Page 156 of Crimson Oath
Mika was whispering furiously. “You have to answer. Tatyana, you have to answer.”
Tatyana stared at Tenzin, a tiny vampire who had—perhaps unknowingly or perhaps not—blown up her entire existence.
She’d wanted to remain with the Poshani. She could admit that now. She wanted to remain. But she was no one’s leader. She was barely a vampire herself.
Mika hissed, “Stand up. You have to dosomething.”
She stood and turned to Oleg, but he said nothing.
Tatyana’s eyes went wide with a silent plea:Tell me what to do!
Oleg only gave her one infuriating raised eyebrow.Your decision, little wolf.
His silence was everything and nothing.
Oleg couldn’t help her. He couldn’t say anything. Any influence would be a sign of interference, and it would damage his alliance with the Poshani.
The crowd was quiet when Tatyana walked down the steps, her feet moving on a kind of autopilot.
She couldn’t do this.
There was no way she could do this.
She saw the Hazar who had greeted her at the bottom of the stairs.
“Surati.” He smiled and inclined his head. “Surati.”
She made her way forward as the crowd parted, her mind racing about what she should say. What she should do.
Surely they would pick someone else.
Theyhadto pick someone else.
Other Poshani took up the address as she walked.
“Surati,” an older man said. “Surati!”
“My sister, you are called!”
This could not be happening.
She saw Rumi and Desiree at the end of the makeshift aisle the Poshani crowd had formed for her, and as she reached her friend, Desiree held up a hand and put another flower crown on her head.
The old women she had chopped onions with nodded and muttered their approval. “Good,” one said quietly. “Yes, it’s good.”
“Please,” Rumi whispered. “Tatyana, you have been called to this.”
“This was meant to be,” Desiree said from beside her. “Tanya, the Kali has spoken.”
Rumi continued her hushed encouragement. “If you take it now, no one will question it.”
Desiree whispered again, “It is the will of the Kali.”
With one last parting look at Rumi, Tatyana mounted the steps, the whispered entreaties of the people who had welcomed her into their community ringing in her ears.
Kezia said something, but she didn’t hear it.
Radu tried to speak, but it was as if he was mumbling through water.
