“So all three of the first earth elements and all three of the fire elements were male, and the first three air and water elements were female?” Carly asked, struggling to better understand her heritage.
“Yes, that is right. Rah breathed life into earth first, then fire, followed by air, and lastly, water. The space of time between each breath couldn’t have been but moments, and yet male Etrafarians delight in reminding us that they are the older, and therefore, the wiser. Of course, this is ridiculous, as the oldest male on Etrafa right now is only 180, and the oldest female is 200, but still, they say they carry the wisdom of previous generations. It is kind of a joke between us, but if truth be told, most females find the notion of the men coming first to be, well, appealing, like they are our protectors, or some such other nonsense. I know it sounds silly, but it is probably the reason why almost all Etrafarian women prefer older men.
Dearra snorted and broke into a fit of giggles. Carly turned a charming shade of pink, but otherwise ignored Dearra’s outburst.
“But Aesri,” Carly said, trying to change the subject. “You say that the men were born of earth and fire and woman of wind and water. Surely those elements mixed through the years as each new generation was born.”
“No, it does not work like that. The men almost always remain bound to one of their two primary elements and the women to one of theirs. Every once in a while, an Etrafarian is born who possesses the elemental personality of the opposite sex, but it is exceptionally rare, and does not seem to carry over into the next generation. Those born this way are very, very powerful, and we take great care to recognize and nurture those children as early as possible. They are the ones who usually become our teachers and leaders.”
Carly was entranced. Dearra found herself almost as enthralled as her friend by the marvelous stories and legends Aesri was sharing with them. When, at last, they stood to leave, the afternoon light had already began to fade.
“Come back soon,” Aesri urged.
“We will,” Carly promised.
Dearra noticed that, this time, when Carly hugged Aesri goodbye, it was Aesri who was reluctant to let go. She was happy that her friend had someone so kind to help her learn about herself. Dearra imagined this could have been a much scarier experience if not for Aesri’s gentle encouragement.
Chapter 21
Darius, Brin said, but to him alone. Dearra and Carly continued to chatter happily away, plucking pieces of fruit from the tray in front of them. The men, on the other hand, wore an assortment of expressions. Hugh looked angry and frustrated. Daniel appeared apprehensive, his gaze hardly wavering from Darius except for when his eyes flickered to Carly. William was no less focused, appearing especially aware, as though he were waiting for something.
Yes, Brin? Darius thought. He picked at his food as he, too, was acutely aware of the tension in the room.
They’re pretty upset.
Nothing gets by you, does it?
You don’t have to take it out on me. I’m just trying to help.
I know you are, Brin. I’m sorry. Today was just a bad day, and now it’s about to get worse.
The men will understand. Hugh is a rational man, and Daniel and William trust you, even if Daniel is forgetting that fact right now. It will be all right, you’ll see.
It’s not the men I’m worried about.
What then? Is it Dearra you’re concerned with? I can’t see why she would—
In that moment, Darius exposed his thoughts for Brin to see. Brin had been privy to the day’s events, but Darius also shared some important memories from his past.
Brin would have given a dragon’s hoard to have been able to escape what would surely be coming when Dearra heard the news.
You see now, don’t you? Darius thought hopelessly, spearing another piece of meat with his fork, but only pushing it randomly around his plate.
I will pray to Tolah that your death is quick, young Darius, Brin said solemnly.
That’s not funny, Brin.
Who says I was joking?
Well, I’d better just get it over with. Hugh looks ready to split in two.
Walk with Tolah, Darius, Brin said consolingly, and Darius heard him add, I sure wish I could; anywhere but here would be preferable.
Gathering all of his Breken courage, Darius pushed his plate away and looked up into the angry glare of Hugh. “I know you saw me today, Hugh. I can explain.”
Dearra and Carly abruptly ceased their conversation, and Dearra swung her gaze onto Darius, waiting for him to continue.
“Can you, really, Darius? I would like to hear how it came to pass that you met alone in the desert with one of your people. Why would you need to go so secretively? What could you not share with us? Unless, of course, you meant to betray us.”
William shook his head in denial at Hugh’s accusations, but it was Daniel who spoke on his friend’s behalf. “Hugh, I don’t know what the boy was doing, but I know that it wasn’t anything to do us harm. He’s stupid, but he’s no traitor.”
Darius crinkled his brow for a moment. When he thought about it, that was exactly what he was: a traitor, not to these people, but to his own. The thought left him as quickly as it came, however, for in his heart, he had never thought himself to be truly Breken. To Daniel, he said, “Thank you…I think. Listen: I had to make contact outside of the usual method. I needed to know that Phillip still lived and that this wasn’t a game being played for the ransom of a child they never intended to return.”
“And?” Dearra asked, her voice trembling with concern for her brother’s safety. She had never really let herself believe anything serious would ever happen to Pip, but hearing Darius say the words aloud had sent crippling fear racing through her veins.
Darius offered her a comforting smile and placed a hand on her arm before saying, “He’s fine, Dearra. Alive and well.”
“How do we know we can trust this woman?” Hugh demanded. “Why would she even meet with you in the first place? Everything I know about the Breken says they act only for personal gain. I can’t imagine she would just agree to provide you with information for no reason at all.”
“She?” Dearra said, the timid squeak from the moment before, replaced with a lion’s muted purr.
Darius cleared his throat and continued to speak to Hugh, but avoided meeting Dearra’s eyes with his own.
“Her family is the one that holds Phillip. She herself has been in charge of his…care. Our families have some…unique ties to one another, and she still feels some…obligation to me.”
“Obligation?” Dearra said, her purr growing to a soft growl.
Carly set her fork down and inched slightly back from the table.
Nice, Darius. I never knew you could dance so well. Careful now—here’s where the tune gets faster, Brin warned.
Hugh was not one to be put off, and his patience was wearing thin. “What kind of ties? What sort of obligations?”
“Well…sir, it’s complicated. She…she’s sort of like…well, it’s different, of course, but in a way, I guess you could say she’s—and it’s really important you understand—”
“Darius!” Hugh roared.
“She’s my wife!”
Hugh’s jaw dropped a good two inches and stayed that way. Daniel, William, and Carly got to their feet and moved as far away from Dearra as the room would allow, for though they valued their own skin enough to get out of harm’s way, no one wanted to miss what would happen next.
Darius seemed to shrink before their eyes. He turned to face Dearra, who had not moved an iota, and looked slowly up from the floor. In all of his life, Darius had not seen anything that filled him with more dread than the sight that greeted him. Her face was completely passive. She wore an expression of calm. But when his eyes met hers, he saw that, in them, there was no blue to be found. Every trace of the beautiful sapphire had been swept away, and only the golden fire remained.
Without blinking, Dearra said, “Darius, I wish to speak w
ith you alone. I would like to take a walk. The air will do me good.”
Hugh had recovered enough at this point to at least think of Darius’s safety. “Leave the sword, Dearra. Darius can take his, but Brin stays here.” He half expected an argument, and braced himself to hold firm.
Dearra only nodded without looking away from Darius and said, “Fine. I won’t be needing Brin, anyway.”
As Darius followed her into the chill night air, he thought his friends looked as though they were already in mourning. He knew it wasn’t going to come to that, but it didn’t help when Brin said, It’s been a privilege to know you, Darius, on his way out the door.
***
Darius wondered if the Bandar night was chillier than normal, or if it was the manifestation of Dearra’s mood he was feeling. He turned to her and said, “Dearra, I—”
“Shhhh,” Dearra interrupted. She made no effort to renew the conversation, but only continued to walk.
Twenty minutes passed as they walked further and further from the inn, and closer to the sea. Darius tried to speak on two more occasions. On the first try she simply shushed him again, and on the second she held up a hand and shook her head. After that, he decided to wait for her cue and walked in silence.
He knew she was furious. He had never seen her quite this angry, and he had seen her pretty angry in the past. He deserved it, he knew, but how was he supposed to have told her about Mili? When they first met, there had been no need. Later on, it hardly seemed the time. Darius could hear the conversation in his mind: “Thank you so much for the kiss, Dearra. It was the most wonderful moment in my entire life. And oh, by the way, I’m married.” Or better yet, “Now that I’ve told you I love you, I should probably mention Mili?” Darius shuddered at the thought. If Dearra noticed, she gave no indication and only continued to walk.
The moon was fully risen by the time they reached the rocky beach. Darius held his breath in anticipation of the conversation they were about to have. He saw that her eyes had returned to normal, and he supposed it a good sign, even though it only meant she had her anger under control, not that it was gone.
She turned to face him and he braced for the storm, but none of the scenarios he’d imagined on their trek to that spot had prepared him for the pain of what came next. Dearra opened her mouth to speak, but instead, she collapsed onto the sharp stones beneath them and wept bitterly, grasping onto his legs for support. Darius was left speechless as a sharp stab of agony tore through his chest. This was followed by an equally excruciating jolt to his mind. Brin was close enough to know everything that was happening, and he was echoing Dearra’s obvious pain. Darius silently thanked Brin for not interfering.
Darius lowered himself to the ground to cradle Dearra in his arms. “Please, Dearra,” he begged, rocking her gently, “I can take anything but your tears.”
“Who is she?” Dearra said, her voice thick with misery.
“No one, I swear. She’s no one.”
“Darius!”
“All right, Dearra. Don’t cry, my love. I’ll tell you everything, just…please, don’t cry.”
Dearra fought to control her breathing and hiccupped a little as she swallowed back her tears and leaned into his chest.
“She is my wife,” Darius began. He felt Dearra tense in his arms, and hurried to explain. “But it’s not like a joining. That comes later. In my world, station is everything. We are married off as infants for the familial ties those unions provide. I was married to Mili when she was still in her cradle.”
“And you are bound to that joining?” Dearra asked, unable to comprehend a marriage where neither party was bound by any vows of faithfulness, not to mention love. “Even though you had no say in the match?”
“We are married as children, but we are joined as adults. She was to become my banu, my bride, when I returned from our raid to Maj. I put it off as long as I could, but my father had become insistent. Her family is very powerful, and my constant delays were becoming an embarrassment for him, and my father told me I needed to be done with it. Once she birthed my first son I could have easily cast her aside and never have had to look at her again, but that was something I just couldn’t do. I couldn’t formalize our union in good conscience. I was waiting—I didn’t even know what for—but now I know it was you, Dearra. I was waiting for you. I had no idea what love even was until you showed me.”
Darius finished speaking and waited expectantly for her reply. He prayed to whatever gods were listening that she would see he never meant to hurt her. Surely she understood that it was only a formality and that he had had no say in the matter.
When she finally spoke, her voice was more even than it had been before, and Darius allowed the tension building inside him to ease a fraction. “You hurt me, Darius,” she said, almost too softly to be heard.
“I know, Dearra. But I swear on my life it was never intentional. I would do anything to earn back your trust.”
“Anything?” she asked hesitantly, her voice quavering slightly as she strained to control the anguish she felt.
“Anything! I swear, my love. Anything.” Darius knew he should stay focused, but he couldn’t help himself, and he lavished small kisses across her tear stained face, pausing only when she opened her mouth to speak.
“Darius,” she began.
“Yes, love?” he asked hopefully.
“Tell me…”
“Yes, Dearra,” he encouraged.
“Tell me what happened between us in your room back in Maj was my fault,” she said in a rush.
If the sea had dried up in an instant and fish had started falling from the sky, Darius couldn’t have been more surprised than he was at that moment.
“Dearra, you can’t be serious,” he whispered.
Dearra sat straighter in his lap and said with all sincerity, “I’ve never been more serious in my life. You did say you would do anything.”
“And if I do this, you’ll forgive me?”
“Oh, I forgave you when you told me you had been waiting for me without even knowing it, but since you offered to do anything, I’d be a fool to pass up this opportunity.” A small grin grew on her lips, and she swiped at the few, remaining tears that remained on her face.
“Dearra. That’s—”
Dearra smiled triumphantly. “Anything. You said,”
Darius sighed. “Fine. It was all your fault. Now, kiss me, Dearra.” As her lips met his, the sting of his coerced confession eased slightly.
“So now what?” Dearra asked, once their lips had parted.
“Now what?”
“Yeah. How do you get out of this marriage thing? There must be some way to end this arrangement.”
Darius chuckled a little before answering. “Don’t worry about it, Dearra. I left that ‘marriage’ behind when I left the Breken.”
“Does she feel that way about it?”
“Well, no, not exactly. But it has nothing to do with her having any sort of feelings for me. She just wants the power and position. She may be daughter of the highest ranked house, but that doesn’t really mean much in the grand scheme of things. Now, if she were mother of the heir to the Fourth House with ties to Falco, then her position would be more secure.”
“Your people are really twisted, you know that, right?”
“Look who’s talking! Brin told me about your family tree, Dearra. It’s the Breken in you that works every situation so it ends to your advantage.”
“That’s ridiculous! I don’t—”
“Stop! Just stop before you embarrass yourself. Wasn’t it you who just said you had already forgiven me, but would be a fool to pass up the opportunity to get me to concede to your argument?”
Dearra blushed and looked down at her boots.
“That’s what I thought.”
“Be that as it may,” she said, “you still haven’t answered my question. How exactly do you get out of this marriage?”
“You are the most stubborn woman I have ever met.”
“Yes, I am. Now, answer me.”
Knowing he had been beaten, Darius gracefully gave in to her demand. As they walked back toward the inn, he detailed the finer points of Breken divorce.
Chapter 22
They held hands on their return to the inn, Dearra walking closely beside Darius. The day had been a long one, and Dearra felt as though she hadn’t slept in a week. All she could think about was how much she wanted to slip into bed and get some much needed rest. But just as the inn was in sight, Brin said, Oh, no! It can’t be!
Darius drew his sword and put Dearra behind him, and since she was unarmed, she didn’t think to argue. Before they had time to question the cause of Brin’s anxiety, he said, Get back to the inn! Now!
“What Brin? What is it?” Dearra asked as she ran toward the inn.
It’s Jacob; he’s here.
They flew up the stairs, Darius taking them two at a time. “Where, Brin?” he growled at him from the top step.
Before Brin could answer the question, Carly screamed and Darius crashed through the girls’ bedroom door.
Jacob stood there looking almost as stunned as Carly, making it evident he had not expected Carly to be there at that particular moment. Jacob’s sword was drawn. He held a knife in the other hand. He and Darius stood facing one another, both sizing the other up, neither one of them moving.
Carly had backed into the corner of the room. A thin trickle of blood ran down her neck indicating Jacob had held the knife there in an attempt to ensure her silence.
Daniel was next to barge through the door. Seeing as Carly’s scream had knocked all rational thought from his head, he wore a shirt which remained unbuttoned, and though he had managed to don pants, his feet were bare. He had also forgotten his sword. He looked at Carly and saw the blood that pooled in the hollow of her throat and dripped lazily to the floor. His eyes flashed pain, then rage, and he turned to Jacob, but Darius stopped his charge to prevent him from harm.
The Destiny Series Boxed Set: Books 1-3 Page 42