Murtagh

Murtagh gazed up at the pedestals on the dais. One was red and had a red velvet pillow sitting on it. Upon the pillow rested a red stone that was smooth and had white veins running across it. Next to it there was a green one with a green pillow on it and a green stone on it. There was a blue one too but it didn't have a stone.

Murtagh wondered why there wasn't a blue stone then turned his attention back to the red one.

Murtagh! Someone said. They sounded really excited.

Murtagh started and looked up at his mother, who was standing beside him. But she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the stones, too. He turned around but his father and the king were deep in conversation.

He shrugged it off and looked up at the red stone again.

Murtagh! Murtagh!

"What momma?"

"Hmmm?" Selena looked down at Murtagh. "What did you say?"

"You said my name." Murtagh said.

"No I didn't baby." She said. "No body did."

Murtagh frowned at her but didn't say anything else. He looked up at the stones again.

Murtagh! Murtagh! Murtagh!

It hit Murtagh then. The voice was coming from the red stone. And no one could hear it because the stone was talking to him threw his mind. Fear stabbed threw Murtaghs little body. His mother had always told him the only voice that was supposed to be in his head. What was this one doing in his mind?

Murtagh hid behind his mothers' skirt. "Momma it's talking to me! It's in my head!" Murtagh cried.

He was vaguely aware that his father and the King had stopped talking. Selena turned toward him. "What are you talking about?"

"That!" Murtagh exclaimed pointing at the red stone.

Murtagh! Murtagh!

Someone grabbed Murtaghs arm and turned him around with so much force that it hurt. Murtagh cried out as he realized it was his father holding his arm. "What have we told you about lying?" Morzan growled.

"I'm not lying!" Murtagh said.

The back of Morzan's hand cracked across Murtagh's face like a whip. The force of the blow knocked Murtagh to the ground. He pressed a hand to his stinging cheek as tears formed in his eyes.