Taraka laughed as if she’d said something funny. ‘He wouldn’t dare. To harm a Tanzanite would be an act of war. In any case, even if Yadavendra did his worst, we would simply bring Lord Arkav back again. There’s nothing to worry about.’

But Pari knew better. She had seen first hand that there were ways to hurt a Deathless, leaving the kind of scars that followed you from one life to another. She thought of Lord Rochant Sapphire, bound, broken, and alone.

Priyamvada fixed her with a look. ‘Lord Taraka misspeaks, though he is right on one count: Lord Arkav has nothing to worry about, Lady Pari, because you will be with him.’

This is her plan. Either Arkav will bring back High Lord Sapphire, or our sacrifice will be a rallying cry for the other houses, and she’ll be able to replace me with a new, more pliable Deathless. How convenient.

There was an awkward silence that nobody else dared to break. Eventually Priyamvada stood. ‘We will leave you and your brother to catch up, Lady Pari.’ She glanced at Arkav. ‘I don’t need to tell you how important this is.’

‘No.’

‘May the suns illuminate your path.’ And with that, Priyamvada walked out, Taraka following behind like a chastized Dogkin.

She smiled broadly at him as he passed, savouring the way his face puckered like the arsehole of some ancient goat. When the sound of their footsteps had faded away, Pari turned back to Arkav. His silence was like a knife in the guts. She’d known that the brother of old was long gone, his calm and confident nature lost to sullen moods and wild displays of anger, but that was preferable to the absent figure that now sat in front of her.

‘Dear Arkav, what has become of you?’

When he didn’t reply she collected her gown as best she could and moved round to him, lifting his chin with her finger. ‘Arkav?’

He blinked at her, but there was little reaction in his face.

She opened her arms to him. ‘Arkav, it’s Pari. I’ve come back for you.’

Something stirred within him, as if only his body had been awake before. ‘Pari?’

She felt her eyes itch with tears as she nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘Pari!’ he exclaimed as she pulled him close. ‘You’re so far away.’

‘Not any more. I’m right here.’

His arms tightened around her and his voice trembled like a child’s. ‘I was afraid. You disappeared and then when I tried to find you the servants lied.’ His voice became steel, ‘They lied!’ Then childlike again, ‘I went to Priyamvada and she took me and held me in a room and wouldn’t let me go, and then you died and it was so long that I wished I was dead too.’

‘Why would you wish that?’

‘So we could be together. I don’t trust the others.’