The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms - By N. K. Jemisin Page 0,134
too long alone. I would have to take care not to exploit this weakness of his now, or he would hate me for it later.
Still, this had to be done. I said, He deserves freedom, same as you.
He gave me a heavy sigh. But his sigh took the form of tiny black stars, surprisingly bright as they sparkled and multiplied and coalesced into a human form. For a moment a negative phantasm of the god stood before me. I willed it to life, and it became a man: Nahadoths daytime self. He looked around, then stared at the shining being who had been his other half for so long. They had never met in all that time, but his eyes widened with realization.
My gods, he breathed, too awed to realize the irony of his oath.
Yeine
I turned to find Sieh beside me in his child form. He stood taut, his green eyes searching my face. Yeine?
I reached for him, then hesitated. He was not mine, despite my possessive feelings.
He reached up just as hesitantly, touching my arms and face in wonder. You really arent her?
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?