Free Path of Honor by Diana Pharaoh Francis Page A

up. “Oh?”
    “The old lighthouse. It’s a death trap. We can’t let her stay out there.”
    “We can’t force her not to,” Sodur said, a quiet look of satisfaction sliding over his features.
    Juhrnus scowled.
    “She’s had a hard time of it recently. I don’t know if she told you—”
    “Some. That the nobles and other ahalad-kaaslane think she’s a traitor like Upsakes because her power isn’t working well. But the townspeople think she’s the Lady’s Chosen. That’s why they wear green tokens on their clothes. They support her and no one is going to change their minds.”
    “She told you that ?”
    Juhrnus shook his head. “Not about the green. But it isn’t much of a secret.”
    “And the nobles aren’t happy about it either. Supports their theory. I’ve been trying to smooth feathers and give Reisil time to find her power again. It’ll help that she’s out of the city. Out of sight, out of mind.”
    Juhrnus frowned. “I don’t think so. She’s hurting. You don’t know her. She’ll wall herself off and lick her wounds alone. Or shrivel up and die.”
    “Well, we just won’t let that happen, will we?” Sodur returned with a dismissive wave of his cup.
    “We? I don’t get the impression she wants you around.”
    “A minor disagreement. She’ll come around.”
    “What’s it about?”
    Sodur shook his head, leaning back in his chair and shoving away his tray. “Not good form to discuss it with you. I’d rather keep it between Reisil and me. Least said, soonest mended.”
    Despite Sodur’s airy words, Juhrnus sensed an underlying current of worry, even grief. As if he were mourning a death. This was no mere disagreement. Reisil wasn’t one to hold a grudge. But whatever had happened between them, Juhrnus got the impression that it burned more unbearably with every passing moment. For both of them.
    “Don’t worry. We’ll go see her tomorrow. She’ll need some furniture up in the lighthouse, no doubt. What else? Shall we help her fill her larder?” Sodur’s tone was jovial and unconcerned; he would say no more than he already had.
    The conversation soon slipped into Juhrnus’s disgusted evaluation of the lighthouse tower and what the two of them could do to make it safer. They didn’t know how long Reisil would be living there. Juhrnus had a feeling it would be a long time. Longer than Sodur pretended.

Chapter 4
    Reisil stood on the lantern deck, Saljane clutching her fist. The sky was a murky blue—a break between storms. To the right, the city hunched under a frozen blanket, and to the left, the steel surf rose and fell with a roar.
    ~I don’t want to argue anymore. This is for me as much as for you, Reisil said, her face rigid. She was determined not to cry.
    ~You need me, Saljane said, an edge of unfamiliar fear rimming her voice.
    Traitor tears slipped down Reisil’s cheeks, the wind turning them to ice. She brushed them away, pulling Saljane close.
    ~Of course I need you. That’s the point. You’re suffering here. You’re too thin, your feathers are ragged, you don’t sleep, you hardly eat. You have to leave. You have to go and get healthy. For me. I can’t watch you fall apart and know I’m the cause. As long as I know you’re safe and thriving, I’ll be able to keep going. But I can’t watch you die right in front of me.
    Reisil’s throat burned. It was true. Saljane had become a wraith of herself. And it was Reisil’s fault. She wondered if Sodur had meant it to go this far. She’d thought it was bad before, but now she wasn’t welcome in the Temple at all, and more often than not, crossing paths with another ahalad-kaaslane meant insults and recriminations rather than mere snubbing silence. Every day their disgust grew harder to bear, and she couldn’t keep the hurt and anger to herself. She hoped if Saljane left, she’d be able to keep the spreading venom of her thoughts and emotions from further poisoning the goshawk.
    Reisil drew a breath,