ZARIAH
I haven't been falling all this time - I've been flying
”Or what?” Zariah said, challengingly, not remotely concerned about the repercussions. This was Loren after all. ”You’ll get mad and run away again? Find somewhere off in the woods to pout at how unfair it is that the Head of the family took a chance on Cyton’s runt and made him Left Hand? Hm?” she snipped, each word a jab despite the calm with which she spoke and held herself.
She did pause briefly at the news Edrei. Dead. It seemed impossible. Edrei was powerful and talented and trained to a fine edge. That she was dead and Loren not seemed entirely unfathomable. ”How?” she asked, brows furrowing. How had this happened? Who needed to pay for her death?
”Sick.” the family head said, unimpressed with that excuse. ”You were sick. Am I to pity you? Am I to quietly forgive your treachery? Despite your constant bemoaning the unfairness of your life I gave you a chance. I changed how we trained for you, I made you Left Hand, I defended you and your position to your father and brother and that is how you repay the sort of kindness you would have never received in Northwind under Colbrande?” she snapped, the rage behind her words building, hazel eyes flaring with her anger and hurt. ”Sick does not make up for abandoning your family. Sick does not redeem your selfishness. Sick is not a suitable excuse for anything you have done. That is a child’s defense.”
She did pause briefly at the news Edrei. Dead. It seemed impossible. Edrei was powerful and talented and trained to a fine edge. That she was dead and Loren not seemed entirely unfathomable. ”How?” she asked, brows furrowing. How had this happened? Who needed to pay for her death?
”Sick.” the family head said, unimpressed with that excuse. ”You were sick. Am I to pity you? Am I to quietly forgive your treachery? Despite your constant bemoaning the unfairness of your life I gave you a chance. I changed how we trained for you, I made you Left Hand, I defended you and your position to your father and brother and that is how you repay the sort of kindness you would have never received in Northwind under Colbrande?” she snapped, the rage behind her words building, hazel eyes flaring with her anger and hurt. ”Sick does not make up for abandoning your family. Sick does not redeem your selfishness. Sick is not a suitable excuse for anything you have done. That is a child’s defense.”
