Page 6 of Shadow Queen
Norah’s heart warmed. They seemed content. Happy. She wondered how they came to be together.
“Japheth,” Marta said.
“What?” she asked.
“It’s what you are wondering, yes? Where I’m from?”
Norah looked at her in surprise. “No. I mean, yes. You don’t look like you’re from Kharav.” Then she eyed Hamed with a raised brow. “Well, you do, obviously. But I was mostly wondering how you two came to be together.”
“Apah was a warrior,” Calla said proudly. “He saved Amah’s life, fell instantly in love with her, and then wooed her with his charm.”
A warrior. Her eyes traveled back to the markings on his arms. Yes, he had definitely been a warrior.
The old man gave a chuckle.
“All true,” Marta told Norah. “I was taken by Japheth soldiers and brought to their camp for entertainment. Fortunately, this was at the border of where Japheth and Kharav meet. Hamed saw from his border post and intervened. Can you imagine? A Kharavian soldier taking a Japheth woman from the Japheth army on Japheth land? This was back when Japheth was still part of the Aleon Empire, before being allied with Kharav. Almost started a war in the process.” She smiled at her husband. “I couldn’t return after that, so he brought me to his mother, who took me in.”
Calla grinned. “Then he discovered she liked flowers and wove a bracelet of white lacies for her every day until she agreed to marry him.”
Hamed grunted. “I suppose I was charming.”
“Still are,” Marta said with a smile.
Norah laughed. She would be fortunate to have a life like this.
Marta took the bowls and filled them with stew from the hearth. Calla carried them to the table as Cohen poured cups of water. Hamed motioned for her to sit, and they all took their places. He poured some tea from the pot Marta placed in front of him and calmly took a drink.
“Forgive me,” he said, “but I can’t help but ask the most troublesome question of why you’re traveling on your own, in such a state. Are you fleeing? Do you need help?”
Norah shifted uncomfortably, looking around the table. How would she explain her situation? “I’m not fleeing,” she replied, then mumbled to herself, “although I’m sure Artem thinks otherwise.”
Hamed raised his brow. “Captain Artem?”
Norah stopped and cursed herself, realizing her mistake. A weight grew in her stomach. Hamed had been a warrior. Of course he’d know who the captain of the Crest was.
He stirred his stew in his bowl, silent.
Norah’s heart pulsed in her throat. “You know him?” she asked, trying to hide the disquiet in her voice.
Hamed sat back in his chair. But he didn’t answer.
“Artem thinks my brother’s an abomination,” Calla spoke up angrily. “Like being deaf makes him not fit to live.”
Norah’s eyes widened as she shifted her attention to the girl—it wasn’t the response to Artem she’d been expecting, but neither was it surprising.
“Calla,” Hamed scolded, trying to restrain her, but the girl ignored him.
“He wanted my father to leave Cohen at an orphanage, to throw him away, like he was nothing. Well, my brother wields a sword better than anyone in the Crest, including Captain Artem!”
“Calla,” Hamed warned, stronger this time.
Cohen looked at his sister and gave her a small smile.
Calla gave him a wink. “If they’d had a warrior like Cohen, maybe Kharav would’ve already taken back Bahoul from those Northern cowards.”
“Callamine!” Hamed snapped.
Calla’s head jerked toward her grandfather in confusion. “Apah! You know—”
