Page 93 of Dark Destiny: A New Thread in the Tapestry

His two real sons, Lokan and Kalugal, his true blood, had betrayed him and switched sides, walking into the arms of the clan, but the son of a harem lady and a human servant had turned out to be the only one worthy of the title.

Losham was cunning where Kalugal was merely clever, and ruthless where Lokan was merely capable. Losham could look at a compulsion pressing on his mind and find the seam to slip through. He had done it to Navuh more than once.

The Brotherhood wasn't lost in Losham's hands.

Kian had come down here believing he was going to crush Navuh's spirits, but instead he had handed him hope. His army still stood, ten thousand strong, and at its head was the most dangerous male Navuh had ever created. That male wasn't going to remain the clan's instrument forever. It was only a matter of time before Losham found a way out.

"Now, for some good news," Kian said.

Navuh smiled. "For you or for me?"

"For you. You can't stay in this cell forever, not because anyone cares where you rot, but because of Lady Areana and the resources needed to guard you, which could be utilized better elsewhere. We're going to build you a house at the edge of the village, fenced off and watched. A mini compound for you and Areana. You'll have a life of sorts, but you'll never leave that compound, and you will never again be within reach of anyone you can bend to your will."

Navuh kept his expression impassive, but inside, something uncoiled and stretched, slow and patient.

He had endless time to figure out a way out of the new cage they were building for him, and eventually, they would grow careless, and he would escape.

"That is generous," Navuh said. "I am grateful."

"You don't know the meaning of gratitude," Kian said. "But you'll take it."

"Indeed." Navuh raised his cup a fraction, a toast to nothing. "I will take it."

36

SULLHA

Sullha and the mothers were stocking the refrigerators in the two homes where Yaaf and his team would be living. They had cooked up a storm, so the guys would have plenty of prepared food to choose from. They also bought eggs, milk, cheeses, vegetables, and meats from the village store.

"Not there," Mirumah said, taking the carton of eggs from Sullha's hands and moving it down a shelf. "Margaret told me eggs go on the door. It's a little warmer, and eggs like it more."

Sullha frowned. "How would she know what the eggs like?"

"She says they taste better when you keep them at a slightly warmer temperature than the rest of the things in the refrigerator." Mirumah closed the door. "She knows what it's like to live under a rock for most of your life. She is a very good teacher."

Margaret had told Sullha about having lived in a cult, and after talking with Burda about the Sacred Mothers and their insane plans, Sullha had meant to talk to Margaret about that, but she'd gotten distracted by preparations for Yaaf's arrival.

The two houses that the Eight would be staying in were right next to each other and located in the old part of the village where Sullha and the other island escapees resided. It would be difficult to split them between two houses, but Yaaf had said they would give it a try. The problem was that the largest houses in the village had just three bedrooms, which was not enough for the eight of them. They were willing to sleep four to a room, the way they had been sleeping in the hotel on the island, but Ingrid had managed to convince them to try two houses at first, and if they could handle that, to try four so each of them would have a private bedroom.

That was Sullha's preference for obvious reasons, but she wasn't going to say so. If she and Yaaf were to start being intimate, they would need a private bedroom, and it didn't matter that they wouldn't have privacy even with the walls separating them from the others.

As long as she could pretend they were alone, she could handle it.

At least she hoped so.

"Mama, I got the towels," Tomek said from behind a stack taller than his head.

"Let me help you with that." She reached for them, but he stepped back. "I'm a big boy. I can carry the towels."

"I know you can, sweetie, but you can't see where you're going, and I don't want you to trip. Can I at least take the ones blocking your view?"

"Okay," he said, sounding as though he were making a major concession to a completely unreasonable demand.

She took the top three towels, revealing her son's beautiful eyes. "Here you are."

"I didn't go anywhere."

She chuckled. "Let's start with the first bedroom."