Page 35 of The Laws of Nature (Heirs of the Empire #3)

HAROK

H arok swings down from Embox after a day of riding. He leads her into the stables and hitches her halter to a post to begin the process of untacking, stroking her flank and softly cooing the words Suskara taught him as he does so. “ Lalian ary juzu .”

He is unsure what they mean, but the calming effect the words have on beasts is quite astounding.

He removes Embox’s bridle and saddle, sets them aside and finds a brush to groom her. He prefers to do these jobs himself when it comes to his own mount.

He’s lost in his work, the long steady strokes of the brush making Embox’s coat shine, when a voice behind him says, “Harok, I must speak with you.”

Harok turns to see his mother in the stall doorway, her pinched face typically tight and unsmiling. “What is it, mother?” he says heavily. He is tired. He wants nothing more than to take care of Embox and retire to his chamber for a long bath before dinner.

“I have been watching that kushir,” Yaelin says, folding her arms over her thin chest. “And you. You have grown close to him. You’re teaching him Ambolk and letting him stroll around the halls with his beast. He behaves like a member of your council.

I am concerned you have forgotten the reason I charged you to bring him here. ”

Harok looks past his mother into the stables, but there is no one around. “Do you really think I have forgotten?” he says in a low tone. “That I ever could after twenty long years?”

Yaelin nods. “Then you know what that kushir is here for. And yet I see you with him on your lap, eating honey from your fingers. What are you doing with him?”

“What am I doing with him?” Harok turns back to Embox and continues grooming her. “Do you not remember what an Irgo does with a kushir?”

Yaelin’s voice is cold. “Do you think it is not clear to me how distracted you have become by that kushessa ?”

“Do not call him that, mother.” Harok sets down the brush. He walks out of the stall and starts seeing to Embox’s water and feed.

Yaelin follows. “I will call him what he is. You have allowed that Azurian to tame you like he tames his beasts.” She waves her arm down the row of stalls towards Baby’s cage.

It's empty. Harok knows Suskara has his beast with him in the library.

“Is his body so sweet? Has it convinced you that taking pleasures from him is more important than his duty? Again your weakness betrays you. It was a mistake to make him kushir. You have him in your bed and it has made you lose sight of what must be done.”

“You were the one who said I ought to bed him.” Harok says, stamping back into Embox’s stall with a full pail and an armful of fresh hay.

“To connect with him, yes. It is required. But you were the one who decided to name him your kushir. He is not here to be your lover .” She emphasises the word like it's something distasteful, something shameful.

“Have you forgotten the reason we need him?” Harok turns around and finds Yaelin is right behind him.

She reaches up and touches the sigil on his chest. “You may have found you are enjoying him more than you imagined, and it is not surprising, but he is not for pleasure. He is for the ritual.”

“You think I do not think about the ritual everyday?” Harok snaps.

But he feels the truth of her words burning.

“I carry Demonica with me on my back in readiness. Do you really think I could lose sight of such things with your fucking mark carved upon me? I know what will happen to the kushir. But what does it matter if I enjoy him while we wait for him to be ready?”

“Enjoying him is one thing,” Yaelin says curtly. “But I have seen how you look at him. I do not want any more mistakes.”

Harok sighs. He is too tired for this conversation, too tired to argue with his mother when he knows she is right.

He hadn’t expected to like his Suskara as much as he does.

And it will make things much harder if he allows his feelings to grow.

“I am aware of what must be done, mother. I am a strong Irgo. I admit that I have found pleasure in small diversions with this kushir. But it will end. I know this. I am strong.” But he feels a sharp pang at the thought of it.

He has become weak for his Suskara. He has lost sight of what must happen.

Or perhaps he has not lost sight of it. Perhaps he simply fears it.

“You think your claims of strength will solve everything,” Yaelin says, still pointing at Harok with a sharp finger, “You are as single minded and arrogant as your father. He never realised his own folly either. But at least he was never so foolish to try and kill a God and end a centuries old tradition. As if such a thing was as simple as declaring it so. We should have put that kush in the dungeon. Not your bed.”

“You think I ought to have locked him in the dungeons and simply visited him in his cell and fucked him?”

“Better than what you appear to be doing.” Yaelin blinks.

Harok realises her anger was all front. She has tears in her eyes.

Harok knows how hard it is for her. She is the only person who knows the truth about what he did to take his throne, and she carries it like a weight that grows heavier with each passing day. He knows she fears what he is becoming.

“Mother,” he says calmly. He lifts a hand and places it on Yaelin’s white cheek.

She is cold as ice. “I know how hard it has been these last two decades. I know how much you have done for me. And finding me this man with fae blood who can help me undo the mistakes I have made is something I am forever grateful for.”

Yaelin puts her own hand over Harok’s. “Promise me you will not fall in love with him” she says, her voice rough.

Harok startles. “ Mother! ”

“Humour me.”

“Mother, I am Irgo.”

“Humour me,” Yaelin says again, ”Promise you will not fall in love with this man and undo all the work we have done. He is one of the five fae princes fated to defeat Diazuul. I need you to promise me that you will not forget that.”

“Mother,” Harok says. “I won’t.”

Yaelin grits her teeth. “Prove it,” she says.

Harok sighs. “If you want me to lock him away in the dungeons, I will not.”

“It is too late for that,” Yaelin says as if she truly thinks that would be a good solution.

“But I understand the traders leave tomorrow for Ceruleum. They are being attacked by the Exceli, even with the warriors you have charged to accompany them. You ought to go too. Lead their carts through the forest on Embox. The Exceli fear you.”

“And you want me to leave Urynwud and spend some time away from the kushir?”

“I do,” Yaelin says. “It will be good for you.”