The Jewel of Kamara (The Delthenon Chronicles) (36 page)

“Nic?”
Tempani paled and dropped the shirt she’d been holding.

Zadi
pulled Tempani behind her. “Get out,” she hissed.

“I
came with your father. We want to help.”

“You
have caused too many tears,” Zadi snapped. “But no more.”

He
tried to move around Zadi, but she stepped back, taking Tempani with her. “I’m
sorry. For everything that happened that night. And everything before that. I
don’t even know that person anymore.”

“I
can cut him down with one fell swoop.” Zadi grappled for her sword.

Tempani
placed a hand on Zadi’s arm. “It’s
all right
. I need to talk to him.”

Zadi
frowned at her but nodded. “I will be right outside.” She glared at Nic as she
passed him.

“Your
maid doesn’t like me much.”

“My
cousin,” she corrected. “And bodyguard.”

“Looks
like we both have a lot to catch up on.”

Her
stomach was in knots as he moved closer into her tent. He looked older. Had it
only been a few months since they’d last spoken? His blue eyes were still as
beautiful as she’d remembered. She had missed looking into them. Had missed his
smile. His voice. Everything.

“I
missed you,” she whispered. “So much.”

 He
exhaled slowly, his eyes swimming with tears. “I’ve been so lost without you.”

She
stepped towards him, pressing her hand against his chest. His heart beat
quickly. She looked up at him and lifted her hand to tuck a stray curl behind
his ear. She raised her head and found his lips.

She
had kissed him before. Many times in fact. But there was something different in
this kiss. A stronger desire to be with him. She no longer feared loving him.
She now felt comfortable in her own skin, and she realized that was what held
her back previously. She had never felt like she belonged anywhere, and until
she did she was unable to give her whole heart away.

Her
hands inched lower until she found the top of his breeches. She needed his
love, his kindness. His warmth.

“Tempani,”
he warned, holding her at arm’s length. “You know I won’t be able to stop.”

“I
love you,” she whispered as she removed her own breeches.

He
grinned and pulled her back into his arms, closing the gap between them.

Later
that night, she stretched against Nic and flopped her arm across his chest.

“I’ve
worn you out, have I?” He chuckled and pulled her against his side.

“You
could say that,” she murmured.

His
fingers were warm as they traced her skin, leaving a trail of goose
pimples
as he made his way
down her back and onto her hip. She flinched as he touched one of her scars. It
was the one she’d inflicted on herself the night of their fight. His fingers
remained where they were, and she watched the question forming in his eyes. He
had to have seen the others when he explored her body so intimately before.

She
stared back into his eyes, feeling more exposed now than ever before.

“Do
you want to talk about it?”

“It’s
nothing,” she muttered.

He
rested his forehead against hers. “Doesn’t look like nothing,” he said slowly.
“They’re all over your body.”

“It’s
fine. They don’t hurt.”

His
voice was tight as he spoke. “Who did this to you?”

“No
one.”

“I
will make them pay. I promise you.”

Tempani
chewed her lip, her brow creasing as she tossed up whether to tell him the
truth or not. She didn’t want him to think less of her. Think her weak for not
being able to handle the intensity of her Power. But as she looked at him, at
the love in his eyes, she knew it was time she started opening up to him.
Especially if he was to be her partner in life.

“I
did it,” she mumbled and lowered her eyes, not wanting to see the disgust in
his. “Whenever I was angry or upset I felt like I would explode from the
inside. When I drew blood I felt the sweetest release. I was in control.”

His
arms tightened around her as she spoke.

“I
knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t stop. I needed the calm it brought me.”

“Do
you still do it?”

“No,
not since…” her voice trailed off.

“Since?”

She
shook her head. “It doesn’t matter.”

“No
more secrets.”

“The
one on my hip was the last one,” she whispered. “From the night we ended
things.”

He
went still, his breathing heavy as he tried to calm himself. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s
not your fault,” she urged. “Now that I’m using my magic I don’t need that
release anymore. My emotions are easier to control.”

“I
promise you I will never do anything to cause you pain again.”

“I
know.”

He
lifted her chin up so their eyes met. “But you have to promise me that you will
never hurt yourself again. Promise me,” he pleaded.

She
reached up and kissed him softly. “I promise,” she breathed against his lips.

—

She
stretched her arms over her head as she emerged from her tent the next morning.
She moved gingerly as she wandered over to her friends and grabbed a bit of
sausage from Dahlia’s bowl. She took a bite and then handed the remainder to
Tilaw
.

“You’re
glowing,” Bhatia said when she joined them. “Good night, was it?”

“You
can’t ask that,” Dahlia whispered, her cheeks reddening.

“I
just asked if she had a good night.”

“It’s
what you implied.”

“It’s
not my fault your mind went there,” Bhatia said, getting to her feet. “It says
a lot about where your thoughts lie.”

“They
don’t,” Dahlia sputtered when Bhatia walked away.

“She’s
just stirring,” Tempani said, helping herself to more of Dahlia’s food.

“Good
morning.” Nic kissed the top of her head and sat beside her.

“I’d
be careful doing that in the open,” Chae said as he joined them. “Our
niska
will banish you from camp if she sees that.”

“Just
let her try.” Tempani pulled Nic’s hand into her lap.

“Don’t
say I didn’t warn you,” he said. “Have you talked to papa yet?”

She
shook her head.

“She
threatened his life if he came too close to her camp.
Helio
and
niski
had to force her into letting him stay with
the Ikra tribe.”

“You
need to talk to him,” said Nic.

“I
have nothing to say to him.”

“Tempani,
he’s the one behind all this,” said Chae.

“But,
Darby…”

“Darby
took his orders from him.” Chae reached across and gripped her hand. “Please
talk to him.”

More
secrets. She shook her head and walked away from them, ignoring their calls to
her. Why had everyone felt the need to keep her in the dark? She sat down on
the bank of the river and sighed when
Tilaw
lay down
beside her, resting his head on her knee.

He
had known all this time. Had planned for it. But at the same time he had tried
to hold her back. He’d tried to force her into a marriage that would do nothing
for their cause.

Why
had he not just told her? Discussed his plans with her like an equal the way Darby
did? They could have had a relationship. It could have created a bond and
brought them closer. But even thinking that, Tempani knew it wouldn’t have made
any difference. He blamed her for Hamalia’s death. At the end of the day that
was it. She had died in her daughter’s place, and Otto would never forgive her
for
that.

But
then why had he brought Zadi to Fenella? Why had he stayed in contact with her
uncle? He had made plans with Darby. Had hired people to protect her. Was it
because he believed in the plight and in her or was it purely for revenge
against a king who had wanted nothing more than to rid himself of the problem?
A king who had turned a blind eye when his brother arranged the killing of
Hamalia. It always came back to that. Otto had been so deeply in love with his
wife that he saw and felt nothing beyond that. Tempani couldn’t see herself
ever being that connected to someone. Yes, she loved Nic. With all of her
heart. But she knew she could survive without him. She had survived without him.
He didn’t complete her. He complimented her. And that was the difference
between Otto and her.

She
sighed and got to her feet, realizing that she had absent
mindedly
torn to pieces a handful of wildflowers. She watched as the shredded petals
fluttered to the ground, the bright splashes of
color
a stark contrast to the dirt.

She
didn’t want to go into battle without trying to clear the air with him -
without telling him how she felt. For too long she had just allowed her anger
at him to sit inside her, but it was about time she tried to talk to him about
it. Life was too short.

She
found him sitting with Darby amongst the tents of the Ikra tribe.

“Why?”
She asked. “All the secrecy? The lies?”

Otto
sighed, his face a picture of defeat. “I promised your mother,” he whispered.
“She knew it was you, and we had agreed to withhold it from you until you were
older. We wanted you to enjoy life.”

“So
you send me to the convent?”

“What
else could I do? They killed her because they thought the prophecy was about
her.”

Tempani
shivered as she remembered her mother’s pleas. She had told them it was her
knowing she’d be killed as a result. A tear rolled down her cheek as she
thought of her mother’s sacrifice.

“I
knew you would be safe under Mother Chennai’s protection,” he explained. “And I
had to be closer to the palace to keep an eye on the king. If they thought for
one moment that there was still a threat…”

“I’d
be dead.”

His
eyes held hers briefly before he dropped them and let out a cough. “Part of me
hoped that you’d never find out, but just in case I had to make sure you would
have whatever you needed if the truth did come out.”

“Even
without this prophecy you still should have told me about my grandparents.
About my duty to them.”

“No,”
he snapped. “They broke your mother’s heart when they turned their backs on
her. She cried herself to sleep every night until you and your brother came
along. I wasn’t about to let them do the same to you.”

“But
I wouldn’t do that!” She cried. “I would never choose a man over my duty.”

“Then
you are stronger than we ever were,” he whispered. “Stronger even than Nic. We
would all choose love over our duties. And your mother and I never once
regretted our decision.” He got to his feet. “I’m going for a ride.”

“Otto,”
Darby stood to follow him, but his friend waved him off. He sighed. “You’re
being too hard on him.”

“He
kept me locked away in a convent for years, made me believe he didn’t care for
me and kept my destiny a secret from me. I should disown him.”

“Do
you know what it was like for him to have to sit in Parliament meetings and
attend dinners with a man who was responsible for killing Hamalia?”

“He
didn’t have to do that,” she snapped. “If he wanted to plan this, he could have
done it from Amarill.”

“How?”
He asked. “How would he recruit fighters? How would he ensure your safety if he
didn’t pretend he was in the king’s pocket?”

“He
had you,” she spat. “You’ve done everything else for him.”

“Don’t
be mad with me for lying to you. I have been with you every step of the way. He
wanted you to have someone to confide in. He made Madoc come along with us.
Chose Rando to protect you because he’s the best fighter your father has known.
He remained close to
Helio
and brought Zadi to
Fenella in case this was the path you needed to take. He did everything for
you.”

“Why
couldn’t he have been the one I confided in? Does he hate me that much?”

“He
adores you,” Darby cried. “He talks of nothing but you and Chae. You are the
world to him.”

“Then
why can’t he tell us that?”

“He
feels like he failed you. He blames himself for not being fast enough to reach
Hamalia’s side. In his mind it’s his fault she died, and he’ll never forgive
himself for leaving the two of you without a mother.”

She
sat down. “And all this time I thought he blamed me for it.”

“You
remind him so much of her,” he said and gripped her shoulder. “But in my eyes
you are your father’s daughter.”

“So
am I to forgive him right away?”

“Forgiveness
will come for both of you when it is right,” he said. “I’m sorry for keeping
his involvement a secret, but I’m not sorry for being the one he chose to have
at your side. I think that was the right choice.”