"I don't want to disappoint any of you," she murmured. "Especially not him. Mansr, I can't help but think it's my fault that Ne'Rin betrayed him."

"It's not your fault," he said with A'Ran's firmness. "Ne'Rin's father betrayed A'Ran's father. Each man followed in his father's shadow. You were an excuse for him to do what he did."

"Ne'Rin's father?" she echoed, surprised to learn she'd overheard them plotting without knowing what they were doing. "That's awful."

"It is. He's asked Leyon to step into Ne'Rin's role."

"Mansr, what about Gage?" she asked more quietly.

"A'Ran told me," he said grimly. "He's taken on the responsibility of raising her child, if she chooses not to mate with another."

"She'll be heartbroken."

"Likely, but Ne'Rin would have killed you all without a second thought, as his father did the rest of their family. At least she and her babe will live."

"There's no saving Ne'Rin from whatever his issue is?" she asked, upset.

"A'Ran's already acted."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Ne'Rin is no longer a threat."

She shivered. She didn't doubt A'Ran could be ruthless if he felt his family was threatened. She didn't like to think of how violent the man in control of a world always at war could be. She glanced down absently at the tickle of grass against her feet.

"Can I do anything more useful than this?" she asked.

"It will come," he said. "I know you are tired, but there is a place I'd like to show you."

She hesitated, ashamed to feel a sense of suspicion after Ne'Rin's betrayal. She looked at Mansr, whose sharp gaze took in her features.

"It can wait," he offered.

"No, I'm sorry," she said. "Just a little …" She didn't finished but sensed he understood.

He rose and started toward the entrance. She trailed, stepping into the chilled desert night. Mansr strode down one of the many paths lining the rocky hills, away from the encampment and into a part of the hills untouched by any but the moons' light. Kiera went, resisting the urge to call A'Ran. She had nothing to fear from these people, especially not Mansr, a blood relative of A'Ran and his sisters.

He walked farther than she preferred before disappearing into a dark crevice. She waited at the top of the sloping walkway until she saw the outline of a door as he cracked it open. The outline turned to a bright square of light, and she followed him again.




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