Chapter 38 #2
She throws a rock into the water. “I understand your fear. Zogar is a proud man. He’s always been. And he can be ruthless.” She turns toward me. “But Rosomon.” She touches my hand. “In my entire life, I’ve never seen Zogar set someone else’s happiness above his own, like he has yours.”
“But he took care of you when you were a baby. And he’s determined to save his people, and to save everyone in the Light.” Most in the Darkness too.
“That’s different.” She flips her wrist. “It’s true that my brother is burdened with an extreme sense of duty, but that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?”
Shaking her head, she takes my hands. “Rosomon—my sister. I’ve never seen him fully put another individual’s happiness above his own. Not until he met you. And with you, it’s not about duty or responsibility. It’s about love.”
My chest warms as much as it’s able, given all the fears chilling inside me.
“Have you forgotten how much he sacrificed for your comfort when he, Xendus and I were in the Darkness?”
My teeth scrape my lower lip. Surath was furious about that at the time. Furious that he’d risked his life and endangered his quest so that I could stay in comfort—and with Saxon and Tynan no less.
“Are you suggesting that Zogar might accept my love for Saxon? That I want him to be in our lives?” I love Tynan too, but she’s made her feelings clear about that.
“I can’t answer for your husband, but you needn’t fear asking him.”
“And Saxon… “I can’t believe I still know so little about his capture. “Are you still angry with him?” She threatened to kill him—more than once.
“I had good reasons to be angry.” She shakes her head.
“Saxon used me, for years. Not only that, he hid his Darkness. But that man is also the reason I wasn’t trapped on the ground these past five and twenty years.
” She draws a deep breath. “And I know he’s a good man. He couldn’t hide everything from me.”
My body floods with warmth. Saxon is a good man, a very good man. And I love him deeply. “Do you know where he’s being held? I need to see him.”
“Trying to see Saxon would be unwise, my queen.”
“My queen?”
She chuckles. “You are now not only my sister, but also my queen, whether I like it or not.”
Looking into her eyes, I feel like we might one day be friends. “Zogar told me that you were meant to be queen.”
“He did, did he.” She smooths her hands over her skirts and kicks her feet in the water.
“Succession laws aside, I made my choice when I married Xendus. Also, my brother’s head is far better equipped to carry the weight of the crown.
” She nudges me with her shoulder. “His head is way bigger, in more ways than one.”
I grin at her joke about my husband’s ego. “Still, you were very young when you married.”
“As were you.”
I smile softly, starting to feel connected to this woman, to my sister.
She squeezes my hand. “I don’t know what Zogar told you, but I was not only young, I was wild and rebellious. And I gave up the crown for love.”
“Still…” I don’t want to say anything to betray my husband. “It doesn’t seem fair.” But even as I say it, I realize that I too would give up anything for love.
“It all happened a very long time ago.” Surath smiles brightly, and her turquoise eyes flash in the dappled sunlight. “Ruling was not my destiny.”
“Zogar told me about your sister.” I squeeze her hand and think about my brothers. So many people I love are in peril right now. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Surath’s eyes turn glassy, but she blinks away the potential tears. “That, too, was a very long time ago.”
I shift back from the bank. Surath changed the subject. Or perhaps I did.
“Can you help me get to Saxon? Whether it’s wise or not, I must save him.”
She shakes her head. “You can’t go anywhere near that camp. Those religious fanatics consider you a heretic, too.”
“Me? Why? I have no magic.”
“Because you’re female and dared mount a dragon.” Her eyes narrow.
“Oh.” I shake my head. “Yes.” I’d almost forgotten about that. “But that Tenet of Othrix is based on ignorance. Once they know that women can form stronger bonds with—”
“That entire religion is based on ignorance,” she snaps.
I draw a sharp breath. Surath didn’t grow up under the protection of Othrix, and while I’ve never been devout, it does not feel good to have our entire religion questioned or criticized so harshly. But I don’t want to discuss religion right now.
Surath draws her feet from the water, and her shoes magically reappear. “If you go near camp,” she says firmly, “you will be imprisoned.”
I shake my head. “They don’t imprison women who have Darkness.”
Surath perks up. “They don’t? That surprises me.”
She’s misunderstood. “Women and girls aren’t afforded the privilege of facing tribunals. Accused women are simply killed—guilty or innocent.”
Rage rises in Surath’s expression, and her hair flares around her. “My brother is right. We have more to accomplish here than freeing our people. We cannot leave the Light until all those in power are removed and punished.”
I feel as if Zogar has shared thoughts with Surath that he hasn’t yet shared with me. I’m about to ask more but snapping twigs draw our attention.
Zogar emerges through the trees. “Come,” he says. “Ersot is circling the valley.”