The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms

But then the palace shuddered. For an instant I wondered if this tremor signified some new threat, and then I remembered. Sunset.

Oh demons, Viraine muttered into the silence. An instant later I and every other person in the room was thrown sprawling in a blast of wind and bitter, painful cold.

It took me a moment to struggle upright, and when I did, my knife was gone. The room was chaos around me; I heard groans of pain, curses, shouts of alarm. When I glanced toward the lift, I could see several people crowding its opening, trying to cram their way in. I forgot all of this, though, when I looked toward the center of the room.

It was difficult to see Nahadoths face. He crouched near Sieh, his head bowed, and the blackness of his aura was as it had been my first night in Sky, so dark that it hurt the mind. I focused instead on the floor, where the chains that had held Sieh lay shattered, their tips glistening with frost. Sieh himself I could not see entirelyonly one of his hands, dangling limp, before Nahadoths cloak swept around him, swallowing him into darkness.

Scimina. There was that hollow, echoing quality to Nahadoths voice again. Was the madness upon him? No; this was just pure, plain rage.

But Scimina, who had also been knocked to the floor, got to her high-heeled feet and composed herself. Nahadoth, she said, more calmly than I would have imagined. Her weapon was gone, too, but she was a true Arameri, unafraid of the gods wrath. How good of you to join us at last. Put him down.

Nahadoth stood and flicked his cloak back. Sieh, a young man now, whole and clothed, stood beside him glaring defiantly at Scimina. Somewhere deep inside me, a knot of tension relaxed.

We had an agreement, Nahadoth said, still in that voice echoing with murder.

Indeed, Scimina said, and now it was her smile that frightened me. Youll serve as well as Sieh for this purpose. Kneel. She pointed at the bloody space and its empty chains.

For an instant the sense of power in the room swelled, like pressure against the eardrums. The walls creaked. I shuddered beneath it, wondering if this was it. Scimina had made some error, left some opening, and now Nahadoth would crush us all like insects.

But then, to my utter shock, Nahadoth moved away from Sieh and went to the center of the room. He knelt.

Scimina turned to me, where I still half-lay on the floor. Shamed, I got to my feet. I was surprised to see that there was still an audience around us, though it was now sparseTvril, Viraine, a handful of servants, perhaps twenty highbloods. I suppose the highbloods took some inspiration from Sciminas fearlessness.

This will be an education for you, Cousin, she said, still in that sweet, polite tone that I was coming to hate. She resumed pacing, watching Nahadoth with an expression that was almost avid. Had you been raised here in Sky, or taught properly by your mother, you would know this but allow me to explain. It is difficult to damage an Enefadeh. Their human bodies repair themselves constantly and swiftly, through the benevolence of our Father Itempas. But they do have weaknesses, Cousin; one must simply understand these. Viraine.

Viraine had gotten to his feet as well, though he seemed to be favoring his left wrist. He eyed Scimina warily. Youll take responsibility with Dekarta?

She swung on him so fast that if the wand had still been in her hand, Viraine might have suffered a mortal wound. Dekarta will be dead in days, Viraine. He is not whom you should fear now.

Viraine stood his ground. Im simply doing my job, Scimina, and advising you on the consequences. It may be weeks before hes useful again

Scimina made a sound of savage frustration. Does it look as though I care?

There was a pent moment, the two of them facing each other, during which I honestly thought Viraine had a chance. They were both fullbloods. But Viraine was not in line for the succession, and Scimina wasand in the end, Scimina was right. It was no longer Dekartas will that mattered.

I looked at Sieh, who was staring at Nahadoth with an unreadable expression on his too-old face. Both were gods more ancient than life on earth. I could not imagine such a length of existence. A day of pain was probably nothing to them but not to me.

Enough, I said softly. The word carried in the vaulted space of the arena. Viraine and Scimina both looked at me in surprise. Sieh, too, swung around to stare at me, puzzled. And Nahadothno. I could not look at him. He would think me weak for this.

Not weak, I reminded myself. Human. I am still that, at least.

Enough, I said again, lifting my head with what remained of my pride. Stop this. Ill tell you whatever you want to know.

Yeine, said Sieh, sounding shocked.

Scimina smirked. Even if you werent the sacrifice, Cousin, you could never have been Grandfathers heir.

I glared at her. I will take that as a compliment, Cousin, if you are the example I should follow.