Crucible of Fate

didn’t care?
    She made a face. “I know you don’t like to deal with this kind of thing, but your sekhem, who is normally here to handle these requests, is absent. Because of that, I must come to you.”
    “What does he usually say?”
    “He says to do what I think is best.”
    “That sounds like good advice. Do that.”
    “And I have your permission to act in your stead?” She was making sure.
    “You do.”
    She made to leave.
    “Wait.”
    Her eyes came back on me.
    “Make sure you let me know if the girls are hurt.”
    “Of course.” She gave me a quick bow, spared a nod to Ebere, and then left.
    Koren watched her go.
    “I always liked her.” Ebere said brightly. “She always handled Ammon so well. He used to come to my chambers fuming because she’d outmaneuvered him again and again.”
    “Your mate complained that he had missed bedding another?”
    She tilted her head, and there was just a hint of a smile.
    “It’s a wonder you didn’t kill him yourself.”
    Her gaze met mine.
    “I’m glad you didn’t hate me.”
    “Nothing to hate.” She was adamant.
    I cleared my throat. “I enjoy having Samani here.”
    “You were smart to elevate her to hathen.”
    “Someone needed to do it, and you certainly wanted nothing to do with the harem.”
    She scoffed. “No, I didn’t.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    We were both finally focused on Koren.
    “You have a harem?”
    I waggled my eyebrows.
    “All semel-atens have harems,” Ebere educated Koren, the censure in her voice evident. “Everyone knows that.”
    I came clean. “I didn’t.”
    “No?”
    My quick laugh made her eyelids flutter before she glanced over at Koren.
    “Who are you, may I ask?”
    He moved forward, hand extended. “Koren Church.”
    She took the offered hand. “Oh, yes, I see the resemblance to the semel-netjer now. Pleasure to meet you.”
    “You know Logan?”
    “I’ve had the pleasure, yes,” she sighed, “and of meeting his mate, as well. Your tribe is blessed to have them both.”
    “We think so.”
    “When is Yuri due home?” Her focus was back on me.
    “In a couple of days.”
    “Where did he go?”
    “Again,” I said on a huffed exhale, “he went to speak to a semel for me.”
    “Yes, but where did he go specifically? I didn’t ask and you didn’t say.”
    “You could have questioned Kabore.”
    “It’s unseemly for me to make that inquiry of your steward when I should ask you.”
    I grunted. “He went to Ipis to meet with the semel and the djehus.”
    “Whatever for?”
    “The semel of the tribe of Tegeret—”
    “Ehivet Milar, yes?”
    “He’s missing his son.”
    Her eyes narrowed. “If Ehivet is missing his son, why on earth would Yuri be involved? And why would he go to Ipis? He needed to go to Minya, where the—”
    “Ehivet sent his son to Ipis.”
    “I’m missing something.”
    “He and the semel of the tribe of Feran have a covenant bond for their children.”
    “ Oh , I see.”
    “And he’s also speaking to two of Tarek’s djehus. There’s a land dispute or something. The catacombs figure into it.”
    Her breath caught excitedly, which surprised me. “And is he going to see the catacombs while he’s there?”
    “I would think so, yes. Why?”
    “Oh, I always wanted to go to see the great cavern, but Ammon would never take me.”
    “Why?” I was instantly on edge. “Is it dangerous?”
    “No, quite the opposite. I understand the catacombs are gorgeous and quite safe.”
    “So why, then?”
    “Ammon said that until the petty feuding was forcibly ended that he would not dignify the semel with his presence or mine. He felt that—oh, and now I can’t think of his name—”
    “Hakkan Tarek.”
    “Yes, Tarek.” She seemed relieved. “He felt that as a semel he should simply discipline his tribe and take matters into his own hands.”
    “I hate to agree with a power-mad tyrant, but, yeah. Hakkan Tarek needs to send his sheseru and khatyu to the homes of each djehu, bring them to his house, and everybody stays there until it’s fixed or he just executes them and starts over.”
    “Domin!”
    “What? It’s true,” I insisted.
    “You have to understand the problems, not negotiate at knifepoint.”
    “I think you’re missing the point. There would be no negotiating.”
    “There are two distinct groups,” she pointed out. “They have to learn to coexist.”
    “They’re all panthers; they need to get over it.”
    “You realize that you’re not