You cast your votes…

…but this is no democracy!

Okay, so the votes are in and it came to a draw between the May 15 post and the post from May 8. However, I’ve had to come to an executive decision; I can’t show you the continuation of May 8th because *spoilers* so May 15th it is. Beginning with the last line from the previous post, here is the next seven paragraphs.

‘Your brother, he’s…dead.’

‘Oh gods!’ Laney cried. She felt as if a bomb had exploded inside her but no tears escaped. Karavere’s tears ran freely.  For a moment, Laney hated Karavere with every inch of her being but the moment passed when she saw the guilt in Kara’s eyes. Gathering her friend in her arms, she stroked her head, whispering calm nothings. ‘It is not your fault, Kara.’ Laney sobbed, the tears now falling.

‘Isn’t it?’ the response sounded petulant even to Kara’s own ears.

‘No.’ Laney replied firmly, ‘We all made our choice. You chose your path and I mine. And, gods rest his soul, Malen chose his, even if it was not the path I would have chosen for him.’

Kara disentangled herself from Laney’s embrace, embarrassed. She wiped away the tears with a violent wrench of her hand. ‘I’m sorry, Laney. I shouldn’t… it’s just…’ the tears threatened again, a marauding army beating on the gate of her composure, ‘It reminded me of Brythorn. And I realised I had not thought of him in days. I…I do not want to forget. Do not ever forget, Laney. We have to remember. We have to.’

‘I know that, Kara. Memory is in our blood.’

‘I thought I knew it too. And I forgot. Blood means nothing if we do not keep it inside us.’ Kara stood, stretched, and whacked both walls, ‘I have things to attend to. The funeral will be tonight. If you need me, you know where to find me. And, Laney? Thank you.’ Feeling that enough had been said, Kara meandered back to her own rooms, lost in thoughts of a youth long past and an uncertain future.

~

That night, under the light of the funeral pyre lit like a beacon high upon the city walls, the first of the Haelean army arrived.

Now, before you protest too strongly, I know it’s the 12th today and because I’m nice, here is 5 x 2 lines of a related passage. Between this, May 8th and May 29, you should be able to put two and two together. 🙂

Kara glared sharply at the woman sitting across from her, ‘How much do you know?’

‘Everything.’

‘Everything?’

‘Lord Thoren told me when he hired me to kill you.’

‘What?’ Kara jumped to her feet in alarm.

‘As I told you, if I wanted you dead, you would be already.’

‘Oh, well that’s comforting.’ Kara replied sarcastically.

Eriden stood, ‘I must go but please, my lady, consider what I have said.’

Kara waited until her guest was at the door before calling her back, ‘Wait! If you want to prove your loyalty, find enough evidence to convict Thoren of murder.’

‘It would be my pleasure.’