looked at Kendrick, dismayed, and wondered how he would react. She knew that he did not agree with evacuation. This was his chance, indeed.
A tense silence fell over the crowd until finally Kendrick spoke up.
“I stand with my sister!” he boomed. “I shall always honorably serve my Queen—whether I agree with her or not. That is what our father would want. And that is our code of honor.”
The crowd, surprised and disappointed, raised their fists and jeered.
“SILVER!” Kendrick boomed. “Your Queen has spoken. Fulfill her command! Evacuate this city at once!”
A chorus of horns sounded, and the crowd jeered and shoved as thousands of Silver closed in on them, corralling them toward the gates. The crowd pushed back, fighting them. But the Silver were armed, wore armor, and were an elite fighting force, and the crowd was no match for them. The Silver pushed them slowly and steadily, all the way to the city gates.
Slowly, the city emptied, one person at a time.
Gwen stood watching it all, and she came up beside Kendrick as he watched, too.
“Thank you, my brother,” she said, laying a hand on his wrist. “I shall never forget this.”
He turned to her and nodded, yet his face was grave.
“I hope you know what you’re doing, my sister,” he said.
Gwen looked at him, feeling torn herself, as she watched her people leave this city and prepared to join them.
“I hope so too,” she said.
She joined Kendrick, Godfrey, Steffen, Aberthol, and all of her advisors as they followed the masses, exiting the gates of King’s Court, this time, Gwendolyn knew, for good.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Thor writhed, trying to break free of the grip of the white snake—but it was just too strong. Its muscular body wrapped around him from his ankles to his chest, squeezing him in a vise. It now faced him, hissing, preparing to bring its open fangs down on Thor’s throat.
Thor tried to buck, to thrash, to do anything—but he was helpless. All he could do was close his eyes and turn as he braced himself for the inevitable snakebite in his face.
Thor did not comprehend what was happening here, in this place. He had always imagined that when he’d found the Land of the Druids, he would be welcome, greeted by his mother. He expected that he would instantly recognize it as his home. He had expected nothing like this.
And now, Thor could not believe that he would spend his final moments here, would die here, so close to finding his mother, at the mercy of this awful beast.