“I didn’t steal anything,” she said calmly.
Mahrur clenched his fingers into fists but had little room to maneuver. His daughter had surrendered the Royal Duel. This was a fact that was hard to argue with.
“Do you think it’s prudent to humiliate her in front of me?” he asked, opting for intimidation instead.
“If I didn’t think the collar was necessary, I wouldn’t have made Lizaar wear it.”
The man narrowed his eyes. “As necessary as a breach of trade agreements?”
Praying that Lizaar would manage to control her nerves, Lannahi replied with a question, “Would you respect me if I were dependent on you?”
“You think I respect you now?”
“I think you are angry, lord, and I understand that. I believe, however, that with your experience you will be able to rise above your anger and allow reason to reign.”
Mahrur raised his gaze to the person behind her. By the direction he looked, Lannahi knew it was Ashared.
“Reason tells me,” he began slowly, returning his gaze to her, “that your smart mouth is capable of messing with a man’s mind, but don’t think that you melt everyone, witch.”
Lannahi held his gaze. “Reason tellsmethat you are still looking through the prism of anger. If you had calmly analyzed the information your spies provided you with, you would know that I do not seek an altercation, but I also do not back down from those who pursue it. I suggest you change your tone, Mahrur.”
A muscle on the man’s face twitched. “You are quite brazen for a girl who can barely do magic. I wonder if you will be so forward when the Arbiter informs you of my Challenge.”
Lannahi managed to keep on a neutral expression but only because she expected such a threat. “Haven’t you been informed what will happen when a landshaper Challenges me?”
“I have.” Mahrur looked above her head at Lizaar. “Do you think that will stop me? I will be doing my family a favor.”
Mahhir, who stood beside her, stiffened. The tension of those behind her was almost palpable, but Lannahi took two slow breaths before responding.
One.
Lizaar and Mahhir spoke of their father as someone with a difficult character, but their words weren’t disrespectful. It was likely that Mahrur was only trying to intimidate Lannahi.
Two.
On the other hand, this was the same man who forbade his brother to acknowledge his child in public. Reputation was important to him.
But was it as important as it was to Nihhal?
Lannahi looked at the man who was accompanying Mahrur. If Ashared’s father resented his brother, he should be bitter now… but Nahid’s brown eyes stared at her intently. Appraisingly.
It wasn’t the look of a bitter parent who was kept away from his bastard son. It was the look of a swordsman looking for weakness in his opponent.
She sensed that Mahrur was looking at her again and focused on him again. “I suggest that you wait until the next Sabbath to issue your Challenge,” she said. “You don’t seem to have thought through the consequences of your defeat.”
Although there were sounds of conversation from everywhere, the silence surrounding their group was so deep that they might as well have been in the room alone. These were the most audacious words Lannahi had ever uttered in her life, and given the extent of her power, they bordered on recklessness… and yet for the first time in a long time, she felt lightness at heart. Yes, she was weak. Yes, she could die. But, so what? She wouldn’t abase herself before anyone.
“I heard that you are vengeful,” Mahrur said after a heavy pause. “And now I see that you match your father in confidence. I assume thatyouhave thought through the consequences of your defeat.”
The transition from open threats to subtlety was so sudden that she didn’t immediately grasp the meaning of his words and had to repeat them in her mind.
Vengeful. Father. Her defeat.
Mahrur wanted to know if the landshapers were in danger of being attacked by Sarkal.
“You are wrong if you think I am afraid of the consequences of my decisions,” she said. “And if you think I am incapable of looking aftermyown interests, you are making a costly mistake.”
The man sent her a grim look. “Costly was to build a city you’ve taken.”
