Goddess by Fiona McIntosh

so this wait has been wise. In fact, I’ve had thisniggling feeling that this is somehow all to do with the rising of the Goddess.’
    ‘I thought we’d cleared that up,’ Lazar replied wearily. ‘Ana is no such thing.’
    ‘I shall believe what I wish. You are welcome to your own theory. The Goddess is rising, Lazar, I feel it even if I don’t understand it.’
    ‘What about Maliz?’ Lazar murmured.
    ‘I’ve been clever at staying out of his way. The Grand Vizier is kept busy for Boaz and from what I can glean seems more concerned with setting up an escape route for the Zar, Valide and the harem.’
    ‘What’s his plan? He should consult me.’
    ‘As far as I know it’s the eastern foothills. I overheard the Grand Vizier telling Boaz that he knows them well.’ Lazar smirked. ‘Yes, my thoughts exactly. Tariq wouldn’t know what foothills look like. But Boaz’s mind is too filled with responsibility and private mourning over Ana to take note that his Grand Vizier is suddenly so knowledgeable.’
    ‘Boaz has visited me often these past moons and from what I can tell he has no intention of leaving the city.’
    ‘The Grand Vizier is relentless in pushing for him to abandon the palace and its seraglio. That said, he isn’t planning for the Zar to be anywhere near the harem women in their escape. Only the Valide would be permitted to accompany Boaz. As for Salmeo, I don’t think Tariq cares what happens to him.’
    ‘What’s his motivation, do you think?’
    Pez shrugged. ‘He claims he is preserving the palace hierarchy, or so he assures the Zar.’
    ‘It’s a lie, of course.’
    ‘The curious part is, Lazar, I do think he cares about Boaz—well, care, that’s an odd word I know. But there’s certainly an element of desiring the Zar’s survival.’
    ‘That’s madness, though. What happens to Percheron is irrelevant to Maliz. His interest lies only in the destruction of Lyana, whenever she turns up. He’s simply biding his time. All of this mortal angst with war is purely sport for him, wouldn’t you agree?’
    ‘I do. I can’t explain his concern…not yet.’
    ‘And speaking of explanations. Have you thought of an idea to explain your absence when we go?’
    ‘No, but now that I know that we are on the brink of departure, I shall dream up something. Boaz is preoccupied with war anyway. He is not going to miss me. He will miss you, though.’
    ‘The Zar wants his Zaradine and heir back. I have given Ghassal instructions. He is a good soldier—the best; he knows what to do, how to set up the Protectorate for maximum security. Have we heard anything?’
    ‘Nothing. You would be one of the first to learn anyway. Boaz defers to you as Spur despite your illness.’
    Lazar sighed. ‘He treated me very coolly when we first returned, but he’s warmed. I don’t doubthis mother’s determination to see me fit has helped in that regard.’
    ‘It’s about Ana, Lazar. It’s always been about Ana.’
    ‘She is his wife. I cannot stand in the way of that.’
    ‘Not in the palace, perhaps,’ Pez commented, giving a soft shrug of apology. ‘Don’t pretend you didn’t know I was part of the guile. She told me she just needed some time with you that night. I was her cohort.’
    The Spur blushed in a rare show of emotion. Pez pretended not to notice.
    ‘We needed to talk. There was so much left unsaid between us, not—’ Lazar stammered.
    ‘You don’t have to—’
    ‘Not just around the time of her marriage,’ Lazar continued as though Pez had not spoken, ‘but long before that. There were things I needed to say to Ana that were overdue from the first wretched evening I brought her into Percheron.’ He banged his fist on the balcony rail in frustration.
    ‘You don’t need to justify that time with Ana to me, Lazar,’ Pez said softly.
    ‘I do. You were her accomplice and took a risk for us. I never thought I’d have the chance to say any of the things I did on that sand dune. She