The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

No. Just Yeine. I lowered my hand, letting him choose. I would respect his decision if he rejected me. ButWas this what you wanted?

Wanted? The look on his face would have gratified colder hearts than mine. He put his arms around me, and I pulled him close and held him tightly. Ah, Yeine, youre still such a mortal, he whispered against my breast. But I felt him trembling.

Over Siehs head, I looked at my other children. Stepchildren, perhaps; yes, that was a safer way to think of them. Zhakkarn inclined her head to me, a soldier acknowledging a new commander. She would obey, which was not quite what I wanted, but it would do for now.

Kurue, though, was another matter.

Gently disentangling myself from Sieh, I stepped toward her. Kurue dropped immediately to one knee and bowed her head.

I will not beg your forgiveness, she said. Only her voice betrayed her fear; it was not its usual strong, clear tone. I did what I felt was right.

Of course you did, I said. It was the wise thing to do. As I had done with Sieh, I reached out and stroked her hair. It was long and silver in this form of hers, like metal spun into curls. Beautiful.

I let it trail through my fingers as Kurue fell to the floor, dead.

Yeine. Sieh, sounding stunned. For the moment I ignored him, because my eyes happened to meet Zhakkarns as I looked up. She inclined her head again, and I knew then that I had earned a measure of her respect.

Darr, I said.

Ill see to things, Zhakkarn replied, and vanished.

The amount of relief I felt surprised me. Perhaps I had not left my humanity so very far behind after all.

Then I turned to face everyone in the chamber. A branch was growing across the room, but I touched it and it grew in a different direction, out of the way. You, too, I said to Scimina, who blanched and stepped back.

No, said Nahadoth abruptly. He turned to Scimina then and smiled; the room grew darker. This one is mine.

No, she whispered, taking another step back. If she could have boltedanother branch had covered the stairway entranceIm certain she would have, though of course that would have been pointless. Just kill me.

No more orders, Nahadoth said. He lifted a hand, the fingers curling as if to grip an invisible leash, and Scimina cried out as she was jerked forward, falling to her knees at his feet. She clutched at her throat, fingers scrabbling for some way to free herself, but there was nothing there. Naha leaned down, taking her chin in his fingers, and laid a kiss on her lips that was no less chilling for its tenderness. I will kill you, Scimina, never fear. Just not yet.

I felt no pity. That, too, was a remnant of my humanity.

Which left only Dekarta.

He sat on the floor, where he had been thrown during the manifestation of my tree. When I went to him, I could see the throbbing ache in his hip, which was broken, and the unstable flutter of his heart. Too many shocks. It had not been a good night for him. But he smiled as I crouched before him, to my surprise.

A goddess, he said, then barked out a single laugh that was remarkably free of bitterness. Ah, Kinneth never did things by half measures, did she?

In spite of myself, I shared his smile. No. She didnt.

So, then. He lifted his chin and regarded me imperiously, which would have worked better if he had not been panting due to his heart. What of us, Goddess Yeine? What of your human kin?

I wrapped my arms around my knees, balancing on my toes. I had forgotten to make shoes.

Youll choose another heir, who will hold on to your power as best he can. Whether he succeeds or not, we will be gone, Naha and I, and Itempas will be useless to you. It should be interesting to see what mortals make of the world without our constant interference.

Dekarta stared at me in disbelief and horror. Without the gods, every nation on this planet will rise up to destroy us. Then theyll turn on each other.

Perhaps.

Perhaps?

It will definitely happen, I said, if your descendants are fools. But the Enefadeh have never been the Arameris sole weapon, Grandfather; you know that better than anyone. You have more wealth than any single nation, enough to hire and equip whole armies. You have the Itempan priesthood, and they will be very motivated to spread your version of the truth, since they are threatened, too. And you have your own fine-honed viciousness, which has served well enough as a weapon all this time. I shrugged. The Arameri can survive, and perhaps even retain power for a few generations. Enough, hopefully, to temper the worst of the worlds wrath.

There will be change, said Nahadoth, who was suddenly beside me. Dekarta drew back, but there was no malice in Nahadoths eyes. Slavery was what had driven him half mad; already he was healing. There must be change. The Arameri have kept the world still for too long, against nature. This must now correct itself in blood.