Gannahmian
army. The attack came at night. On a holiday. When most inhabitants
were home, asleep in their beds. The entire village was burned to
the ground. Every resident killed. And Nasir, who was supposed to
be visiting his love for the holiday and wasn’t because he’d been
called out on patrol, had never forgiven himself for not being
there to protect her.
Tariq leaned back against the cold cement
wall, rested his forearms on his updrawn knees. “And Ashur. How did
she find him?”
“You know Ashur,” Nasir said with a ghost of
a smile. “Can’t stand to be left out of the fold.”
Tariq would have laughed, but the situation
was anything but funny. As the youngest brother, Ashur did hate
being left out. But he’d never willingly turn himself over to
Zoraida. “How did she…?”
“She used me,” Nasir said, all humor gone
from his voice. “Said she was willing to make a deal. That she knew
where to find you.”
Shit .
“We didn’t even know you were still alive,”
Nasir went on. “Father thought you’d perished on the Jagged Coast.
We mourned you, Tariq. They held a funeral rite.”
Tariq stared at the bars. So his family had
already buried him. Ten years in this hell and they thought he’d
died exploring some stupid coast in their kingdom’s name. No wonder
no one had ever searched for him.
He looked to his brother as the thread of
hope he’d been hanging onto since being brought here solidified.
“Surely Father’s looking for you and Ashur now.”
“I’m sure he is,” Nasir said on a sigh. “But
he won’t find us. Ashur didn’t tell anyone where he was meeting
Zoraida. She warned him to keep it secret. She’s good at disguises,
as you know. Ashur didn’t suspect a thing either. Until it was too
late, that is.”
Tariq looked back ahead as that thread
snapped. He thought of the guards holding Ashur against the bars of
his cell the last time he’d seen Zoraida. The way his brother had
barely been able to stand. The way his eyes had been glazed and not
focusing. “Where is she keeping you both?”
“In a cell. Not far from here.”
“And how long have you been here?”
“I’m not sure. Weeks. Months. It all seems
to roll together in my head. They brought Ashur to me a few days
ago. But he…”
Tariq’s head snapped around at the
hesitation he heard in Nasir’s words. “He what?”
Nasir rolled his head against the stones
until he met Tariq’s gaze. “He’s not doing well, brother. They keep
pulling him out. And when he returns, he’s even more bloodied and
bruised than before. He’s not done anything to deserve the
beatings. He barely even moves or talks. I’ve tried to get them to
take me.” The good corner of his mouth curled, just a touch,
drawing Tariq’s attention to Nasir’s newly split lip. “Works every
now and then. But they keep going after Ashur.” Nasir’s smile
faded. “He’s—”
Fury consumed Tariq all over again. “He’s
me.”
Nasir lifted his head. “What?”
“Zoraida can’t punish me because it would
delay her ultimate goal, so she’s taking it out on both of you. And
she knows Ashur is weaker. So she’s using him to get to me
first.”
Rage rippled through every muscle. She
wouldn’t stop at Ashur. She wouldn’t stop until Tariq completely
gave in.
He thought of Mira. Of the gift she’d given
him. Of her wish. Of his backing away and warning her off that
wish. Zoraida had seen what he’d done. The Firebrand opal granted
her a bird’s-eye view. And instead of taking her fury out on him,
she was doing it to his brothers. Because she knew that would leave
a bigger mark than any lash against his skin.
“I don’t know how much more he can take,”
Nasir said softly. “And if all three of us die in here…”
Tariq clenched his jaw. This suddenly wasn’t
just about Mira’s soul. If they all died, there’d be no heir left
in their kingdom. Their father wouldn’t be able to rule much
longer. He’d been ready to
army. The attack came at night. On a holiday. When most inhabitants
were home, asleep in their beds. The entire village was burned to
the ground. Every resident killed. And Nasir, who was supposed to
be visiting his love for the holiday and wasn’t because he’d been
called out on patrol, had never forgiven himself for not being
there to protect her.
Tariq leaned back against the cold cement
wall, rested his forearms on his updrawn knees. “And Ashur. How did
she find him?”
“You know Ashur,” Nasir said with a ghost of
a smile. “Can’t stand to be left out of the fold.”
Tariq would have laughed, but the situation
was anything but funny. As the youngest brother, Ashur did hate
being left out. But he’d never willingly turn himself over to
Zoraida. “How did she…?”
“She used me,” Nasir said, all humor gone
from his voice. “Said she was willing to make a deal. That she knew
where to find you.”
Shit .
“We didn’t even know you were still alive,”
Nasir went on. “Father thought you’d perished on the Jagged Coast.
We mourned you, Tariq. They held a funeral rite.”
Tariq stared at the bars. So his family had
already buried him. Ten years in this hell and they thought he’d
died exploring some stupid coast in their kingdom’s name. No wonder
no one had ever searched for him.
He looked to his brother as the thread of
hope he’d been hanging onto since being brought here solidified.
“Surely Father’s looking for you and Ashur now.”
“I’m sure he is,” Nasir said on a sigh. “But
he won’t find us. Ashur didn’t tell anyone where he was meeting
Zoraida. She warned him to keep it secret. She’s good at disguises,
as you know. Ashur didn’t suspect a thing either. Until it was too
late, that is.”
Tariq looked back ahead as that thread
snapped. He thought of the guards holding Ashur against the bars of
his cell the last time he’d seen Zoraida. The way his brother had
barely been able to stand. The way his eyes had been glazed and not
focusing. “Where is she keeping you both?”
“In a cell. Not far from here.”
“And how long have you been here?”
“I’m not sure. Weeks. Months. It all seems
to roll together in my head. They brought Ashur to me a few days
ago. But he…”
Tariq’s head snapped around at the
hesitation he heard in Nasir’s words. “He what?”
Nasir rolled his head against the stones
until he met Tariq’s gaze. “He’s not doing well, brother. They keep
pulling him out. And when he returns, he’s even more bloodied and
bruised than before. He’s not done anything to deserve the
beatings. He barely even moves or talks. I’ve tried to get them to
take me.” The good corner of his mouth curled, just a touch,
drawing Tariq’s attention to Nasir’s newly split lip. “Works every
now and then. But they keep going after Ashur.” Nasir’s smile
faded. “He’s—”
Fury consumed Tariq all over again. “He’s
me.”
Nasir lifted his head. “What?”
“Zoraida can’t punish me because it would
delay her ultimate goal, so she’s taking it out on both of you. And
she knows Ashur is weaker. So she’s using him to get to me
first.”
Rage rippled through every muscle. She
wouldn’t stop at Ashur. She wouldn’t stop until Tariq completely
gave in.
He thought of Mira. Of the gift she’d given
him. Of her wish. Of his backing away and warning her off that
wish. Zoraida had seen what he’d done. The Firebrand opal granted
her a bird’s-eye view. And instead of taking her fury out on him,
she was doing it to his brothers. Because she knew that would leave
a bigger mark than any lash against his skin.
“I don’t know how much more he can take,”
Nasir said softly. “And if all three of us die in here…”
Tariq clenched his jaw. This suddenly wasn’t
just about Mira’s soul. If they all died, there’d be no heir left
in their kingdom. Their father wouldn’t be able to rule much
longer. He’d been ready to
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