She swallowed heavily. His gazenarrowed.
“I do not wish to fightwith you when you have been so many years removed from me,pani, yet will I dieafore I permit you to leave my side ever again.”
“Isar—”
“Enough.” Again, herealized his tone was overly gruff. “I would hear noexcuses.”
Her back straightened and her eyes narrowed.“Fine. If your name on my lips displeases you and you wish to speakto me like a commander leading his forces into battle then by allmeans let it be so, High Lord Death.” She affected a mockcurtsey.
“’Tis my title no more,” heinformed her, refusing to take the bait. He would not engage her inarguments. “I am the former and restored Isar K’al Draji, the newlycrowned King of Xaerja—” She gasped. “—and you will become my Queenthe soonest.”
Her lips worked up and down, but nothingcame out.
He quirked an eyebrow. He couldn’t seem tostop himself from goading her a wee bit. “Alas, you have naught tosay?”
Her nostrils flared. “Xaerja is Galis’dominant moon and as such falls under Galian sovereignty. You can’tjust claim a moon that belongs to other peoples!”
“I did not claim it,pani. ‘Twas given to meby the Emperor.”
Her ire was obvious, her voice filled withdisdain. “He fears the matriarchal clans of Galis so much that hesends his fiercest warlord to rule over its dominant moon?”
“Distrustsis a better word thanfear.”
“Whatever. It’spathetic!”
Isar took a step toward the viewing portalshe had smashed herself up against. Her eyes rounded. “You shouldnot speak of your Emperor, your own brother-within-the-law, in suchterms.”
“He means nothing to me!”She slightly amended her heated statement. “I would give anythingto see my sister again, yes, but her husband is nothing to me. Herhusband took my name, took my—”
“He gave itback.”
“Huh?”
“Your name. He issued acommand that your name be restored to you.”
Silence.
“You are,” Isar saidsoftly, “the former and restored Kara Summers.”
He could see the emotion in her eyes. Mostwould mayhap have missed it, yet did he know her too well. She hadlong craved to taste her birth name on her lips again. Now shecould.
“I am grateful for that,”Kara said stiffly, “yet my loyalty still lies with the Gy’at Li. Itdoes not lie with your Emperor.”
“Leastways, he is yourEmperor too.”
“Klykka took me in, raisedme, made a warrior out of me, and gave me a name to call my own.”Her chin notched up. “I will never turn my back on her.”
Isar sighed. “Nobody isasking you to,pani.”
“Then what do you want meto say? Thank your beloved Emperor for restoring a surname that nolonger holds meaning because it’s no longer shared with my sister?”She shook her head. “I will retain my birth name, Kara, becauseitismeaningfulto me, but my surname is Gy’at Li.”
“For the moment.” Heshrugged. “The question of your surname matters naught for when youbecome my Sacred Mate you will forever be Queen Kara K’ala Draji ofXaerja.” He took another step towards her, making her eyes go wideagain. “’Tis such a bad fate, this?” he asked with morevulnerability than he had a care for.
Her gaze softened a bit. “Isar—you know it’snot that.”
“Then tell me the way ofit.”
She threw her hands up. “I see how Giotreats Dari. Does he love her? Yes. But does he give her freedom,room to breathe? No. I can’t live like that. Dari was raised withthe expectation she would one day give her life into Gio’s hands. Iwas raised by Klykka to be a fierce, proud warrior. I might notfight in the same manner as you, but fight I can and fight I willwhen necessary.”
