Page 154 of Dawn Caravan
“Whatever it was you had to give Zhang to make him turn me.”
Tenzin looked up and straight into his eyes. “Yes.”
No hesitation. No doubt. Not even a shadow of it.
“If you want to tell me—”
“I don’t.”
He stared at her and saw nothing hidden except the answer she knew he wouldn’t give her. “Okay. I won’t ask.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m still going to get angry sometimes,” he said. “I’m still going to get mad that I’m not who I was, because I worked really hard to make that person.”
“I understand.”
“So don’t forget this moment. And remember that wherever I go when I’m angry, I want to get back here.”
Tenzin nodded. “I will remember.”
“I love you.” He gripped a hand in her hair. “And I will learn to love this life.”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
She frowned. “For loving me.”
“I didn’t have much choice about it.” He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You just kind of worked your way in there.”
“No,” she said firmly. “Love—real love—is always a choice.” She kissed the center of his chest.“Baina min khar.Sha bol min yash.”
“What does that mean?”
She kissed him full on the lips, pressing her mouth to his over and over while she ran her fingers through his hair, trailed them along his jaw, and let them come to rest over his heart.
“It means that when you are angry, I will remember.”
* * *
Tatyana,Kezia, and Radu sat at a table in the center of the camp, just next to the bonfire, watching the musicians on the stage.
“It will be the first time two women have been on the terrin,” Radu said. “The Poshani are becoming very progressive.”
Kezia and Tatyana exchanged a look.
“Oh yes,” Kezia said. “Very progressive.”
“We’re still deciding what we will do with the Hazar and darigan who followed Vano,” Kezia said. “But they have all been identified.”
Radu looked at Tenzin and Ben. “I hope this does not affect your trust in the kamvasa.”
Ben glanced at the full circle of trailers. “It doesn’t look like you’ve lost any guests.”
“Not so far,” Tatyana said. “But if rumors start…”
“They won’t have come from us,” Tenzin said. “What happened to Vano?”
