Temple of Sand (The Gods of Men Book 2) by Barbara Kloss

Author:Barbara Kloss [Kloss, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Published: 2020-12-06T16:00:00+00:00

24

Imari intercepted her papa in the hall outside of her chambers. His hair fell free, and bits of it strayed, untamed. In contrast to Imari, who had slept the day away, he looked as though he hadn’t slept at all. Heavy bags pillowed his eyes, and the lines in his forehead carved deep.

“There you are.” He sounded tired too. “I was about to go looking for you.”

“Ricón said you were here,” she said as her papa grabbed her arms and looked her over. She caught a whiff of heshi on his clothes, and the sour tinge of body odor. “I was just checking on Stanis,” she said. Which was true, but she left out the rest.

“Is he awake?”

He sounded eager for this inevitability.

“No, not yet, but the poison is gone.”

He let go of her arms. “You were kind to help him.”

Imari did not know if it was a compliment. It wanted to be, but missed the mark. Self-interest often interfered with basic human values, Imari had learned.

“Well, I wasn’t going to let him suffer, if I could help,” she said, as if to remind him of those values.

He looked at her. She didn’t think he agreed.

“I wanted a word, if you’re feeling up for it,” he said.

Imari had the sneaking suspicion that whatever those words might be, they were needed, and not necessarily wanted.

It set Imari on edge. “Of course, Papa.”

He gestured in the direction of her chambers, and together they walked back to her door, where two saredd stood guard. She glanced sideways at her papa, and he gazed steadily back.

Because this would be her life now. Guarded, monitored, and controlled.

Sar Branón nodded at the saredd. One—a shorter fellow with a beard trimmed to a point—pushed into the room and vanished. He reappeared thirty seconds later.

“All clear,” he said.

Her papa gestured for Imari to go ahead, and she strode through the antechamber, where Dasi was mending the clothes Imari had ruined while fighting Astrid in E’Centro. The woman sat upon a sleeping pallet, Imari noticed. Apparently, Dasi would be staying here too.

Imari’s chest suddenly tightened, her breathing turned quick and shallow, and she felt the sudden, inexplicable urge to flee.

“Leave us,” Sar Branón said to Dasi.

Dasi bowed, set down her mending, and left through the main door, closing it after her. Her papa strode into the bedchamber, while Imari followed slowly, forcing her steps steady.

Sar Branón stopped just inside, arms akimbo as he glanced around, taking in the space as if seeing the past in her furnishings. Finally, he looked back at her. There was a deep sadness in his eyes, but then it was gone so fast, Imari wondered if she’d imagined it.

“I never thought I’d see you here again, in this room,” he said quietly. “I’m glad I was wrong.”

Imari didn’t really know what to say, because she didn’t know if she was glad. She’d thought coming home would give her more freedom and a sense of belonging, but that was quickly proving not to be the case.

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