attention, for she
could tell stories in a way others could not. I think I was four or five, and Legion was ten or so when she
told us the story of the thornbush. There were four other boys with us that day. One was Teal and the
others were my illegitimate brothers." He looked at her. "Like you, she never turned away one of my
father’s sons. No matter how others felt about them, she loved them because they were his sons and
were a part of him." He shook his head. "I think Mama would have loved them even if he hadn’t. She
even cared a little for Jah-Ma-El."
"Jah-Ma-El?" She had heard that name before but couldn’t place it. Why did the name conjure up the
image of a friend?
"He’s not important," Conar said. He didn’t like to think of his brother and where he was, what he had
become.
Liza sensed his reluctance to speak of the man. "Did your mother love Legion well?"
Conar laughed. "Too well, sometimes. He got away with murder. Aye, she loved him." His face turned
soft. "As you love my children."
"See how well The Toad has treated you after all?" she teased. "How she would not let them keep you
from your children?"
His grin widened. "Knowing you truly accept them and go with me to see them is a reward I had not
expected of The Toad."
"You really didn’t know what to expect, now, did you?" she asked, swatting his arm with a lock of her
hair. "Toad or not, this woman was not about to see your children orphaned, or you denied access to
them. Besides, they are mine, too!"
Conar felt a thrill of pride roll through him. She might not care at all for the mothers of his children,
although she did not shun them as some women would have, but she was utterly devoted to the children
themselves, and they loved her beyond measure. He sighed and closed his eyes, content with the world
and the match he had made with this wonderful woman.
"Conar! The legend?" She nudged him, not wanting to allow him to fall asleep as he so often did when
they were talking like this.
"The place is called The Garden of the Reckless Lovers . Mama was especially fond of the tale
because it taught a moral lesson. The legend says that Alel was asked a favor. A promise was made in
return for having the favor granted, but once the favor was granted, the one who asked reneged on his
promise and Alel was cheated.
"He is the greatest god in our pantheon and is all-powerful, all-knowing. He is a merciful and loving god,
but He can also be a very unforgiving and vengeful god. When you ask something of Him, you must keep
the promise He requests. If you don’t, He will exact a revenge that you will find hard to accept.
"Sometimes the things He asks are small, like a promise to buy a new bell for the Temple or to put
flowers on an unattended grave. Other times, His demands are more important and are hard to accept.
But whatever He asks in return for the favor, you should be prepared to do, for His punishments are
often severe."
"Have you ever asked Him for anything?" Liza questioned, smoothing his hair back from his forehead.
His eyes darkened with memory. "A shadow fell over me once. I begged to see the light again and He
granted my prayers."
"Was His demand hard on you?"
"Not really. It was important, though." He squinted, trying to remember. "When I asked Him for the
favor, He told me through a dream that it would be a long time before I would be required to make good
on my promise, and it was. It was about five years later the demand came. I was eighteen." He looked at
her. "Only a few months before I met you."
"What was the promise?"
"That I would help someone who could not help themselves."
"And you did," she replied, never doubting he would make good on a promise.
"I dreamed there was a little girl crying. I could hear her, but couldn’t see her. I had that same dream for
three nights in a row and, on the morning of the fourth day, I rode out of the keep knowing I would find
her. I didn’t know where I was
could tell stories in a way others could not. I think I was four or five, and Legion was ten or so when she
told us the story of the thornbush. There were four other boys with us that day. One was Teal and the
others were my illegitimate brothers." He looked at her. "Like you, she never turned away one of my
father’s sons. No matter how others felt about them, she loved them because they were his sons and
were a part of him." He shook his head. "I think Mama would have loved them even if he hadn’t. She
even cared a little for Jah-Ma-El."
"Jah-Ma-El?" She had heard that name before but couldn’t place it. Why did the name conjure up the
image of a friend?
"He’s not important," Conar said. He didn’t like to think of his brother and where he was, what he had
become.
Liza sensed his reluctance to speak of the man. "Did your mother love Legion well?"
Conar laughed. "Too well, sometimes. He got away with murder. Aye, she loved him." His face turned
soft. "As you love my children."
"See how well The Toad has treated you after all?" she teased. "How she would not let them keep you
from your children?"
His grin widened. "Knowing you truly accept them and go with me to see them is a reward I had not
expected of The Toad."
"You really didn’t know what to expect, now, did you?" she asked, swatting his arm with a lock of her
hair. "Toad or not, this woman was not about to see your children orphaned, or you denied access to
them. Besides, they are mine, too!"
Conar felt a thrill of pride roll through him. She might not care at all for the mothers of his children,
although she did not shun them as some women would have, but she was utterly devoted to the children
themselves, and they loved her beyond measure. He sighed and closed his eyes, content with the world
and the match he had made with this wonderful woman.
"Conar! The legend?" She nudged him, not wanting to allow him to fall asleep as he so often did when
they were talking like this.
"The place is called The Garden of the Reckless Lovers . Mama was especially fond of the tale
because it taught a moral lesson. The legend says that Alel was asked a favor. A promise was made in
return for having the favor granted, but once the favor was granted, the one who asked reneged on his
promise and Alel was cheated.
"He is the greatest god in our pantheon and is all-powerful, all-knowing. He is a merciful and loving god,
but He can also be a very unforgiving and vengeful god. When you ask something of Him, you must keep
the promise He requests. If you don’t, He will exact a revenge that you will find hard to accept.
"Sometimes the things He asks are small, like a promise to buy a new bell for the Temple or to put
flowers on an unattended grave. Other times, His demands are more important and are hard to accept.
But whatever He asks in return for the favor, you should be prepared to do, for His punishments are
often severe."
"Have you ever asked Him for anything?" Liza questioned, smoothing his hair back from his forehead.
His eyes darkened with memory. "A shadow fell over me once. I begged to see the light again and He
granted my prayers."
"Was His demand hard on you?"
"Not really. It was important, though." He squinted, trying to remember. "When I asked Him for the
favor, He told me through a dream that it would be a long time before I would be required to make good
on my promise, and it was. It was about five years later the demand came. I was eighteen." He looked at
her. "Only a few months before I met you."
"What was the promise?"
"That I would help someone who could not help themselves."
"And you did," she replied, never doubting he would make good on a promise.
"I dreamed there was a little girl crying. I could hear her, but couldn’t see her. I had that same dream for
three nights in a row and, on the morning of the fourth day, I rode out of the keep knowing I would find
her. I didn’t know where I was
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