Blood-Bound [ Lore of Penrua: Book I ]

68

"No." She breathed deep the scent of the earth, of the forest, of the clean blue sky. "Every step I have taken in my life has led me to this moment. I feel it as I never have before. I'm not afraid, Koreti."

"You aren't afraid to die?"

"Of course I am afraid to die. But I am not afraid of deciding to die. Not if it means an end to all of this. There's too much pain in this world. Too much suffering. You and I have had our share, and there are others who have had more of it. We can bring an end to a measure of it, if we want."

Matei reached up and placed his hands on her cheeks. He bent her head toward him and kissed her brow, then wrapped one hand around to cup the back of her head and bring it down to rest on his shoulder.

Mhera closed her eyes, putting her arms around him. "We'll be at peace."

"But will the world, Mhera? Do you really think our deaths will make a difference?"

"The world will never be at peace. But at least it will not be at war."

...

After nightfall, Mhera and Matei stood in the shadows by the infirmary.

"I don't think he can walk," Mhera whispered.

"If we're going, we must take him, Mhera. I don't trust leaving him here after I'm gone."

"We need to tell Aun."

"She won't let us go alone."

"She'll see reason. And she can help us bring Kaori along." It was a thought to hold onto: Kaori would come with them. He would be safe. He would succeed Emperor Korvan to the throne, and he would be a good ruler.

Matei looked uncertain. "I don't think it's a good idea."

Mhera took his hand. "I trust Aun. You trust her. She is a good woman, and she will keep the secret. We need to tell her. Besides ..."

"What?"

"To make it to the city with three of us, two of us Starborn, you'll need help. Won't you?"

Matei tipped his head back. "Damn," he said. "I had not thought so far ahead. To make it to the city, we'll need four non-travelers at the very least. If we want to be prepared to run or fight, five or six would do us better."

"Do you have that many people you trust to let you go?" she asked.

"No. Uachi ... Sashta ... they'd want to come with me."

There was silence for a moment as they contemplated the problem, but the solution came to Mhera. "You know how you can get them to let you go," she said. "Tell them who you are."

Matei looked at her in shock. "What?"

"Tell them you have a secret, but ask them to grant you one request before you tell it. Make them promise, and then confess. They'll let you go."

"They're more likely to kill me where I stand," Matei said.

"No. They honor you, Koreti, and they see you as a leader. You'll shock them, but by the time they make sense of what they want to do, you will be gone."

"They'll never let me go if they know I'm a prince. They won't let Kaori go, either. We need to sneak away."

"The rest of the encampment need not know, only those you trust the most. Those who trust you. You have led them this far; they will know you are truly committed to the cause. Besides—what other option do you have? I certainly have no magic to contribute to the journey, only what energy you can draw from me. And Kaori is another burden."