Page 17 of The Ruler
“No, you’re not.” His words were slow and deliberate. “You’re a councilwoman that I’ve sworn to protect with my life. The best way for me to do that is to keep you as close as possible.” He pointed to the sofa. “That’s not close.”
“Then let’s make this compromise,” I said and pointed to the other couch in the room, which was closer. “I’ll sleep onthatsofa instead.”
“You’ll sleep in my bed,” he insisted.
Lifting my chin up, I sharpened my tone to what would be considered hostile in the Motherlands. “No, I won’t, and I’m tired of discussing this with you.”
As expected, Khan didn’t look the least bit shocked by my rudeness. “I’m a stubborn man,” he said and crossed his arms, but this subject was nonnegotiable to me.
“And I’m averystubborn woman!” I said and mirrored his closed body language.
The ten or twenty seconds we stood locked in a silent power struggle felt endless to me. I was used to people smiling and being welcoming and kind. This man was used to confrontations and probably considered me a pushover, but I would show him differently.
Don’t blink, don’t blink,I thought and kept my eyes locked on him.
Maybe my training in greeting people with an extended eye contact gave me an advantage, because in the end Khan gave in.
“Whatever,” he said finally. “You can sleep on the sofa tonight but tomorrow you’ll sleep in my bed. Is that understood?”
Ignoring his attempt to order me around, I changed the subject.
“Did you ever think how much nicer it would be if there were no borders between our countries and no ill will?” As I spoke I walked over to take a seat on the sofa I would be sleeping on. He followed and sat down in a soft chair opposite me.
“Yes, of course I’ve thought about that.”
“And what are your ideas on how we could work toward a union someday?” I asked.
“Actually, I have a brilliant idea,” he said with a smug smile. “How does adding men to the council sound?”
I furrowed my brows and gave him my honest answer. “It sounds unsettling.”
He shrugged. “You have a better idea?”
I nodded slowly. “Maybe. This is something I’ve been discussing on a theoretical level many times with other council members. We agree that the greatest problem with merging our cultures would be the amount of prejudice that is so deeply rooted in us from early childhood.” I meant to say “in you,” but in all fairness, it went both ways.
Khan stretched his legs, crossing them by his ankles, and leaned back with a wide smile. “I couldn’t agree more; the rumors you tell about us are ridiculous.”
Pleased that he was open to the idea of a union, I carried on. “If we were to work toward a united world, I believe it would have to start with the children.”
“I’m listening.”
I rolled my thumbs and chose my words carefully. “An experimental school where children of the Northlands and Motherlands could learn together and form friendships built on mutual respect and curiosity.”
“You thinkoneclass of kids would change things?” he asked skeptically.
“To cross water you have to build a bridge,” I said calmly.
“No, you don’t,” Khan chuckled and pulled back a strand of his dark hair from his face. “You just have to find a boat or be a good swimmer.
“My point is that the children would be great ambassadors and bridge builders.”
“I bloody hope so,” Khan scowled at me. “Christina says the very mentioning of Nmen is illegal and that we’re treated like a myth to scare children.” He folded his arms. “A good place to start would be to educate your people that we’re actually good and honest men and not creepy monsters.”
“Ahh.” I sighed, unable to share my honest thoughts with him.
“Spit it out,” Khan ordered and waved a hand. “I’m a man, Pearl, I don’t get easily shocked – and you might as well learn that in the Northlands we value honesty more than politeness.”
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable offending you,” I argued.
