Page 102 of Night's Reckoning
She felt the blood in her veins rise. Felt her fangs lengthen.
She smelled the cooking fires and heard the ponies. The sound of laughter and the pain as they kicked her. She lunged toward the bronze blade in the soldier’s hand, eager for a swift death. They laughed again. They slapped her. They broke her.
Until she broke them.
Ben’s heartbeat steadied her.
Tenzin raised her eyes to her father’s and spoke softly. “You will do this for me.”
His face was full of compassion. Sorrow, even. But his eyes were resolute. “My daughter, he did not want—”
“You!” She flew straight up and looked her sire level in the eye. “You will do this. Forme. For your only child. For the daughter who killed your sons. For thewarriorwho led your armies.” She pointed at Ben, whose pulse was starting to fade. “You will do this forme.”
Her sire was silent as a stone.
“Zhang Guolao, I killed your children one by one. Every child of your amnis was laid to the ground and the earthdrank their blood.” She beat her breast. “I did that! And now I offer you another.”
His eyes burned her. “If you are so determined, change him yourself.”
Her breath stopped. “I cannot.”
“Why?”
She screamed in his face.
“Tell me why, Tenzin.” Zhang’s voice was a whisper.
“You know why.” Her voice broke. “Youknow.”
His face softened, but his eyes did not. “Daughter, I know this man. Hedid notwant this.”
“You will do this for me.” Tenzin’s voice was a low promise. “You will change him. You will give him your power and your life. Or you will benothingto me.”
He blinked.
“I will have no father in this life or in eternity. I will not see you. I will not speak of you. Your name will be dead on my tongue, and the language you dream in will never cross my lips again.”
Zhang’s eyes went wide. “You are mydaughter.”
She gripped his collar. “I will havenofather.” Tears poured down her face. “Hear this now: if you deny me this, I will never speak your mother’s words again.” She made her voice the blade that would slay him. “And when the long night comes that your soul departs this body, there will beno oneto sing the songs of your fathers that will lead you to your ancestors.”
His face went blank.
“You will be lost. You will benothing.” Tenzin swallowed the hatred that threatened to choke her and whispered, “So you will do this for me.”
Zhang walked over and gently picked up Ben’s body.
Tenzin waited.
And waited.
Zhang looked at Tenzin. Then looked at Ben. He put a hand on Ben’s pale cheek. “I will do this for you.”
She fell to the ground and put her face to the earth.“Aabmen.”
“Send the humans away,” he said. “And leave.”
Her eyes flew up to his. “I will not.”
