Page 43 of Vows of Sacrifice

“Is there nothing left between you?” Ashana persisted instead of answering me.

Which frankly annoyed me. I sank onto the edge of the bed, then pinched the bridge of my nose to stave off a throbbing pain in my head, before closing my eyes for a brief moment.

“The truth is, Ashana, just before I met you, I still imagined myself returning home as a conqueror to ask for the Isamane’s hand in marriage. Then I received a missive from Elendur ordering me to take you as my wife. For yes, it was an order, and for some reason I can’t explain yet, I couldn’t resist it, even if I wanted to. I didn’t want to cause you unnecessary worry by making you doubt my loyalty.”

I felt rather than saw Ashana approaching me.

“I prefer you to be honest. I don’t see us building our relationship on a lie or a half-truth.”

She sat down beside me, but I still didn’t dare face her. It was complicated, all these feelings as tumultuous as the clouds of a coming storm.

“I am aware that you were also forced into this affair which binds us. It’s normal for a man of your, uh, age . . .”

I turned my head slightly in her direction, then raised a questioning eyebrow. I saw her hold back a smile.

“ . . . and in good health to have, well, to have had, an active love life.”

“What an elegant way to put it,” I joked, amused by her innocent attempt.

Ashana straightened up.

“Isn’t that so? So, I can’t blame you for having had your heart already taken by another before we were united before the One God,” she continued.

I didn’t speak right away. Could it be . . .

“Ashana, you do realize that Elendur’s planned ceremony is that of the Dark Gods, right?”

The young woman gave me a smile so radiant that I almost squinted to avoid being dazzled.

“During your absence at supper, the King and I discussed precisely this detail.”

“You discussed it,” I repeated mechanically.

To which she nodded.

“We found a compromise.”

“You reached a compromise with the king?”

Getting better and better. Ashana rolled her eyes. It didn’t bode well for me. Clearly. However, did I have to worry her now?

“Are you going to repeat everything I say? If so, it’s going to be a long night.”

This time, I smile broadly just to tease her.

“I like long nights.”

Unfortunately for me, my wife did not understand the innuendo and nodded again.

“You’d be delighted to live in Muvaria, then. Long nights, that’s all there is to it.”

I abandoned the idea of making her think about the erotic games of love that kept young couples awake. Alas, she was far too pure to have a mind as twisted as mine. I might as well get to the heart of the matter:

“I’m repeating what you said because I’m rather surprised. Knowing Elendur as I do, such a propensity to be conciliatory is surprising.”

Ashana seemed to ponder my statement for a moment.

“I think it’s all in the way you approach it.”

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