“No.”
My sharp response makes her flinch, but again, she perseveres. By fuck, she must have been thinking about the problem of succession for a long time to be so resolute about having this conversation now.
“You know I’m speaking the truth.”
Before yesterday, I would have agreedwith her.
Then I met the Oracle.
“No,” I say. “There’s still time.”
The Oracle gave me my first taste of freedom from fire. I have hope now.
I want to tell my sister all about it, but she doesn’t know where I went yesterday. The three warriors I summoned to come with me are sworn to secrecy. I don’t trust them, but the threat I made against their families will ensure their silence.
“What time?” she challenges me. “The longer you wait to choose your successor, the more intense the political games become. Surely you see them?”
I haven’t been oblivious. I just didn’t contemplate that my people would dismiss my own lifespan so readily. I guess that’s the problem with being an absent king.
They can forget I even exist.
I bend to the sand at my feet, running my gloved hand through the granules, leaving Zenaida to tower over me for all of two seconds before she drops to her knees.
“Brother—”
“Soon,” I say.
She blinks at me, her silks whipping about her face as the wind picks up, nearly snatching her softly spoken question. “Soon?”
I let the sand run from my fingers. “I will choose a successor soon.” I pin her with my gaze. “But I won’t be hurried.”
Let the political games intensify.
If any members of the court wish to be considered, they will need to gain my favor. I’m certain the process will reveal who’s ambitious enough to cozy up to me and shake loose my true enemies.
At my response, Zenaida exhales in an audible rush, thetension fading from her shoulders. “Of course, Brother. It’s a significant decision. I’ll ensure you’re given the time you need.”
Always graceful, she glides to her feet and backs away from me. Certainly, now that she has her answer, she will want to remove herself from my presence as quickly as possible.
“As always,” she says, bowing as she retreats, “please let me know if I can assist you.”
“I will.”
Within moments, she hurries away across the sand dunes, her jewelry chiming softly as she heads for one of the several cave-like entrances to the underground city.
I’m left with a heaviness in my chest that doesn’t sit well with me.
Zenaida and I don’t have a close relationship, but I’ve trusted her. Now, I will need to be on guard. By Ember Law, women can’t ascend the throne—or fight—but Zenaida herself will surely have a favorite. I can’t ignore the possibility that she could act against me in the coming days.
Fuck. Just when I needed the eyes of my kingdom turned away from me…
If she had known where I was going now, she would have tried to stop me.
Even more determined, I quickly approach the dune within which my serpent sleeps.
He’ll sense my approach by the vibrations in the earth.
Just as I anticipated, he rises from within the sand before I’m even close to him and slides toward me, spraying sand as he carves a path through the amber granules.
