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“But... but Mother...” The words died on his lips. How could this be? His mother was but six months dead. Not only was this new action of Khamul - his father - entirely improper, but it was also an insult to his mother’s memory. Why? He met Gjeelea’s eyes, and for the first time that he could remember he found not scorn or disdain, but understanding. She understood, because she had already had these thoughts.
“He is mad.” Siamak spoke quietly but with conviction. Gjeelea nodded mutely.
“Come sit down,” said Siamak, momentarily diverting them from the subject and reminding Siamak of Zamara’s presence. Here, Priestess he thought, remembering her earlier query. Here is one of those many injuries that Pashtia has sustained.
Having settled on to the couches, though none of them quite comfortably due to the thick tension of the situation, Siamak asked, “Was Arshalous willing, do you think? Or did she have no other option?”
Gjeelea paused for a moment, thinking. “She said she did not trust the Emissary. I did not think she would accept if she had the chance. But she had no strength of will while talking with Kham- our father. She made no resistance at all.”
“So whose side is she on? Can she be trusted?” asked Zamara, seeing where Siamak was headed.
“I would like to say so... but I think we will have to wait and see,” answered Gjeelea.
“‘Wait and see,’”repeated Siamak. “That’s what we’ve been doing this whole time, haven’t we? Waiting and hoping that maybe it would get better, but it’s gotten worse. Pashtia grows darker as Khamul’s - and the Emissary’s - power heightens.” As he spoke, the irony that the one called “Shining One” should be the one to bring about the darkness of the country occurred to him. “If we wait any more, Pashtia will be beyond saving. We need to do something - now.” He paused. Dare he say it? “We need to drive out the Emissary and his influence - and to do that, we may need to drive out Khamul himself.” He wondered if this could really be his father that he was talking about so calmly. But this man was not his father save in name only. If the real Faroz was still there, he had been buried in the madness of Khamul. Siamak had made the distinction and committed himself to it. He would not look back.
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