And I faced my dragon, and his solemn eyes locked on mine.
‘You have two choices, Donavyn: Attempt to control everything that occurs around you, and live in constant fear. Or trust the One whose power is truly paramount, and who is invested in your wellbeing.’
I clawed both hands into my hair. “God doesn’t always stop the world from destroying us—look what happened to Bren.”
‘And look where she is, as a result of it. Do you truly believe she’d be here, with us, if she’d been a happily married farmgirl?Would she carry this new strength she now possesses if she hadn’t had to overcome?’
I didn’t want to answer him, because the truth was, even though I knew that was true, I didn’t want to believe thatthat’swhat it took to bring a woman to her purpose.
‘Ah, and now we find the true foundation of your vengeance, Donavyn.’
‘What? What are you—’
‘You wish God ill.’
‘What?! No! I wish Bren to be healthy and safe, and us to be together and—’
‘And you are unwilling to accept the Creator’s plan, if it would mean further pain?’
‘No, but—’
‘You question the Creator’s choices.’
‘I—’
‘You believe you could do better? You believe you have the power, the knowledge, the wisdom—’
‘Kgosi, STOP!’
I had sunk into the straw, hands clawed into it, my back to the wall of his stable. My heart still pounded, though I had stopped running minutes before. It threatened to burst out of my chest.
‘I knew you, Donavyn, when your heart was yet unformed, and your mind could have taken either path.’
‘Either path? What either path—what paths? You chose me. That was my path.’
Kgosi rumbled and nudged towards me in the straw.‘Two strong hearts, two minds with pride, two powerful males… we had two possible paths, Donavyn—either to be the strength and honor this world needed. Or to take our power for ourselves. We chose correctly. At least, we have so far.’
I gaped at him. “What are you saying?”
‘I’m saying, you still have a choice. Should you choose yourself over God’s plan and purpose for you, He will allow it. He warns against it, because He knows only pain lies on that journey. But if you choose your own way, He will not force you to follow His way.’
‘I’m not trying to choose any path! I’m trying to save my mate from destruction!’
‘You see what she is, what she was made to be, the purpose she has been assigned, and the task she now undertakes… and yet, you fight.’
Rage punched me in the chest and I leaped to my feet, pointing at his smug snout.‘I see a woman who was almost broken by men who were selfish, and a world that rejected her—and I didn’t!’
‘Yet.’
‘Yet? There is no yet! I’m not letting her go—’
‘Precisely my point, Donavyn.’
I frowned, heart thudding in my chest. “I don’t understand.”
Kgosi, his steps heavy, his body cramped in this space, lumbered forward and placed his wide face right on my chest, leaning into me and sighing heavily.
Despite my shaking, I was touched. I swallowed hard and embraced his face, laying my cheek against the broad expanse between his eyes, and scratching his eye-ridges.
