“So what do you want? For me to convince Malin to say no? Already withyou.”
“No, that is not what I want. I want the alliance with Malin. But throughyou.”
“Excuseme?”
Her gaze was steady. “I will be your handmaiden, Lady Surah. I will bear a child from your mate, and the child will be both yours and mine. To be handmaiden to the former Prince and his consort is not a dishonor, and if I do this, I will have my freedom. I will belong to you and Prince Malin, and you will allow me to live my life as Iplease.”
Surah felt dizzy. Of all the scenarios she’d considered, this was not one of them. That a woman would be willing to enter that kind of arrangement in order to escape…it was an indictment on gargoyle culture, especially highborn gargoyle culture. Where women were still often, archaically, considered bargaining tools for their families. Though to be fair, young men were also consideredtools.
“LadySililu.…”
Sililu stood, silk gown swishing as she began to pace. Her wings rustled, restless. “I’m tired of being a pawn,” she snapped. “I want some choice in whom I am to give my womb to. I’ve watched you over the years. You’re kind enough, and not obsessed with tradition or honor like the males are. I want a family, but I want to be free to pursue my owninterests.”
“You don’t want love?” she askedsoftly.
Sililu stilled, looking down. “I don’t expect to find it. And to be part of a home where there is warmth–I think that will be enough. I would live with you and Lord Malin, bear the Heir the faction wants, and be your sister. I would not object to the love between you and thePrince.”
Surah was silent a long moment. She watched the gargoyle, saying nothing. She was assured of Malin’s love, and these kind of arrangements were not unheard of–it would be politically expedient. Her heart twisted. She didn’t want her lover and her brother to fight, she didn’t want Geza’s mistake to cost him his seat. Or hislife.
“You could just leave your family,” Surah said. “You can live in the human world–you would have your freedomthen.”
Sililu held her eyes. “You know that is a lie. I would be hunted down and the next male they offered me to, as wife, would not be as pleasant as your brother orlover.”
Surah stood, pacing back and forth. “Someone has to be the first.Lavinia—”
“Has forged independence by shedding her own family’sblood.”
Frustrated, she tugged her hair. “Those are rumors.” Sililu just smiled, though her eyes weregrave.
“No, they aren’t.” She shocked Surah by lowering herself to her knees, gown spreading gracefully around her. “I beg you, princess. If I fail in this, my father will punish me. And the consequences for the Ioveanu’s will be serious, as well. My father is not one to take an offense without returning itthreefold.”
For a moment she hated all gargoyles, and then common sense reasserted itself. There were problems in human culture as well. And even hating things with penises was foolish. Surah sighed. “I’ll have to speak with Malin. It's about more than Geza trying to get out of hisresponsibilities.”
“By all means. But hurry? Neither of us has much time towaste.”
