Blood Vow by Sarina Langer

Author:Sarina Langer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sarina Langer

With Aza next to her, Yua walked around the sparring grounds for a while to get her thoughts in order. Even so, Aza didn’t feel close. With every interaction Yua had with Uta, every time she mentioned him, Aza became more distant. The empress’s offer was a growing rift between them that Yua didn’t know how to cross. If her assurances that she had no intention of marrying him weren’t good enough for Aza, what else could she do?

‘This army isn’t as large as it should be,’ Aza said. ‘Midoka has grown complacent without any wars in recent history.’

Yua nodded. ‘I was surprised, too, but don’t forget they all use the gift to fight. They can do more damage than other armies.’

‘Will that be enough?’ Aza looked at her. ‘When the Dark One comes riding in and starts killing people with His legions of Mothers and shadows, do you think this small army will stand its ground?’

Yua shivered. ‘We know the Mothers are weak against fire. There’s no army better suited to unleashing whole storms of it. If we can’t defeat them, no one can.’

‘And then the rest of the world will die, too.’

Yua’s forehead creased in confusion. This wasn’t the conversation she had expected. ‘What’s brought this on?’

Aza blinked. ‘Sorry. I’ve been contemplating life a lot lately, but I don’t usually feel this grim.’

Yua’s heart missed a beat. ‘And when you contemplate your life… am I still in it?’

She had meant it as an easy question and had expected an easy yes with an easy grin, but Aza hesitated.

And that said everything.

‘I want you to be,’ Aza finally said, ‘but are we realistic or is this just another daydream?’

‘Why would it be a daydream?’ Yua took Aza’s hand to try to cross some of the rift, but touching her didn’t make her feel any closer. ‘We’re already together. Why wouldn’t we stay together?’

Aza’s eyes clouded over as she stared into the distance. ‘Because neither one of us was made to settle down. Sand Blades work until they eventually die on the job, and you…’ She focussed on Yua, and Yua wished she’d look anywhere but at her for all the pain she saw in Aza’s eyes. For the sad acceptance in them. ‘You were meant for greater things still.’

‘You can’t seriously mean that I should rule Midoka,’ Yua said. ‘We talked about this. I don’t want to marry Prince Uta. I don’t want to be empress.’

‘You’re right, we did talk about it, so don’t pretend that royalty never marries for strategic reasons. You must have read about it in those books you love, too.’

‘Those books speak of all kinds of impossible things! I once read about a winged horse sent by the gods. I loved it and wanted one, but you don’t see me with one now.’

She didn’t want to grow frustrated, resented herself a little for not staying calm and getting angry instead, but it sounded like Aza had already decided their fate and wasn’t likely to change her mind.

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