“The handles are shorter than I’d like,” I said.“They will have to be quite close to a Hollow to make contact.But that also gives them more power.”
“True.The blunt ends will do damage, but they’ll have to strike more than once.”
I nodded.“They’d do better with a sharp end.”I hefted my skullcrusher.“Still, we were told the Zulenii were mere singers and dancers.Clearly, we have more to learn about them.I should say,Ihave more to learn.”
Gaz gave me a quick look, and I saw the flash of anger in his eyes.“I’d go with you if I could.”
I wished he could come with me too, but I didn’t want to give either of us false hope or dwell on what could not be.“Thank you for saying that and for journeying with me.You didn’t have to agree.”
“I didn’t think twice about it, Mara.You shouldn’t have to go with that barbarian.The least I can do is keep you safe and out of his clutches as long as possible.”He spoke with such passion that I allowed him a few calming breaths before I spoke again.
“Whose idea was it for you and Nize to kill him if Cameed lost in the arena?”
“I don’t remember.”His voice was oddly flat as though he wasn’t trying to hide that he was lying.
“I’m sure you don’t.Was it the king’s idea or my mother’s?”
“I’d better not answer that.”
“My mother’s then.She doesn’t think of anything but her own desires.”
Gaz’s eyes flicked away for an instant, and I wondered if I had guessed incorrectly.“Gaz, you do know if you’d killed the prince, you’d have to kill all of them.”I gestured to the other Zulenii.“That would be a stain on the honor of Earsleh.”
“Somehow I think the king would have forgiven us.”
“And the people?You could be cast out for such a violation.”
“The people have short memories and will listen to your father if he says the Zulenii deaths were necessary.”
So I was not the only one to realize how often my father told his subjects only half-truths.I’d expected Gaz to be more upset by my father’s behavior.He had always seemed to value honor as much as me.
“The concern was the reaction of Zulen,” Gaz continued, clearly speaking of some discussion he had been part of with my mother or father or both.“But Zulen has no means of knowing their people arrived at Highcastle.For all they know, the Hollows attacked their precious Taio before he even neared Highcastle.”
I glanced at Gaz.His hard gaze was fixed on Taio’s back.My belly knotted at the look in his eyes.I’d seen him look like that on patrol, right before attacking a group of Hollows.I shouldn’t have brought him.Taio had been right not to trust him.
I grabbed Gaz’s arm and turned him to face me.“Listen to me,” I hissed.“I don’t know what you have planned, but I will not be part of it.”
He narrowed his eyes.“Do youwantto go to Zulen, Mara?Are you looking forward to becoming that barbarian’s bride?”
“No, but I lost the Claiming Rite—”
“Damn the Claiming Rite.”
My eyes widened.To damn something was a serious statement in our kingdom and not said lightly.The Hollows were damned because they were monsters and unholy.Gaz was always the sort of person who followed rules and protocol.I was the impulsive one who threw all of that aside.Now it seemed the roles were reversed.
“What do you think you can do at this point?”I demanded.“Kill him?”
Gaz raised his brows, his gaze still fixed on mine.
“Oh, gods.Gaz, have you gone mad?You are not a murderer!”I kept my voice low, glancing over my shoulder to see the group was a few yards ahead of us now.“Murdering a person is—”
“The Greatest Taboo,” he said.“I know our laws and taboos.He”—Gaz jerked his head toward Taio—“isn’t one of us.His people have no code of honor.Their eyes are strange, their skin is too pale.They’re too tall.”
I stiffened at this last observation.
“The Zulenii are people, Gaz.How can you even think of doing something like this?”
Gaz grabbed my hand.“You’re right, Mara.I am not a murderer.I’m angry.”
