The Corin Chronicles Volume I: The Light and the Dark by Marvin Amazon Page B

to face Selena, who was looking at the ground. He returned his gaze to General Aspac, his eyes filled with anger. “What do you mean?” he asked.
    The general edged forward, closely followed by Thane, whose hands remained on the hilt of his sword. “You are not the first man to fall prey to the poison that resides within her.” The general knelt beside Kirinki, whose sword was now by his side. “How else could a woman, hunted by the entire galaxy, elude the God of Gods for so long? Her entire existence is one almighty lie. The deception that follows her is as potent as the threat her son wields. I have seen many men do what you did for her, deceived by her seemingly kind nature and gentle manners. I looked into your eyes when we first met, and I knew you genuinely believed the words that came out of your mouth.”
    “It matters not whether I have been deceived by her or by my own conscience.” Kirinki stood up angrily, and Thane started to unsheath his blade.
    “Thane, please,” General Aspac said. “The man has nowhere to go. He poses no threat to me.” The general remained in the same kneeling position. Slowly, the Monoroi removed his hand from his sword hilt, and the general continued. “You really are a good man, Master Kirinki. I told no lies when I said that I had heard about you. In fact, I did not mention the extent of the tales I have heard. The lives you have saved, the people you have served, both here and in Corin. Just as with your brother, your legacy could be great. All I ask is that you forget what you have seen here and over the past few weeks. None of this death would have happened, if not for this young boy.”
    The general shifted his gaze to Siroco, who shook nervously, then looked back to Kirinki. “I know you have lost some good men out there, but I assure you that you will be rewarded with land and wealth beyond comprehension. You will walk in the finest silk. You will be bathed with the waters from the forbidden mountains. Women will fall at your feet. Armies from all reaches of the galaxy will come when you call. I give you my word. Everything I speak of will be written with the ink of Auphora himself. All you need to do right now is surrender that boy to me.”
    Noticing Kirinki’s hesitation at the offer, Selena stood abruptly from where she knelt and walked to within a few feet of her protector and General Aspac. She glanced at the Monoroi, who remained a pillar of concentration. “Your words will not poison Master Kirinki, for he is a good man,” she said.
    General Aspac laughed loudly. “I am afraid you misunderstand the situation, Lady Selena. There is no more negotiating to be done. You are all my prisoners now, and I could strike you down where you stand. But I want you to witness this. Master Kirinki!” He moved his gaze to the troubled man, sensing the conflict within him. “Master Kirinki,” he repeated, “will you stand with me, or do you want your fate to fall with those who are about to die?”
    With a sideways glance, Kirinki looked into the eyes of Selena and then across to the faces of Tranin and Cramo, who still had their hands on their sword hilts. He gave a slight nod, and they both relaxed their stances and took a few steps backward. Kirinki had never before questioned the motives of the God of Gods, and he was not about to now. Shrouded with guilt, he rested his gaze on Selena. “Please forgive me for what I do now, my lady,” he said softly. Selena’s eyes widened with evident shock. “I stand with you, General,” he said. “This is no longer my fight. I was deceived, but everything is now clear in my head and in my mind. I will no longer stand against the God of Gods.”
    The smile on the general’s face broadened, much to Selena’s agony. Pushing past Kirinki, she rushed toward Siroco and held him. With his head down, Kirinki walked toward Tranin and Cramo, standing next to them as he watched General Aspac summoning a gaunt man to