even death. :Nothing will keep Khul from you, as long as you love.:
:I
loved you and you died. I lost you.:
Wracking pain filled his bond as if the
last fatal wound struck him again, the sword slicing his heart in two. :You never lost me, na’lanna , else I would not be here. You will never
lose Khul, either.:
Her heart stuttered, refusing to beat. Her
mind reeled. She felt again that sense of falling, the world coming undone,
fading away to nothing.
Yet Rhaekhar’s arms held firm. Gregar’s
cold ghostly weight remained at her back. Beyond, she felt her nine Blood
encircling her, their bonds blazing red in the darkest shadow.
:Your
Lady blessed you well.:
Which could be considered a curse, for
those whom She blessed well, loved, and lost.
:Are
you saying I should abandon Shanhasson and flee with Khul?:
:You
know your honor. You know Khul’s. You know mine. You know your Blood’s. Love
them and live with honor. Love never dies, na’lanna .: Yet his bond rang with grim finality
like a funeral bell. :The cost is great
for so much love. Flee your destiny, abandon kae’valda , yours and Khul’s, and yet you must still pay the cost. Love will hurt
you, na’lanna , as I hurt you. As Khul
will hurt you, and Dharman if you let him. Yet without our love, you will not
survive.:
:How
will Khul hurt me?:
Awful silence filled her mind, bleak,
cold and empty.
Gregar suddenly felt far away. His voice
had been ragged with pain and sorrow. Was he leaving her? The thought shredded
her heart all over again. Despite his death, she’d been able to hold him in
Dreams. If she lost that too…
She couldn’t bear to lose him again. :Gregar, don’t leave! Tell me what I should
do!:
:Shannari
dal’Dainari never ran from anything.:
* * *
NO MATTER HER INNER TURMOIL, Dharman
knew what she would decide. Khul’lanna had as much courage and honor as any
warrior, and no warrior of honor would turn away from his duty, destiny, and
the Gods’ will. She wouldn’t, either, no matter how much she longed to simply
disappear from the demands of the world.
If only she could face her heart with as
much courage.
Not once had she thought of her Blood.
In all those moments of temptations and struggles, she’d never considered what
such a choice would cost them. She was their sole honor; if she died or tossed
aside her own honor without a care in the world, she would destroy them
utterly. If she asked, Dharman would follow her into the Three Hells simply
because he loved her.
But the thought hadn’t even occurred to
her.
She made a low sound of regret and
pressed her face into Khul’s neck, burrowing into his arms as though she wished
to climb inside his body and never leave. She stroked her fingers lightly
across the mark on his throat. She breathed deeply, long inhales as though she
could drag him into her lungs and never let him escape.
Then Khul’lanna and High Queen of all
the Green Lands straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, and smiled, albeit
shakily and tear-stained. “The Lady’s Moon shines in your eyes.”
“And I love you, my na’lanna Evening Star. I shall guide my life by your light. I shall
wait for you no matter how long it takes.” Khul turned his attention to her
Blood. “If any harm comes to her, your blood is mine.”
“No harm shall come to her,” Dharman
replied flatly. He couldn’t even look at her. “My blood has always been hers,
and Khul’lanna has always been yours.”
She sighed, bewilderment flickering
through her bond at his words.
“I am not the only warrior who loves
you,” Khul reminded her gently. “I am not the only warrior who wishes he could
carry you away to safety and never let you fight another kae’don , risking your life for outlanders who know nothing of the
cost.”
“Gregar—”
Dharman stiffened, his shoulders shaking
with rage and hurt. He would have wheeled and strode away, if only he were free
to do so, yet honor and his love chained him to her side,
:I
loved you and you died. I lost you.:
Wracking pain filled his bond as if the
last fatal wound struck him again, the sword slicing his heart in two. :You never lost me, na’lanna , else I would not be here. You will never
lose Khul, either.:
Her heart stuttered, refusing to beat. Her
mind reeled. She felt again that sense of falling, the world coming undone,
fading away to nothing.
Yet Rhaekhar’s arms held firm. Gregar’s
cold ghostly weight remained at her back. Beyond, she felt her nine Blood
encircling her, their bonds blazing red in the darkest shadow.
:Your
Lady blessed you well.:
Which could be considered a curse, for
those whom She blessed well, loved, and lost.
:Are
you saying I should abandon Shanhasson and flee with Khul?:
:You
know your honor. You know Khul’s. You know mine. You know your Blood’s. Love
them and live with honor. Love never dies, na’lanna .: Yet his bond rang with grim finality
like a funeral bell. :The cost is great
for so much love. Flee your destiny, abandon kae’valda , yours and Khul’s, and yet you must still pay the cost. Love will hurt
you, na’lanna , as I hurt you. As Khul
will hurt you, and Dharman if you let him. Yet without our love, you will not
survive.:
:How
will Khul hurt me?:
Awful silence filled her mind, bleak,
cold and empty.
Gregar suddenly felt far away. His voice
had been ragged with pain and sorrow. Was he leaving her? The thought shredded
her heart all over again. Despite his death, she’d been able to hold him in
Dreams. If she lost that too…
She couldn’t bear to lose him again. :Gregar, don’t leave! Tell me what I should
do!:
:Shannari
dal’Dainari never ran from anything.:
* * *
NO MATTER HER INNER TURMOIL, Dharman
knew what she would decide. Khul’lanna had as much courage and honor as any
warrior, and no warrior of honor would turn away from his duty, destiny, and
the Gods’ will. She wouldn’t, either, no matter how much she longed to simply
disappear from the demands of the world.
If only she could face her heart with as
much courage.
Not once had she thought of her Blood.
In all those moments of temptations and struggles, she’d never considered what
such a choice would cost them. She was their sole honor; if she died or tossed
aside her own honor without a care in the world, she would destroy them
utterly. If she asked, Dharman would follow her into the Three Hells simply
because he loved her.
But the thought hadn’t even occurred to
her.
She made a low sound of regret and
pressed her face into Khul’s neck, burrowing into his arms as though she wished
to climb inside his body and never leave. She stroked her fingers lightly
across the mark on his throat. She breathed deeply, long inhales as though she
could drag him into her lungs and never let him escape.
Then Khul’lanna and High Queen of all
the Green Lands straightened her shoulders, lifted her chin, and smiled, albeit
shakily and tear-stained. “The Lady’s Moon shines in your eyes.”
“And I love you, my na’lanna Evening Star. I shall guide my life by your light. I shall
wait for you no matter how long it takes.” Khul turned his attention to her
Blood. “If any harm comes to her, your blood is mine.”
“No harm shall come to her,” Dharman
replied flatly. He couldn’t even look at her. “My blood has always been hers,
and Khul’lanna has always been yours.”
She sighed, bewilderment flickering
through her bond at his words.
“I am not the only warrior who loves
you,” Khul reminded her gently. “I am not the only warrior who wishes he could
carry you away to safety and never let you fight another kae’don , risking your life for outlanders who know nothing of the
cost.”
“Gregar—”
Dharman stiffened, his shoulders shaking
with rage and hurt. He would have wheeled and strode away, if only he were free
to do so, yet honor and his love chained him to her side,
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