Page 23 of Tin God

Ben wasn’t going to spill his mate’s secrets, but he knew that Carwyn and Tenzin had very different worldviews. They got along because they both loved Ben’s uncle, who considered the two old vampires his closest friends in the world.

Ben said quietly, “Tenzin comes from a different time.”

“I come from a different time too.”

“Yes, but I’m trying to tell you…” Ben frowned. “Our sire is even older than Tenzin. He’s an ancient.”

Carwyn nodded. “I know this.”

“But until Zhang sired me, she was his only child,” Ben said. “It’s one of the reasons I can do…” He lifted a hand and stirred the air gently in the room. “All this.”

Carwyn shrugged. “You’re powerful, but you could work on your control.”

Fine. He’d take that because it was true; Tenzin told him the same thing all the time.

“I’m so powerful because for about three thousand years, Zhang didn’t have any other children than Tenzin.” That wasn’t a secret. Everyone who knew his sire knew that.

Carwyn narrowed his eyes. “But Zhang had an army once.”

“Yes.” Again, this was immortal lore. Nothing Ben was saying was a confidence his mate had shared.

“So an ancient immortal king has an army that dominated most of Asia.” Carwyn tipped his chin up, considering. “And then one day your sire decides to give up his power and his army vanishes.” Carwyn’s fingers spread in the air. “Poof. Gone like the wind, no pun intended.”

“Yes. Except for one child,” Ben said. “One daughter.”

“Who becomes his heir.” Carwyn’s eyes were steady on Ben. “And Zhang doesn’t sire another child for thousands of years. Not until you.”

Ben said nothing, but he kept his eyes steady on Carwyn.

Carwyn let out a slow breath. “Tenzin killed the others, didn’t she? All of them.”

“You know what life must have been for her, living with them,” he said quietly. “You can guess.”

Ben didn’t know everything because Tenzin wouldn’t tell him the details, but he wasn’t an idiot. He had an idea of what kind of life Tenzin had survived, being the lone daughter in an army of immortal warriors in a time when women—even immortal ones—were property.

Carwyn stared at the table. “Was Zasha in Zhang’s army?”

“I don’t think so.”

“No, of course not. The timing wouldn’t fit,” Carwyn muttered. “They’re not that old. But there’s something…somethingthere. It goes back. I know it.”

“We don’t talk about it,” Ben continued. “But you know her.”

“I know she’s a killer.”

Ben flinched, but Carwyn pressed on.

“You have to know that,” the old vampire said. “You have to understand that about her, Benjamin, or you will never understand Tenzin. I don’t understand her and I never will, but you are her mate.”

“She did what was necessary to survive.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Carwyn’s voice was harsh. “Any judgment for what she did is between her and her gods. But you and I are different.Brigidis different. We do have lines we won’t cross. Tenzin does not.”

“She’s trying, Carwyn.”

“I’m sure she is, but you need to realize that in many ways, Tenzin and Zasha are more alike than different.”

The blood of Temur remembers who you were.

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