Fantasy of Fire (The Tainted Accords #3)(8)
I raise an eyebrow. “I was just following your own prompting, Adox. You said a guarantee could change your mind and I have one from both Osolis and Glacium. I’m not troubling you to repeat the same information,” I say.
He throws an arm out. “Go on, then. Tell me of this guarantee you’ve somehow produced between last night and now,” he says.
I conceal my shaking hands behind my back and take to a slow pace around the tent. I’m still not sure what I’m about to do is the right decision. I’ve only willingly done this once before. It has the potential to make the situation much, much worse. But if this is the only way to make Adox see reason, it must be done. Whatever the consequences. I hope I don’t live to regret my choice.
“I had the information last night. I was just undecided whether I would share it with you. What I am about to show you could have disastrous effects for both worlds … and myself. You should know I don’t tell you this lightly. Combined with what you know about my proximity to King Jovan, it has the potential to create civil and interworld war.”
His silence is intrigued, not closed. This is it.
I reach into the front of my suit, drawing out my veil and the Kaur band. His eyes flicker to the objects and back to my face. He doesn’t understand. I flutter the veil up and down to hide the quiver in the material from my shaking fingers.
“I’m about to tell you something which can’t leave this tent. I’d like for you to accept my assurances of the Ire’s safety based on trust, but we are running out of time. So instead, I offer you information as important as the secrecy of the Ire.”
He scoffs quietly at my remark.
I continue. “I’ll have a secret of yours and you’ll have a secret of mine. If I let you down, you’ll have the power to destroy both worlds. It is the security you wish for, which you thought impossible.”
He leans toward me. Trembling nerves wrack my insides. It’s not just one person, after all. This moment marks a change of my life. Perhaps one of the biggest yet. I wish I knew if the change would lead me to good or bad.
I shake out the veil and flick it over my head before I can talk myself out of the decision. I place the heavy Kaur band on top.
The instant I do, I’m pitched into darkness. The muscles around my ankles tense, trying to keep me balanced in absence of my vision.
“I don’t understand. What is this?” Adox asks from across the tent. I hold up a hand and blink until I can make out his outline. I know his hunters and traders provide him with regular reports. He knows who the Tatuma is; he just hasn’t made the connection. Or doesn’t want to.
“You, along with too many people to count, have assumed I’ve always lived on Glacium. You are aware I’m of mixed blood, but you don’t know who my parents are. In truth, I only know one of them. I’ve worn this veil my whole life. You might have heard of this girl? Locked in a tower for all of her childhood by her mother, and then taken hostage by the Bruma delegates upon the murder of Prince Kedrick.” I take off the veil to gauge his reaction.
I watch as the blood drains from his face. His face is as pale as it was when he learned about Jimmy’s adventure.
“The Tatum is my mother and I am the Tatuma, the future ruler of Osolis,” I say. He doesn’t really need this information, but it may help him to decide whether he feels disbelief or horror.
“You … can’t be serious,” he chokes. I raise an eyebrow.
I hold up the band. “This band is Kaur wood.” We have fruit and nut trees on Osolis, but only Kaur wood is used as a material. And even then, only in controlled amounts. It’s not found anywhere other than Osolis, and possession of the wood indicates I’m highly positioned. I toss the band to him. “Surely you can see why the Tatum veiled me?” I add with a humorless smile.
I walk to the entrance to the tent and pretend to look over the Ire. Really, I’m doing my best to keep my posture relaxed with the tension running through my body. I wonder if I’ve gravitated toward the exit in case Adox’s reaction isn’t favorable. Jovan’s words ring in my mind. He’d pointed out my tendency to run from emotionally-charged situations. But it’s hard to pick up the signs that I’m panicking. These traits are obviously ingrained so deeply, I act subconsciously.
I stride back to the middle of the tent and plant my feet on the rocky ground. I’m not running away.
“My Solis,” he says. I smile at the Solati term. “It’s … fantastical. Unbelievable. Horrific. But I think you must be telling the truth. No one could think up such a story, let alone deliver it with such factual calm.” He looks up at me from his cushion.
“You are the Tatuma Olina.”
“It is nice to hear my name again. You have no idea how long it’s been,” I say with a tight grin.
He doesn’t smile back. He looks back at the Kaur band and holds it out. I cross the tent and take it from him, crouching down by the chair to his level.
“You can see I’m not biased with regards to the king of Glacium. Of all people, I should be against him. But, on his behalf, I give his word nothing will happen to your people if my plan does not eventuate. He is worthy of trust.” I take his hand.
“My mother is another matter. I doubt anyone loathes my mother as much as I do. She was the torturer of the first six revolutions of my life. I haven’t been on Osolis for half a revolution, but I can share with you what my brother, Olandon, has recently told me,” I say, looking for confirmation from the Ire leader.