Blood Passage by Demetrios Heather

Author:Demetrios, Heather [Demetrios, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2016-01-19T08:00:00+00:00

25

NALIA GAZED ACROSS THE FLAT EXPANSE OF SAND AS the crew of the Sun Chaser fanned around her, their vessel docked between two dunes. The fawzel flew in slow circles, their wings fighting the downpour.

Lightning crackled as it cut through the sky.

“Kajastriya vidim,” Zanari said to Raif, who stood just a few feet behind Nalia. Light to the revolution. “I never thought I’d mean that so literally.”

“Kajastriya vidim,” he whispered. Nalia couldn’t feel his chiaan anymore, but she heard the despair in Raif’s voice, as though he were already grieving Nalia’s death.

Zanari punched him lightly on the arm. “See you out there, little brother.”

Nalia swallowed the lump in her throat as Raif grabbed his sister in a crushing hug. She wouldn’t let them lose one another.

Zanari let go and moved further down the dune, joining the Dhoma who waited for the Sakhim to rise. She didn’t say good-bye to Nalia—didn’t even glance in her direction. Whatever friendship they’d had was gone now. Nalia watched her go, hurt. She’d never wanted any of this: slavery to Malek, the ring, even her heritage as a Ghan Aisouri. All of it had been forced on Nalia by the gods and the slave trader who’d stolen her. Not for the first time, Nalia wished she’d died in the palace with the other Ghan Aisouri. What had been the point of surviving?

“Look at it,” Malek breathed. He stared at the dune in wonder, his eyes alight. Nalia had never seen something captivate him so completely. He was usually impossible to impress. “To think that just under that dune is the greatest treasure on Earth . . .” He laughed quietly. “That’s a damn fine security system.”

“Why is it so important to you?” Nalia asked.

“You know what it is to feel powerless,” he said softly. “Do I really need to explain?”

Power. It was something she’d never coveted. All her life, Nalia had simply wanted to get through. To survive. First, the grueling practices and training of the Ghan Aisouri. Then, her enslavement to Malek. Nalia had been happy to fade into the background at court, to sneak away to play with her little brother, or roam the wild Qaf range with Thatur, his gryphon wings carrying them far above the peaks. She had never wanted to be the one an army protected.

Samar came to her side. “The Sakhim will rise as soon as you get close to the dune. Don’t try to fight them. We will guard you. Just get to the top as fast as you can.”

It will all be over soon, she thought as she began to walk. Either she would die and be with Bashil and the rest of her caste or she would succeed and have another chance to kill Calar. Nalia didn’t really care what happened, so long as the waiting was over. So long as no one else died in her place. The rain poured and she held her hands out, palms up, as she lifted up a soundless prayer to Lathor, goddess of water.

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