Page 77 of The Warrior
“Yes, we did,” she confirmed with a serious expression.
Mr. Zobel placed his hand on my shoulder. “Your father would be rolling in his grave, Magni. All this talk about being good neighbors to the Motlanders…” He paused when we entered one of the many rooms in his house, gesturing for me to take a seat in what had to be the ugliest couch I had ever seen. While he poured brandy into crystal glasses, I looked at the yellow fabric with the little birds and couldn’t decide what I disliked the most: the yellow couch or the mint-green cushions with prints of candy on them. If Finn were here, he would have been pointing out the obvious: the chocolate print had the color and shape of turds.
“What was Khan thinking, missing an opportunity like this?” Zobel came closer, handing me one of the glasses. “There’s no better time to attack your enemy than when they are weak.”
I shrugged. “That’s what I said, but Khan wouldn’t listen, and with a Motlander as his wife it was a tough choice for him.”
Zobel gave a sideways glance to my mother. “Erika, dear, would you mind getting that book on medicine I bought at the latest auction? I want to show it to Magni. It’s in the library.”
“Of course.” My mother nodded her head and smiled at me. “I’ll also see if I can find the book on art that I told you about.”
As soon as she had left, Mr. Zobel drew me closer with a hand on my arm. “She’s going to be searching for a while. That book isn’t in the library. It was a ploy to get you alone so you can tell me the truth, what is going on? We hear rumors of Khan being controlled by his wife.”
“Pearl is a strong woman with a lot of influence over him,” I admitted.
Being almost a head shorter than me, Mr. Zobel was looking up with a speculative expression on his face. “Can’t you reason with him?”
“I tried.”
“And he thinks our people are just going to stand by and watch him take our enemy’s side?”
I shrugged with a sigh. “You know Khan, he’s strategic and never does anything without a plan. He has managed to get things through that no one before him has ever done. Within the next ten years, there will be males on the Motlander Council. Finn is now living in the Motherlands with his wife, Athena. None of that would’ve been possible if Khan hadn’t negotiated it.”
Mr. Zobel didn’t look impressed. “Why take crumbs when you could eat the whole cake?” he asked in a low voice. “Your father wouldn’t have hesitated, and neither would you if you had been the ruler.”
I frowned.
Mr. Zobel looked down, rocking back and forth on his heels. “I never told you this, but your father once said that he wished you had been his firstborn.”
“I know, he said the same thing to Khan and me when he was in a bad mood.” It wasn’t something I liked to think about.
“Magni, I’ve known you since you were a baby and I’m soon going to marry your mother. I feel like that puts me in a close position to you and I would like for us to be honest with each other.”
“I’m always honest.”
“That you are, but the subject I’d like to discuss with you is sensitive in nature. Can I trust you?” He rubbed the long narrow beard that went to his chest.
“Is this about my mom?”
“No, it’s about you.”
His serious demeanor made me fire my next question at him. “You’ve heard rumors, haven’t you?” Of course they would be talking about Laura leaving me.
“More like speculations and whispers.”
“About me?”
“Yes. Are you happy with Khan?”
“Fuck no.” My answer was honest. “He won’t listen to reason and most days I want to punch him back to the way he was before he met Pearl.”
Mr. Zobel’s lips pursed. “Have you considered what good you could do for our country if you were to take your brother’s place?”
I stiffened. “What are you talking about?
Mr. Zobel looked to the door, making sure no one was near. “I’m a wealthy and influential man,” he said in a low and conspiratorial voice. “Your father always praised you for your strength and loyalty to our country. People are questioning where Khan’s loyalty lies, and whispers are growing louder. Many agree that things would be better with you as the ruler.”
“I doubt that our people want me as their ruler.”
