Page 10 of Sokâr

Smooth. Silken. Kind.

Ever the benevolent god.

He wrapped his arm around the Resh’Agar’s shoulders. None would have seen it, but Shu’Khan’s long, sharp nails dug into Morvane's pauldron. Scraping the aethersteel. Causing sparks to flare between his magic and Morvane’s wards.

“We welcome Our Resh’Agar to the Crystal City. Now that Our Arm is at Our side once more, We will bask in his power and his radiance. Woe to those who may stand in his way.”

Cheers erupted.

Flowers were thrown.

The Horn of Reckoning wailed its approval through the city streets.

And none remembered that the Sokâr should have stood in Shu’Khan’s place.

None wondered where she was or why the Sovereign Star was not here to greet her consort.

They still do not accept her. How amusing. You twisted your mind, mutilated your own body—and for what?

What will you find, I wonder, when you see your emberling again…how many years was it before you remembered she waited for you? Ten? More? And all the while, she was here…unseen…or worse…

Void help him, Resh nearly answered. Nearly screamed in his mind that he’dbledfor her right to live. That his brother was a cruel, selfish creature, but evenhecould not go against the Rite of Scars. The magic would never allow it.

Hepulled himself back.

Shut down his thoughts.

Slipped into apathy.

As soon as the speech was done, Resh pulled away. He had been through enough ceremonies like this to be thoroughly unimpressed by Shu’Khan’s public display.

They walked into the Jade Lattices, climbed the stairs to the Vesper Seat, and stepped into the Hall of the Destroyer—Shu’Khan’s private abode, one only the Resh’Agar was allowed to enter. The moment the massive double doors shut behind them, Kailorien’s voice dropped to ice.

“Where is she?” he demanded.

Shu’Khan tilted his head, his brows arching. Those icy blue eyes dared to look at him with amusement.

“Do you mean the Child?”

Resh paused.

"Child.” The word sat wrong in his mouth.

"She is the Child of the Void, is she not?" Shu'Khan asked, gliding to his marble and gold throne and settling atop it. He steepled his hands beneath his chin, a wry tilt to his lips. "Do not tell Us the magic took eventhatmemory."

"You mock me," Resh said.

It took everything not to snap something back Resh would have regretted. This was Shu’Khan. There was no reasoning with his brother, especially not when he looked so pleased with himself.

“Where is the Sokâr?” Resh asked again.

Shu’Khan’s finger stroked his lips thoughtfully. “We imagine she is in the Lattice somewhere, studying a recent discovery. An unknowablething. Impossible to tame. A matter of time, perhaps. We have yet to encounter a creature beyond breaking."

Vargrún rose to that challenge, his voice burning into Resh's nape like a brand.

Not if I break her first. You will let me try, won't you, Iridias? I do want to taste her…

Resh clenched his jaw. He focused on the steady beating of his false heart. The hard marble beneath his boots. The way the room breathed with the magic of the Polis, still charged bright from the morning Litany.