The Golden Dynasty(93)

“He was going to kill her!” I exclaimed.

“And if he did he would face the Dax for that, not you. Not you, Circe. The Dax.”

“Two members of The Horde took my back,” I told her quietly.

She straightened and snapped, “What?”

“Bain and Zahnin both backed me up, they supported me,” I explained.

“Yes, I heard that too. And you can only hope that the Dax, who never but never in all the years I’ve known him as Dax been tolerant, today feels tolerant, for he could order their heads for standing against their brother.”

I sucked in breath, felt my throat close and my eyes widen all at the exact same time.

She saw my look and nodded once. Then she said softly with strained calm and more than a little fear, “Yes, he could do that, Circe.” She paused before finishing, “And, he could order yours.”

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

“That’s a good idea, my friend, pray to your God. I fear you will need Him right now,” she whispered back and I saw fear had saturated her eyes and her hands were shaking.

Yep, I’d seriously fucked up.

The tent flaps slapped opened, my eyes snapped in that direction to see the warriors tense then step aside and then Lahn bent and entered.

I stopped breathing.

Bain, Zahnin and Seerim followed him but I only had eyes for Lahn.

I took him in, trying to read him but his face was blank as he took four steps toward me, stopped and crossed his arms on his chest. He was watching me the whole time but giving nothing away.

When he stopped moving he kept watching me.

I didn’t know if I should bow before him, ask him if I could explain, plead for my life (and Bain and Zahnin’s) or burst into the terrified tears that threatened to singe my throat.

So I just sat there, staring up at him.

This lasted awhile.

Then he turned his head and jerked a chin at Diandra which I didn’t know what that meant until he immediately turned back to me and started talking.

Diandra, catching his drift, translated.

“My tigress, it seems, unsheathes more than her claws.”

Oh fuck. I didn’t think that was a good start.

I felt it prudent to stay silent.

Lahn spoke. “You drew a warrior’s blood, my queen.”

I pressed my lips together and stayed quiet.

“You were the second woman today to draw his blood. He caught steel from his wife before you.”

The wound in his shoulder. She fought back.

There was something tragically beautiful about that.

I didn’t share this with Lahn. I kept my mouth shut.

He stared at me. I withstood it and kept my peace.

Then he said softly with Diandra interpreting, “I see it, even from here, shining in your eyes.”

I sucked in a breath that I dearly needed and ventured softly, “Linay tela?” See what?

“Your spirit, my warrior queen,” he replied just as softly using my language.

Okay, was that good?

He kept talking softy but reverted to Korwahk with Diandra translating.

“I have passed judgment, my tigress, and it will not be a decision you will like. But I am your king and it is my ruling so it will be done.”

“Wh… what is your decision?” I whispered when he didn’t go on.

“My warriors stood by their queen; they are not to be punished. They have been assigned as your personal guard and were doing what I commanded. They have vowed to take a blade should they need to do so in order to save your life. The situation you placed them in was grave, Dortak’s intention was to end his wife’s life and your intervention meant once he’d used his blade on her, he would have turned that steel on you. In order to keep you safe, they acted on their vows to me. They did what they were expected to do therefore they will not feel my censure.”

Well, that was good.

“Oh… okay.” I whispered.

“You, my Circe, should not have put them in the position to have to choose between their queen and their brother. It was not them but you who made a bad decision.”

Oh shit.

He stared at me again. My mouth went dry.

Then as his gaze stayed locked on mine, I watched as something I didn’t get flashed in his eyes before he murmured, “Kah teenkah rahna tunakanahsa.”

Diandra whispered, “My little golden warrior.”

Okay, I didn’t know. Was that good?

Lahn fell silent. I swallowed.

Then he spoke with Diandra translating. “I ask, in future, my tigress, that if you intend to be a warrior, you think like a warrior and that would mean, before you bare your claws or unsheathe your steel, you… actually… think.”

Okay, he said “in future” which would intimate I had one.

“Lahn,” I whispered.

He spoke over me (as did Diandra). “I must have her life, Circe.”