Crucible of Fate

matter.”
    “And why is that?”
    “He is a divine vessel.”
    “For who?”
    “He is Ra reborn.”
    “Is he?” I lifted an eyebrow, pivoting to face Jin.
    “It’s a perversion of the law,” Jin announced, staring at the younger man.
    “Unless you want to be reported to my father by his khatyu, I would suggest that you keep your voice down,” Hanif warned us.
    “Why?”
    “I have found that questioning my father or drawing his attention through beauty brings about the same result.”
    “And what is that?” I inquired.
    “His interest, my lord.”
    My stomach was starting to twist into knots. “And Garai Milar, did your father take an interest in him?”
    “Yes, my lord.”
    It was painful to hear, and I had to draw a breath and calm down a second so I could go on without yelling. When my eyes met Hanif’s again, when I could, I saw how frightened he was. “Garai Milar was raped?”
    “He was taken, yes, my lord,”
    “Call it what you will. If he didn’t ask for it, it’s rape.”
    He suddenly started shivering. “Please don’t kill my father, my lord. Swear you won’t, or I’ll raise the alarm and you will never get inside.”
    I narrowed my eyes, staring the smaller man down. “I swear that I will not kill your father, Hanif Tarek.”
    “Bless you, my lord.”
    “But now tell me how my sekhem made Garai Milar safe.”
    “He is his champion, my lord. He is, in fact, also the champion of my sister Masika and of my cousin Dalila.”
    I inhaled deeply, willing myself to calm. “Yuri Kosa is the champion of three people?”
    “Actually five, my lord,” he admitted. “The two djehus are also under his protection.”
    “This is an outrage,” Jin quietly seethed from beside me. “I want to be in that fort now.”
    “And you will,” I comforted my best friend’s mate under my breath even as I smiled over at Hanif, attempting to put him at ease. “So tell me, are all visitors to your father’s home his to do with as he sees fit?”
    “Yes, of course, my lord. As I explained, my father is Ra’s vessel on Earth.”
    “I see, and where is your sylvan?”
    “He was cast into the fire for speaking out against my father.”
    Kabore said something in Latin before crossing himself.
    “So your father, he kills those who oppose him, as well.”
    “Yes, my lord.”
    “So my mate was given what choice?”
    “To fight in the pit or submit.”
    “Submit to your father?”
    “No, my lord, my father does not take men like your mate to his bed. They must be beautiful, delicate.” He tipped his head at Jin. “Like your companion.”
    I noticed how he bit his bottom lip. “Hanif?”
    “You should take him back to where your vehicles are my lord. He’ll be safe there.”
    “No.” I shook my head. “He’ll be fine. So the men that your father does not take to his bed, what is done?”
    “He has Deoles Aran, his sheseru, take them on an altar that is brought into the main hall.”
    I bristled. “So my mate, he could either fight in the pit or submit to this Deoles in front of a crowd?”
    “Yes.” He beamed at me, like we were having the most normal conversation ever. “It is sport for my father to watch Deoles take big strong men like your mate.”
    “And when my mate refused?”
    “I thought it a frightening choice, my lord, but your mate is extraordinary and though Deoles is bigger, he is not stronger.”
    I gritted my teeth because it was imperative I stay calm.
    “And then when he won and my father’s eye fell on my sister… your mate selflessly said that he would champion her and so went again into the pit.”
    “How many times in one day does he fight?”
    “He fights five matches per day, my lord.”
    Hanif trailed off, and I felt a wave of anger sweep over me. It wasn’t mine; it was Jin’s. The thing about me was, I cared about Yuri, but as long as he wasn’t hurt, this semel could do whatever he wanted with his own family, his own tribe. But Jin… reahs weren’t made that way. Preying on the weak was bound to pull righteous anger from the reah, which would, in turn, ignite rage in the nekhene.
    “Would you father defile your sister himself?”
    “It is not defiling, my lord, it—”
    “Would he do it himself?” I repeated, willing my voice to remain level.
    “No, my lord,” he acknowledged. “He would watch Deoles take her.”
    It was as though a hot wind skimmed over my skin, prickling like tiny pins, and I realized everything I thought was crap.