Page 87 of Kiss of Ice

She forced herself to ask the words. “It’s not true, is it father? Tell me he’s lying.”

In the moments that followed, she saw the tiniest flicker of emotion cross Salaq’s face and suddenly sheknew. Her world tilted. Her chest felt as if a great rock had been placed on it and she struggled to breathe. As if from a great distance, she heard her father finally speak.

“Occasionally one has to do things for the greater good. I don’t expect you to understand, as naïve as you are. But sometimes one must bend the rules to achieve the right result.”

“Bend the rules? You committed treason!”

“I did no such thing. Treason is an actagainstthe Crown. I acted only in the best interests of Nush’aldaam.”

“Father, are you telling me that Kam is right? You subjected him to life as a monster?”

Salaq curled his lip contemptuously.

“You act as if it was a fate worse than death. Don’t fool yourself. I could have had him killed but I chose to let him live. Now he’s Emperor, and you’re about to be his Empress. None of that would have happened if I hadn’t done what I did. You should be grateful, child.”

“Grateful?” Ren was thunderstruck. “You expect me to believe you did this for me? That you didanyof this for me?”

“Morenna, listen to me.” Her father came towards her and took her hands. The gesture was so alien that Ren could only stare at him in shock. “Do you know what it means to be Empress? It means you become the ruler if anything should ever happen to your husband. Don’t you see? For the first time in five thousand years, the Marid have a clear line to the throne. Throughyou,my daughter.”

She gaped.

“If anythinghappensto him?”

Salaq shrugged.

“It is not beyond the realm of possibility. He does seem accident prone.”

Ren snatched her hands from his grasp. Not even a day ago, she would have been over the moon at the idea of her father physically connecting with her like that. Now she burned with a slow anger.

“You’re still trying to take control of Nush’aldaam, aren’t you? It was never about filling the vacuum when Mazhab died. In fact,youcreated the vacuum. And now you’re hoping to get to the throne through me.”

“I didn’t plan it this way, daughter. I had no idea the Emperor would seek a match with you. But when he did, I saw the opportunity.” Salaq’s grey eyes burned with fervour. “You should be happy, Morenna. You’re going to help me rule Nush’aldaam, just as I always dreamed. Your mother would be proud.”

Ren wanted to laugh at his delusion.

“No, she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t be proud at all. She’d be sick to her stomach. She’d be ashamedof you. And terribly, terribly disappointed. Don’t kid yourself. If mother were here, she’d hate you for what you were doing. She’d tell you it was dishonourable. And she’d be right.”

Salaq’s nostrils flared and blue vapours coiled from him as his temper frayed.

“How dare you speak to me that way.”

“Maybe I should have spoken to you this way a long time ago,” Ren hissed. “Mother always kept your ambitions in check, didn’t she? But me, I was just your gullible daughter. I worshipped you, father. I believed every lie you told me.”

“Why are you being so hysterical, child? It’s not as if you care about your husband-to-be.” He looked at her closely. “Or do you? Please don’t tell me you’ve let your emotions get the better of you, you foolish girl. He’s only marrying you because he thinks it will give him control over me. He doesn’t care aboutyou.”

His barb was like a spike to the heart. She drew herself up.

“Perhaps you’re right. But I’m not going to let you hurt him. So whatever plan you have, stop it right now.”

“Why?” He laughed. “Because you suddenly have feelings for him? Have I taught you nothing? He will never love you, Morenna. He has his pick of women. Why would he ever love someone like you?”

Ren stared at her father as if she’d never seen him before.

“Don’t you want me to be happy, father?” she asked quietly. “Don’t you want me to have a family of my own? Kam may not love me, but he’s willing to marry me, to offer me a life at the palace. To give me children, if I wish. Don’t you want to hold your grandchild in your arms?”

For a moment Salaq was still, as if he was imagining something he’d never considered before. Then he shook his head.

“Poor, misguided girl. So quick to believe the daydream. Kam only wants you for one thing. To take revenge on me.”

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