Shapeshifters Read Online Free PDF Page B

yet, but you should address him as our leader.”
    â€œZane, have you not taken a mate?”
    Zane raised fiery eyes to the Mistari Disa. “Taking a mate in the middle of this war would be giving a death sentence to a woman in return for her love. I’ve learned from experience that even a woman with child is not safe from the killing, not when she’s carrying a cobra’s blood.”
    The Disa took a breath, nodded and then turned to my mother. “And among your people, Nacola, whom should I address as your leader?”
    â€œMy daughter,” my mother answered. “Danica Shardae. She will soon be queen.”
    â€œHow soon?” the Disa asked gently, and my head lowered. My mother had prepared me totake the throne, but I was still uneasy about the prospect.
    My mother blinked and answered hesitantly, “My daughter has no alistair. The one she was raised with was killed in this war, and since Shardae is now old enough, I want her to choose her own. When I said soon, I simply meant …” She paused, then gathered her thoughts and answered honestly, “I am tired of this war, tired of being queen. My daughter still has faith, and if anyone is strong enough to lead us to peace, it is her. She will be appointed Tuuli Thea on her next birthday.”
    The Disa nodded again. “Danica, Zane, both of you have come here, asking for peace. Both of your families are willing to follow you. Why do you need our help?”
    Zane spoke first. “Even if every one of us wants peace, our people would rather fight than be taken by surprise. Among my own guards,” he said, glancing at his blond companion, “there is strong doubt as to how far we can trust the avians, and among many of my people there is even speculation as to why I would want to make peace.”
    The Disa looked to me next, and I could only agree with Zane. “We were barely able to control our soldiers these last two weeks. They don’t believe the serpiente can be trusted, and unless we either give them permission to fight again, or wefind some way to convince them that the Cobriana family and their people really want peace, my mother and I won’t have the power to keep them from going against us.”
    The Disa sighed and looked at her husband. They conferred quietly for a few minutes, and then it was the Dio who spoke to us.
    â€œYou are both saying that your people doubt your sincerity, and the other side’s sincerity,” the Dio paraphrased. “You two are their leaders, and if you can set the example and show them how much you are willing to give for this peace, they will follow.” He paused and then looked at me. “The question then is, how much are you willing to give?”
    I thought about all the battlefields, all the dead men and women I had seen, all the dying children and fathers and mothers I had held and sung to. I thought about my dead alistair, Vasili, about my brother, Xavier, and about Gregory Cobriana begging me to stop the pain.
    And I answered, “Anything.”
    A breath later, Zane echoed my response with, “Everything.”
    The Disa took over again. “When you have hatred, you need to start with the heart to mend it. Similarly, when you have a rift between peoples as great as you have, the only way to bridge the gap is to start at the center.”
    I glanced at Zane, wondering if he understood the Disa’s advice better than I did. His eyes were narrowed slightly, as if he had an idea where this was going but didn’t much like it.
    â€œYou came for our advice. All I can send you away with is this: You can only sew shut a rip by making the two sides one again. Danica Shardae, Zane Cobriana, you said you would give up anything, everything, to stop the war.” She looked at me, at Zane, and then she spoke to both of us. “Never ask your people to do something you do not have the courage, or the determination, to do. If you want