Page 48 of Sands of Atonement

“What the fuck is this!” I snapped at Casimir.

“She’s not going anywhere,” Casimir was quick to explain himself. He didn’t know she could go wherever she pleased. I had to go back to those chambers as soon as possible and repair what she obviously broke. “Plus, your men haven’t left her side since we left her room!”

In that moment, I wanted to snap the necks of the men who guarded Eshe. How dare they let her leave her chambers twice and move from their post?

“They listened to me—blame me, not them, Ezra.”

Of course, Casimir was protecting them—he was too kind for this world. I couldn’t take my eyes off my men. They were shaking in their boots. I cocked my head to the side, and their eyes turned wide.

Eshe stepped forward, cautiously. My eyes slid to hers. A shiver went down my spine.

“I will have my freedom,” Eshe said.

I chuckled, shaking my head. I looked at my deceived brother. How could he be so different from me? So naive?

“Casimir told me that my brother is alive and well.”

I slid my eyes to meet Casimir’s, my entire body tensing more than ever before. There wasn’t a time I wanted to strangle my brother more than now. How could he have told her when I made him swear he wouldn’t?

I knew my brother. He told her on purpose. Acted innocent.

Eshe took another step toward me, her light robes brushing the sand off the stones. She was getting closer to me. I could feel the heat from her body. I wondered for a moment if she was going to attempt to kill me again.

She continued, her voice straining, “I want to see Kavid, whom I haven’t seen in eight years. Who I thought was dead for eight years.”

“No,” I said. I placed my arms across my chest and stared down at her, knowing she wasn’t going to listen to me anyway.

“Ezra, please.” My name was like poison on her tongue, and I could sense how hard it was to say those words. It pleased me more than it should have. At least some of my techniques were working.

“If you had gone to Zyriah first, you’d have realized that and not put yourself in this predicament. It’s your fault you’re in this situation. This is why women don’t involve themselves in politics.”

Eshe’s jaw twitched, but she kept her mouth shut. Her lips thinned.

“He’ll be here in a fortnight, so you see? There’s really no need for you to leave.” I didn’t know why I admitted that information to her, but the words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Her shoulders dropped.

“He is?” She breathed. “Why is he coming here?”

Her chest suddenly rose rapidly. She was probably thinking the worst—that I intended to kill him with my bare hands.

“For trade,” I said as a matter of fact. “He doesn’t know you’re here, and I’ll keep it that way if you don’t behave yourself.”

Eshe clenched her hands.

“Ezra.” Casimir stepped toward me. I raised my hand at him without looking in his direction.

Her eyes threw daggers. “You’re cruel to keep me from Kavid.”

“It’s your choice. What will it be?” I asked Eshe.

“So you’re saying I have my freedom, but that I have to behave in order to see my own brother?” she spoke through gritted teeth.

“No, I didn’t say that,” I said.

She scoffed.

“I would be careful there,” I warned softly. “I could easily take your comfortable chamber away.”