Page 88 of Empowering the Wolf's Heart

“I do,” I said, ensuring my voice was loud and clear.

“Choices sunt potentiae quaeramus. Damnum potestate sui exitium honoris. Honor sui, honor arbitrium, honor Vita Fons, honor Auctorem, honor vita,”she whispered.

She took a crown and placed it about my forehead, tying it in the back. It was not a traditional crown as seen on the mighty kings and queens of the kingdoms. It was a crown made for a monarch who couldn’t afford to have something on her head that could easily be dislodged. It went around the forehead a bit like a diadem, under the hair, then tied in the back to keep it in place.

Last, Elder Pulma stepped forward. “Do you, Aurelia of the lineage Conscientia from father Liam and mother Annikia, vow to protect your people as yourself and love those who would not love you? To be leader is to be servant of all and to make peace with those who would try to make war. But for those who are without honor, there is no law to protect them. In fact, our vow is to protect the innocent. Do you vow to punish the guilty?”

“I do,” I said.

Elder Pulma nodded. “Tutela omnium, fides tribui, vita magicis.”

Elder Pulma kneeled, holding up the Sword of the Reds in his hands. I gently grasped the handle, watching as the golden light of the sun reflected off the surface as if flames moved along theedges. It was an ornate sword, not made for use but as a weight to enforce the burden of rule. This sword was too large to use as a weapon and much too heavy for a normal human to swing. Much like leadership, it was a heavy burden.

I held it and turned, driving it into the ground. I bowed my head and kneeled before my people.

“I, Aurelia of the lineage Conscientia from father Liam and mother Annikia, vow to keep the Code of the Reds and honor it by my actions as best I know how. I swear to do good by my people, to listen to them and give them the power of choice to live their lives as best they know how. I vow to love others as myself. I vow to be a servant to all and to become a leader who leads with justice, mercy, and strength to usher in a new period of peace where we honor what was, let go of the evils we have done, and bring forth a new era to protect those we have failed.”

As soon as the last word passed my lips, a surge of power erupted from the book and the sword. It zapped through me and to the crown on my forehead, which then drove down into where my soul met my heart.

Needswashed over me. I gasped as they drove into my chest like a thousand tiny needles, some just tickling my soul and others diving into the walls I’d placed around it, trying to penetrate and skewer me. Sweat beaded on my brow as I clenched my teeth and my hands shook on the sword and book.

Elder Pulmaneededto know this time the pathway forward was correct or else his guilt might just kill him.

A few siblings in the crowdneededa kind, loving family. Another who had just lost her daughterneededto mother something. I stuck that away in the back of my mind for later.

Others were dealing with liver flukes and needed support for their detoxification systems. Others had blockages in their intestines andneededto flush those out. Others stillneededlove, acceptance, and healing—mostly of internal wounds no one could see.

I wanted to curl into a fetal position and die. So manyneeds.How could I even begin to meet them?

Easy, Two-Legs. I’m here. Let me bear this with you,Ran whispered into my mind.

I recoiled. I couldn’t ask that of her.

You stubborn, little idiot. You aren’t asking. I’m demanding. Give it. NOW!

I winced at the scream and realized what Ran meant about screaming giving headaches. No wonder she didn’t like it. I would make an effort not to scream in her mind from here on out.

My reply stuck in my mind, but I knew there was no way I’d survive this without her.

I reached for the bond. It was a gentle band of light coiled around my soul’s walls like a protective force, taking some of the needles without me even realizing it.

I invited her in.

Ran sunk into my soul. Immediately, she took half the load of theneeds.My chest relaxed with relief and breath came into my lungs in desperate gasps as if they had been starving for air itself.

I realized then that I was feeling the overallneedsof the Reds. If I didn’t focus on the individuals, I found an overarchingneedfor stability and purpose.

The overwhelmingneedfelt like a black beast much larger than little me. But as I stood before it in my soul, I realized it wasn’t too large for a team of people. Ran was at my back, and I somehowfeltthe connections to my family and even every single person in my tribe to varying degrees. I was not alone.

The crowd was silent as I stood.

No one knew yet what to think of my reign. I was not yet trusted. Not who they wanted. I had changed everything theythought they knew. I was the threat that made them the evil of the world when they thought they were good.

When someone brings unwanted butneededtruth, most people blame the messenger.

As I walked out of the arena with my head high, there was no stomping of feet nor cries for a long, healthy reign.

Everything was silent.

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