Page 66 of Twins for the Barbarians

“Neither did I,” Neya concedes.

Sarin looks down at the orange pool. “For a moment, I thought he was the one. But there was always something missing. Or someone…”

“A second male,” Kharo says. “Whether it’s just biology or tradition, it’s deeply embedded in the memory of our genes. There is no denying that our bonds are real. We feel them. We live them. We act according to them.”

Neya gives me a wondering look. “Do you feel it, Alicia?”

“With every fiber of my body. And I swear I fought it as hard as I could,” I reply with a light laugh.

Helios chuckles softly. “Kharo and I can confirm that. She did fight it.”

“But there is no fighting true love,” Kharo says, coming closer to kiss me on the lips. “I love you now more than ever. I will love you even more tomorrow.”

I lean into him, basking in his and Helios’s affection for the longest, sweetest minute as the Kreek fighters continue their collection of Sunna’s fire and as Solomon’s wives try to put their thoughts in order. They’ve got their work cut out for them, I’m afraid. The citizens of Opal City will not be thrilled to be exposed to a dangerous world. Solomon had plenty of loyalists among them. They’ll wish to continue his reign just like before, and their aversion to change may prove toxic to the others.

Sarin, Neya, and Leela will have difficult waters to navigate, but the Kreek support will come in handy from both sides of the problem—protecting the city from outside forces while also protecting the city from any dissenting threats within. Either way, if we manage to keep Opal City out of the Sky Tribe’s reach, we will benefit from their assistance in the future.

Something tells me we’re going to need all the help we can get for what’s next.

In the coming days, peace prevails once again in Opal City.

The people now know the truth, and their heavy silence reigns over Solomon’s little kingdom as his lies die as he did. These folks have a lot to take in—the elders, in particular, who were here when the first bombs fell, and they hid in the tunnels and drank their savior’s miraculous potion when they saw the effects of the plague disappear, and they welcomed Solomon as their king when the rest of the world wanted them dead.

I understand why they let him lead them and trusted him. Had I been in their shoes, had I been betrayed by my own rulers the way they were, I would’ve run straight into Solomon’s arms as well.

But he lied. He fabricated the entire crisis and then used each of its turning points to make matters worse so he could seal Opal City and command it like a supreme ruler for his vanity, wounded ego, pride, and hubris.

Solomon almost destroyed the world so that he could feel better about himself.

On the seventh day after Solomon’s demise, we gather in the grand hall of the palace to lay down the terms of a deal. We’re all here now: Amber, with Binzen and Izzo Mal. Cynthia with Kai and Maur Hadana, Jewel with Yossul and Fadai Kreek, and me with Helios and Kharo Tallas.

The biggest players of the Fire Tribe have come to pay their respects to Solomon Daron’s wives because Sarin, Neya, and Leela have agreed to assume leadership over Opal City, at least for the foreseeable future. They need reassurance. They need our promise and our respect, and we are more than willing to give them that and more, provided certain terms are met.

“These are shaky times, to say the least,” Helios says. We must agree on every single detail of our next plan.”

Cynthia is still reeling from Kingo’s death. They had worked closely together for the past two years and had forged a friendship. He was a smart kid who had a promising future and all the willingness to support her in her quest to develop a cure for the plague.

We all sit around a massive polished obsidian council table. The wives look nervous and worried. They need more convincing that their city will be safe, and there is only so much we can say at this point.

“As my lieutenant promised, the Kreek clan will dispatch soldiers to Opal City in order to protect it,” Yossul tells the wives. “You have our word and our men. We’ll work with your guards to reinforce the labyrinth’s defense mechanisms. We’ll use your drones and equipment to survey the area and make sure this place stays hidden from the rest of the world for the time being.”

Binzen leans forward. “I suggest we leave that black cloud above the city, as well.”

“What happens when the Sky Tribe does hear about us?” Sarin asks. She and the other two are wearing the traditional dark red silk of mourning wives—a show of respect to the man who, despite his horrific shortcomings, did rule over the city and keep its people safe from the outside violence. “We understand that you cannot assure us of absolute secrecy.”

Yossul squirms in his seat, uneasy with his thoughts. “One idea was to release information through back channels that Opal City is alive and thriving,” he says. “We could evacuate the women, though, and use this place as a trap to take out whatever invading force they send over. It would put a dent in their overall military capabilities. They would lose several thousand soldiers.”

“You can’t do that!” Sarin objects. “You cannot ask us to leave our city so you can use it as bait for those people!”

“You’re right,” Yossul replies. “We cannot do this without your permission. If you granted it, however, we could—”

“No,” Neya shakes her head. “No. We’ve been safe here, out of sight and out of mind. Our people are scared enough as it is by what’s happening beyond these walls. Our women, in particular, are frightened now that they understand what the Sky Tribe is doing with their so-called breeding centers. You cannot ask us to leave this haven and put ourselves at even greater risk.”

Cynthia exhales sharply. “Neya is right. We shouldn’t do that. They don’t deserve to get dragged into this nightmare.”

Outside, the suns bathe Opal City’s black towers in a shimmering golden light. I can see the black mist somewhere in the distance as it skirts the obsidian-coated walls. The silence of its streets is almost unbearable and heartbreaking. Ever since they’ve learned the truth, the people here have lost their way.

The markets have closed. Some of the stores have shuttered their windows. One can still buy a loaf of bread, and the hunters still go out once a week to bring back game from the eastern wood up the mountain, but everyone is trying to play it safe, staying indoors as much as they can.

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