Page 75 of The Silent
“Compared to you, I am small. Why would I mind your telling thetruth?”
“Good point.” Leo climbed to his feet. “For the record, I didn’tstartthis.”
“I didn’t think you had.” Sura began walking, and Leo fell in beside him. “I’m not going to try to explain my brother. That’s not my job. As I’m sure you can imagine, your relationship with Kyra will cause some to disapprove. I hope you don’t think that all my brothers or I feel the same way as Niran. His feelings arehisown.”
“I don’t.” Leo stopped. “I didn’t think I had the right to love her. Not for years. I didn’t think she would even want me in that way when she’d been through so much. But I think she does love me, and I’m not going to be noble for anyoneexcepther.”
Sura frowned. “She chose you. It has nothing to do with rights or being noble. You love her and she chose you. You honor her byrespectingthat.”
“She is myreshon.”
Sura smiled a little and began walking again. “In my hopeful moments, I like to think the Creator has such a blessing for the children of the Fallen as well as the children of the Forgiven. If we prove worthyofit.”
“Ava has Fallen blood. Kyra has Fallen blood. Why should the daughters of the Fallen be capable of soul mates but nottheirsons?”
“An excellent question,” Sura said. “Logically, I think you are correct. But when we have no experience of something, it is often hard toimagineit.”
“True.”
“For many of us, hope like that feels greedy.” Sura turned and looked up at Leo. “All of us live knowing that our births probably killed our human mothers. Most of us feed on human energy, often stolen from those who die giving it to us. We are not optimists, and we don’t come by virtuenaturally.”
“If virtue was natural, it would have no value,” Leo said. “The Irin aren’t perfecteither.”
“Perhaps not,” Sura said. “But you start from a culture where you are valued for being good. We start from theopposite.”
“If I were the Creator,” Leo said, “that would make the sacrifices and the life you and your brothers lead even more worthy ofreward.”
Sura laughed. “Then I only hope our Creator is as generousasyou.”
ChapterFifteen
Kyra had avoidedspending time with Alyah as much as possible. Unlike Ginny, the Thai Irina didn’t have the easy American temperament that made casual conversation simple. Alyah reminded Kyra of her brother. She was focused and serious. Smart and frighteningly efficient. Though she was patient with thekareshtaat the temple in Chiang Mai, she had never been warm likeGinny.
So when Alyah knocked on Kyra’s door the next afternoon while Leo and Niran were scouting the border, Kyra wassurprised.
“Leo said you have no longevity spells,” Alyah said, “which puts your life indanger.”
“I…” How did one respond to something so intensely personal? “He’s correct,” Kyra said quietly. “Kareshtahave no longevityspells.”
Not that it was any of Alyah’s business. Kyra didn’t like talking about her impending death with anyone, much less someone who didn’t seem to like her. She was having a hard time not being angry with Leo for mentioning it, even though Kyra was sure he had a purpose. Just like he’d had a purpose talking to Ginny about it. Then Ginny had become angry and hadn’t spoken to Kyraagain.
“You are necessary for this mission,” Alyah said. “I don’t want to insert myself into your and Leo’s… relationship. But your health is a priority if this mission is going to succeed. I hope you would find it acceptable if I sang a longevity spell for you. I can’t guarantee it will last for long, but it should give us some breathing room. A few days at least. I can always repeat it ifnecessary.”
So Alyah was willing to give Kyra this magic, but only because she was “necessary?”
It made Kyra feel small, like she had when she was younger and Barak called her “useful.” Her father wanted her around to strengthen Kostas, but he occasionally acknowledged Kyra’s gifts as well. The recognition made her feel less, not more. Perhaps because it was given soreluctantly.
It didn’t matter what Kyra’s feelings were. She was getting tired more quickly, which she’d initially put down to jet lag, but she’d been in Thailand for weeks. It wasn’tjetlag.
“Well?” Alyah asked. “Will you allow me to singoveryou?”
Kyra nodded and opened the door to allow Alyah in the bungalow. Alyah scanned the room quickly, taking in the luxuriously appointed bed, flowers, andcandles.
“They gave you the best room,” she said. “That’snice.”
“Perhaps because they thought we were newlymarried.”
“Aren’t you?” Alyah said. “Inaway.”
