Chapter 16 #3
You are not a sheep, Shazeera had said, and she was right. He had hunted us down, but in the end, I had blasted him from the sky and we had escaped with our lives.
“It was war,” I said. “It wasn’t personal.”
But what if he let his eagle eat horses? What if he personally killed someone I knew?
I tried to ignore those thoughts, but they were like barbs that burrowed under my skin.
“You’re lucky Zara is as emotionally intelligent as her mother,” Mariyah said. “I would hate you until my dying day.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her audacity, and a smile touched Commander Talon’s lips, making him seem slightly more human.
“If you had hurt Shazeera, I probably wouldn’t be as understanding about it all as I am now. You’d be halfway to the other side of the world in a cyclone right now had you or Neo touched her.”
He seemed able to intuit who Shazeera was without my having to tell him, because then he said, “And if you had permanently injured Neo, then I would never be able to let it go.”
Mariyah and I glanced at each other. Did the Zephyrians have a bond with their eagles as we did with our horses?
We’d always assumed they’d domesticated wild eagles but couldn’t communicate with them like we did.
I wanted to ask more, but something held me back.
Maybe it was because I didn’t want to waste my last night with my people talking to my enemy.
“Good thing it didn’t end up that way, then.” I turned away, Mariyah eyeing my every movement. “I can show you to the food now if you’d like.”
“Thank you.”
He followed me through the crowds, which parted with wide eyes and whispered asides as we walked to the tables laden with food.
There were roasted vegetables, salty cheese, bowls of honey, warm bread, sun-dried fruit, and trays laden with grains tossed with butter and herbs.
I handed an earthenware plate to Commander Talon.
This close, I could smell the mountains on him: the fir trees and the cool air, the leather from his armor, and something metallic…
his sword? Shazeera always said I had almost as keen a sense of smell as a horse.
He spent some time looking at each of the dishes of food, but occasionally, his gaze would shift to me, as mine would to him.
I didn’t expect him to suddenly attack me after everything that had happened, but I couldn’t seem to explain that to my heart.
He seemed to be suffering the same problem if his glances at me were any indication.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to suddenly unleash the power of the wind on you. Though even as I thought that, the wind made an appearance, swirling around me and bringing the scent of the mountains. As long as you stick to the peace treaty, that is.
Normally the feel of the wind lifted my spirits, but now it only reminded me of the recent harm to my ability to communicate with Shazeera.
In an effort to push all those thoughts away, I said perhaps a little too loudly as I indicated the food before us, “No meat, as I said, but everything is delicious.” I pointed to a clay jug.
“That holds kir, which is fermented goat’s milk and honey. ”
“Fermented is good,” he said, and I glanced at him sideways to see if he was joking. Shockingly, I couldn’t tell if he was or not.
“Have as much as you’d like, then,” I said and handed him an earthenware cup.
For a barbaric meat eater, he didn’t shy away from filling his plate with a little of everything, and I followed him to fill one of the big horse bowls with grains for Shazeera.
“What about your eagle? Will he need to…?” I couldn’t bring myself to say hunt.
“He’ll be fine. He’ll hunt later tonight.”
“As long as it’s far from here,” I snapped, with a sharp look.
To my surprise, he smiled. A real smile that actually reached his eyes. It made his face seem much less harsh. “None of your horses or livestock will be in any danger, I promise.”
“Never again, right?” I said.
“That’s what the treaty says.”
And it will be up to me to make sure all of you abide by it, I thought. I held up the bowl full of grains. “I should get this to Shazeera. Enjoy your dinner.”
As I made my way back to Mariyah and Shazeera, many watched me go by and reached out to touch a part of my clothing, heads bowed.
A smile played at my lips as I tried to absorb this good memory of my people before I left.
Of them happy and relieved because the war was finally almost over.
Of their never having to watch their horse or sibling or mother slaughtered before them again.
I could do that for them. I could be the First Daughter they needed.
“Finally,” Mariyah said, pulling me from my maudlin thoughts as I set the wide bowl of grains down before Shazeera. “It’s your last night, and we haven’t even danced yet.” She turned to Shazeera. “Hurry and eat that and then join us.”
Shazeera only sent amusement across our bond as she enjoyed the honeyed grains.
Mariyah’s own mare was already at her side, coat glistening like copper in the light of the fire.
“Well?” Mariyah said, holding out her hand to me.
I agreed because I knew this might be the last time I ever got to dance with my people.