“Then what did you mean?”
Shaking her head, she takes my hands. “Rosomon—my sister. I’ve never seen him fully put anotherindividual’shappiness above his own. Not until he metyou. And with you, it’s not about duty or responsibility. It’s about love.”
My chest warms as much as it’s able, given all the fears chilling inside me.
“Have you forgotten how much he sacrificed for your comfort when he, Xendus and I were in the Darkness?”
My teeth scrape my lower lip. Surath was furious about that at the time. Furious that he’d risked his life and endangered his quest so that I could stay in comfort—and with Saxon and Tynan no less.
“Are you suggesting that Zogar might accept my love for Saxon? That I want him to be in our lives?” I love Tynan too, but she’s made her feelings clear about that.
“I can’t answer for your husband, but you needn’t fear asking him.”
“And Saxon… “I can’t believe I still know so little about his capture. “Are you still angry with him?” She threatened to kill him—more than once.
“I had good reasons to be angry.” She shakes her head. “Saxon used me, for years. Not only that, he hid his Darkness. But that man is also the reason I wasn’t trapped on the ground these past five and twenty years.” She draws a deep breath. “And I know he’s a good man. He couldn’t hideeverythingfrom me.”
My body floods with warmth. Saxonisa good man, a very good man. And I love him deeply. “Do you know where he’s being held? I need to see him.”
“Trying to see Saxon would be unwise, my queen.”
“My queen?”
She chuckles. “You are now not only my sister, but also my queen, whether I like it or not.”
Looking into her eyes, I feel like we might one day be friends. “Zogar told me that you were meant to be queen.”
“He did, did he.” She smooths her hands over her skirts and kicks her feet in the water. “Succession laws aside, I made my choice when I married Xendus. Also, my brother’s head is far better equipped to carry the weight of the crown.” She nudges me with her shoulder. “His head iswaybigger, in more ways than one.”
I grin at her joke about my husband’s ego. “Still, you were very young when you married.”
“As were you.”
I smile softly, starting to feel connected to this woman, to my sister.
She squeezes my hand. “I don’t know what Zogar told you, but I was not only young, I was wild and rebellious. And I gave up the crown for love.”
“Still…” I don’t want to say anything to betray my husband. “It doesn’t seem fair.” But even as I say it, I realize that I too would give up anything for love.
“It all happened a very long time ago.” Surath smiles brightly, and her turquoise eyes flash in the dappled sunlight. “Ruling was not my destiny.”
“Zogar told me about your sister.” I squeeze her hand and think about my brothers. So many people I love are in peril right now. “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Surath’s eyes turn glassy, but she blinks away the potential tears. “That, too, was a very long time ago.”
I shift back from the bank. Surath changed the subject. Or perhaps I did.
“Can you help me get to Saxon? Whether it’s wise or not, I must save him.”
She shakes her head. “You can’t go anywhere near that camp. Those religious fanatics consider you a heretic, too.”
“Me? Why? I have no magic.”
“Because you’re female and dared mount a dragon.” Her eyes narrow.
“Oh.” I shake my head. “Yes.” I’d almost forgotten about that. “But that Tenet of Othrix is based onignorance. Once they know that women can form stronger bonds with?—”
“That entire religion is based on ignorance,” she snaps.
