Page 228 of Mother of Death and Dawn

I heard the clack of marble pieces moving against the wooden board.

“You’re here because of Ezra,” Caduan said, mildly.

“Is he dead?”

“No. Why should I punish him for an act that was clearly not his idea?”

Clack.

“That was you,” Caduan stated. “Uncommonly stupid. Surely you must have known that he couldn’t do this.”

“Desperate times,” Ishqa said.

Clack clack, as one piece claimed another.

“Do you really hate Ela’Dar so much?”

“I love Ela’Dar. I helped you build this empire.”

“You were ready to shatter it. And don’t try to tell me that was not what you were doing. You have many faults, Ishqa, but you are not stupid. You knew that positioning Ezra as a king would break us, whether he succeeded or didn’t.”

A long silence.

Clack.

“I will take one fractured country over a devastated world,” Ishqa said, at last. “Even if it pains me.”

“A devastated world,” Caduan repeated slowly. “Would you say that what the humans did to my House was devastation? Or what they did to Aefe, because of your betrayal? Is that an example of your inclination for the greater good?”

Clack clack clack—each movement harder.

“What I did to Aefe is the greatest regret of my life. I valued my loyalty to my House over my loyalty to a friend. I valued my Queen’s desire for power over the greater balance of life. I will not make that mistake again.”

“And your son?Thatis devastation, Ishqa. What they did to him. It destroyed him. You left before you could see the extent of it. Or maybe you left because you didn’t want to.”

Ishqa's voice shifted so suddenly, cold and lethal like a drawn blade. “Watch your tongue, Caduan.”

“Too close to the truth?”

“Meajqa is the only good thing I have ever brought into this world. I am doing this for him, and I hope he sees that one day.”

“He is ashamed of you and will be until the day he dies.”

Clack clack CLACK.Two pieces claimed by Caduan, but Ishqa did not even move to respond.

I barely breathed, edging closer to the glass. I could close the distance between myself and Ishqa in a heartbeat. He would not have time to react if I lunged.

“Let’s discard the double talk, Caduan,” Ishqa said. “I came here to ask you, one last time, to stop this. No—to beg you.”

“I have no intention of stopping before I have finished my task.”

“I helped the humans recover after the fall of the Zorokovs. I saw the consequences of a war between the humans and the Fey.”

“You are the one leading the humans on a chase for the Lejaras.”

“Only to keep you from using them. End this, and I will help destroy them.”

Clack.

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