“
I’m giving you a chance to walk away, to live. Don’t be a fool--take it.”
Cannan tucked his knife into the shaft of his boot, then cast his eyes over Steldor, Galen, Adrik and Koranis. All resolutely met his gaze.
“I don’t see fear in this room, Narian,” he said, shaking his head. “Do what you must, as will we.”
“Then you’re asking to die!” For a moment there was a pleading note in Narian’s voice, an indication of how torn he was about his position. He didn’t want to put these men to death. “If I arrest you, you will be executed. If I let you go forward, you will fail.”
“The only way we could fail,” Steldor interjected in a low voice, “is by accepting what you have handed our people. We owe this to them.”
“You owe them your leadership, not the sacrifice of your lives. The High Priestess will not relinquish this province, in that she is unyielding. She and the Overlord fought too long and too hard for it. Don’t do this.”
My uncle approached the Cokyrian commander with an almost sympathetic expression. His dark eyes had lost none of their determination, but he meant to reach the young man with his words.
“Who are you, Narian?” The question was strange, but Narian seemed to understand its significance. “From the moment you set foot in Hytanica, you have tried to play both sides. You’ve spent far too long being a Cokyrian with Hytanican blood, and it ends now, for better or worse. There is no more in between, so do what you must. Either have us arrested, or allow us to go forward.”
Narian met Cannan’s gaze, not discomfited by the taller man’s proximity. In truth, he had nothing at all to fear from us, what with the powers he possessed. But I wished I could see something in his eyes, some indication of what he would do from here.
“Very well, Captain. I will do as you say--what I must.”
Showing us his back, Narian ascended the stairs, disappearing through the cellar door. Steldor immediately made to follow, but Cannan grasped his shirt.
“Let me go,” my cousin snapped, but his father stepped closer, until their faces were just inches apart.
“Don’t be reckless,” the captain muttered. “He will kill you if you challenge him.”
Steldor gave in, and his father released his grip.
“Then what do we do?” Galen asked.
“Nothing has changed.” Cannan looked around at the men who would follow his orders, to the grave and beyond. “We will do exactly what we have planned. Until and unless Narian stops us, we proceed.”
“But…but isn’t that dangerous?” King Adrik queried.
“This has always been dangerous. But I’m willing to take a chance on Narian.”
The silence in the aftermath of the captain’s statement reinforced my sense that, at a single wave of the Cokyrian commander’s hand, we would all be buried alive.
”
”