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“Ariel? Of course. I have upended everything to have her. I betrayed you. Again.”
“What do you mean again?”
“You said that we should keep our demons to ourselves, Riyaz. But I think you should know about mine. I was in love with Ariel when we were children. And I used to sneak out with her. When we were fourteen we went out into the desert. And we were caught. I was. By her father. And he asked me a question... And I answered it. To keep myself from being in trouble. I gave him an easier way to get into the palace. I did not feel as if I could tell him no. He would... He would reveal what happened between myself and Ariel.”
“So you’re the reason they came into the palace.”
“Yes,” he said.
“That was a very stupid thing to do,” said Riyaz.
He didn’t deny Cairo’s fault the way that Ariel had.
“It was,” Cairo agreed.
“Fourteen-year-old boys are stupid.”
“Yes. And you were sixteen. And suffered greatly for my stupidity.”
“They were intent on killing the royal family, they would’ve done it somehow. Even if it’d been exploding a motorcade. It would’ve occurred. This was a neat and clean way to do it, but... They would’ve found a way.”
“Are you trying to absolve me?”
“No. Your actions led to that event. But you cannot control the intent of others. So, yes, something that you did played a part in the way they were able to kill our parents and take me prisoner. But... I believe it would’ve happened either way. And perhaps we would’ve been blown up.”
“You can’t know that.”
“No. But you can’t know otherwise.”
“I don’t understand,” Cairo said. “Are you blaming me? Forgiving me?”
“I can’t do either. Here is one thing you learn with only yourself for company for a great number of years. The world turns regardless of your involvement in it. In the dark of night, you have only yourself. And the only way you can be rescued is if there is someone out there who cares enough to do it. I can’t absolve you. You have to absolve yourself. But you are the person who came for me. Whether you are blameless or not... That is something.”
It wasn’t a rousing speech of forgiveness. It was something deeper than that. It was something that Cairo could actually...accept.
Neither of them were perfect. But they were here together in the dark. He had come for Riyaz when Riyaz needed him. And now Riyaz had come for him. And perhaps they could never make fair the things that were unfair. And perhaps they could never make whole the things that were broken.
And perhaps he could never be redeemed.
But maybe... Maybe he could be loved. Just as he was anyway. Because wasn’t that what Riyaz was giving him? Not absolution, and not blame. Just acceptance.
“I have to go to her,” he said.
“Of course you do,” said Riyaz.
“I’m not taking her prisoner.”
“I wouldn’t care if you were.”
“Yes. I know.” And he decided that he would not challenge his brother on that. That was for him and Brianna to work out, and he had a feeling they would. At least eventually.
But Riyaz’s woman was not his problem. He had to go and get his own.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SHEHADBOUGHTthe tickets. She was leaving tomorrow. If he didn’t come...
If he didn’t come she would be devastated. But she would go to him. She would show him.
