Page 149 of Sands of Atonement

He paused chewing, seemingly contemplating. “Well, it was like killing two birds with one stone. I never liked Ezra. In fact, he always wanted you. I could see it by the way he looked at you. He wanted what wasn’t his, that arrogant boy. And, as an Atrovian leader, I didn’t want my forbidden daughter to leave me and marry a royal member of Tehara. I needed you there, in Crahst.”

What?

He continued, “But when I saw the man, Amr, trailing back to Ruhn to explain the loyalists developing in the Atrove, we followed him. It was a delight to see that it was Ezra. It was even more of a delight to see you were there with him. Plus, it’s too much power to hold for a man like him. No, no.” He shook his head absently. “Qahl of Tehara and the leader of the Atrove? I was needed, and I saw this,” he explained and took another bite of chicken leg.

My stomach suddenly turned queasy, and I lost all of my appetite.

The hairs at the back of my neck stood, but I asked, “Why am I imprisoned here? I’ve done nothing to deserve this. And why can’t I see Norrah?”

His eyes flickered. “You’re not imprisoned, Eshe. Don’t be ridiculous. You can leave at any time, once you accept the way things are, of course.”

I refrained from launching an attack on him right now. I had to play the part he wanted me to be.

“I need to get things in order for the Atrove. You’ll be staying here with me in the meantime,” Salazar grunted and left the half-eaten food on the table in front of me.

Two steps toward the door, and he was about to leave when I blurted out, “That’s it? Where is she?” My voice turned louder as I followed him, but the door suddenly slammed in my face.

“Salazar!” My fists turned white as they pounded on the locked wooden door in front of me. It was nothing like the chamber I was in the first time I was here. I was seeing red all over again. I couldn’t breathe. This place was a solid rock with a heavy door.

I felt so heavy.

My mind was working slower than usual. I was so tired, but I processed the last few days. None of this made sense. I closed my eyes, slumping back on the door, and breathed.

Targon was the last Atrovian leader, but he had me. Which is entirely against their laws.

I held my breath and remembered what Kavid told me. The story of an Atrovian man who fell in love, and he killed his lover to hide his identity.

Could it be Targon was that man?

My heart began to pound violently. No.

But it made sense.

A sheen of sweat gathered on my forehead.

Did Kavid find out the truth, and was that why he tried to kill me?

For Targon’s identity to remain hidden, did he himself kill my family? Did Salazar run from it all, even the Atrove, because it could have been exposed that I was his daughter?

My heart cracked.

Salazar killed my family. To save himself.

Something felt wrong—I felt wrong. Had Targon touched the tea?

My arms fell limp, my hands grazing weightlessly on the floor.

I couldn’t keep my eyelids open, and I fell into the emptiest sleep of my life.

Chapter 37

Eshe

The first thing I could feel was the sand in my mouth.

No, it wasn’t sand, but it sure felt like it.

I felt as though I hadn’t tasted water in months, in years. I lifted my heavy eyelids and was met by the faint glow of the candle on the table that nearly blinded me. My eyes burned.