It was Bohtan.
He shouted and Diandra translated, “I wish to speak, my king!”
“You will be heard!” Lahn shouted back.
Bohtan didn’t delay. “Our golden warrior queen has championed Dortak’s bride. She has a bond with the wife of Dortak and she has a bond with my wife Nahka. My wife Nahka has felt this bond constrict, linking her through our true golden queen to Dortak’s bride and, should it be your command to spare her life, she wishes to assist our queen in resurrecting the new bride of Dortak’s spirit.”
My lungs seized and my body went solid right along with them.
Another whisper went through the air as Lahn remained silent.
The girl five feet from the base of our thrones didn’t twitch but Dortak’s face twisted with disgust.
Then another warrior pushed into the clearing. My eyes went to him and I saw it was Feetak.
“I wish to speak, my king!” he shouted.
“You will be heard!” Lahn returned.
Feetak didn’t delay. “My new bride Narinda also shares a bond with our queen. She tells me she too wishes to assist our queen in resurrecting the wife of Dortak’s spirit.”
I felt Diandra’s hand curl tight into my shoulder indicating she was gravely surprised at these proceedings and I was too, especially considering Narinda didn’t have near enough command of the Korwahk language to inform Feetak of this but somehow she’d either managed it or he’d assumed it and for her, or simply because he was a good man, he stepped forward.
I held tight to my throne as I stared and tried to control my rapid breaths.
Another warrior pushed forward. “I wish to speak, my king!”
And another, “I wish to speak, my king!”
I shiver slid over my skin.
Oh my God!
Diandra’s fingers squeezed so hard, they caused pain.
And then came another, “I wish to speak, my king!”
And another, “I wish to speak, my king!”
Three more came in simultaneously from three different sides. “I wish to speak, my king!”
Dortak’s arms dropped, he took a step back and his head swung around to take in his brothers, his face now distorted with rage.
His bride didn’t twitch.
More warriors came forward and shouted the same words.
“Enough!” Lahn boomed, I looked to him and saw he had his hand up.
He did not look at me.
I turned back to the clearing to see it now nearly filled with warriors, Dortak and his bowing bride in white.
The air pressed in as I and the silent crowd held our breath.
Finally, Lahn spoke. “Bride of Dortak, give your king your eyes.”
She didn’t hesitate to push up to sitting on her calves and her eyes lifted to Lahn. She was wearing a wide strip of gauze around her breasts and a thin one was wrapped around the cut on her throat. Her face had been cleaned but her left eye was nearly swollen shut, purple and bruising.
I swallowed again.
“The warriors of Suh Tunak speak for you,” Lahn told her.
She lifted her chin.
“Their wives speak for you,” Lahn went on.
She lifted her chin again.
“Is it your wish for my queen and her women to resurrect your spirit?” Lahn asked and I held onto my throne as Diandra’s fingers clenched into my shoulder.
He was giving her an out!
She shook her head.
No!
I tensed to shoot out of my chair but Diandra’s hand held me down.
“You understand that judgment has been passed?” Lahn asked.
She lifted her chin.
“And you accept that judgment,” Lahn stated.
She lifted her chin again.
No!
I felt my lips tremble as my body shuddered with the effort to stay seated and unmoving.
I wanted to reach out to Lahn. I wanted him to tell her that it was his decision that she must allow me and the wives of Suh Tunak to resurrect her spirit. I sent this thought into the night and hoped it found his mind.
It didn’t.
I knew it when he said quietly, “Very well, my sister.”
My head snapped to the side and I saw his head turned away and he was lifting his chin at something. My eyes flew there and I saw The Eunuch come forward with a long, thin blade.
