realized Ana didn’t know their mama stood listening, and when he turned
to look up at her, he saw a gleam of interest in her blue eyes.
“You’ve extended your powers to their fullest here, Lady Tara.” His voice was
cruel, and her eyebrow shot up at him. “Remember where you are, and who is talking
to you. If you can overlook blood to inflict a punishment, I can overlook it as well. I
won’t have you eavesdrop. If you’d like to play mama, you may come over to your
daughter, so she knows you’re here. Otherwise, leave.”
Ana groaned as she struggled to look over her shoulder at her mama. Andru
thought he saw relief on Tara’s face when the doctor climbed the stairs and was in the
room in minutes. The good doctor didn’t ask any questions, but quickly went about his
business. Andru backed away from his sister to allow him room, and simply stood and
watched until he felt a gentle touch on his back.
“May I speak with you?” His mama’s tone was quiet.
Andru followed Tara out of the room and watched as she closed the door gently.
For a moment he thought she might collapse into his arms as her fingers went up and
pinched the bridge of her nose. She took a deep gulp of air, and then to his surprise
shivered uncontrollably. He took a step back and leaned against the wall, crossing his
arms and staring at her. Finally, she looked up, and he forced indifference across his
face when he saw her blue eyes were glassy with tears.
“You’ll find out one day that as leader of a nation you have to do things that more
than anything in Nuworld, you don’t want to do.” She watched her son’s face and
understood when it remained blank. “I don’t think I have much time, so I’ll get right to
the point. I can see you want nothing to do with me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if your
papa made an appearance sometime soon. So hear me, Andru. Hear every word.”
Her voice took on the tone of a leader that he was very familiar with and the
grieving mama disappeared.
“I don’t agree with Darius on how he is handling this offer of Dorn Gowsky’s. He
sees an opportunity for Gothman to move into the Neurian nation, and wants you to
see things as he does. I know you’ll draw your own conclusions, but I want you to
know how I feel about this. I can see that you still want Meah, and I would have done
exactly what Ana did when she sent out those messages to the clan sites. Obviously
they would respond quickly if they thought the message came from me. She’ll do
anything to see to your happiness. Your papa will do anything, regardless of people’s
happiness, for the sake of Gothman. He’ll kill Meah if he finds her.” Tara paused and
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Lorie O’Clare
wished for Andru to say something. He’d mastered every art of Darius’ leadership
abilities and he’d mastered them well. She smiled sadly in spite of herself. She wouldn’t
know his thoughts, but she would at least know that he was listening. “He will do this
because I refuse to proclaim her dead. He’s simply waiting for her to enter Gothman
land. I know he gave orders for Gilroy to kill her when he finds her.”
When her son still wouldn’t respond to her words, she took a step toward him and
placed her hand on his iron chest. She smiled and looked up at him. “I guess I want you
to know that I’m on your side. Bring her to the clan site and I’ll give her sanctuary.”
Tara sighed again and stepped back, then turned to head toward the stairs.
“Mama?”
Tara turned, and her expression was hopeful.
“I told Ana her stunt was foolish and she would pay dearly. She won’t hold a
grudge.”
Tara nodded and turned toward the stairs again.
“Andru,” she said, pausing. “Your papa knows you’ve agreed to meet Dorn’s
daughter to avoid suspicion of your true intentions. Be careful, please.”
Andru watched her descend the stairs and
to look up at her, he saw a gleam of interest in her blue eyes.
“You’ve extended your powers to their fullest here, Lady Tara.” His voice was
cruel, and her eyebrow shot up at him. “Remember where you are, and who is talking
to you. If you can overlook blood to inflict a punishment, I can overlook it as well. I
won’t have you eavesdrop. If you’d like to play mama, you may come over to your
daughter, so she knows you’re here. Otherwise, leave.”
Ana groaned as she struggled to look over her shoulder at her mama. Andru
thought he saw relief on Tara’s face when the doctor climbed the stairs and was in the
room in minutes. The good doctor didn’t ask any questions, but quickly went about his
business. Andru backed away from his sister to allow him room, and simply stood and
watched until he felt a gentle touch on his back.
“May I speak with you?” His mama’s tone was quiet.
Andru followed Tara out of the room and watched as she closed the door gently.
For a moment he thought she might collapse into his arms as her fingers went up and
pinched the bridge of her nose. She took a deep gulp of air, and then to his surprise
shivered uncontrollably. He took a step back and leaned against the wall, crossing his
arms and staring at her. Finally, she looked up, and he forced indifference across his
face when he saw her blue eyes were glassy with tears.
“You’ll find out one day that as leader of a nation you have to do things that more
than anything in Nuworld, you don’t want to do.” She watched her son’s face and
understood when it remained blank. “I don’t think I have much time, so I’ll get right to
the point. I can see you want nothing to do with me, and I wouldn’t be surprised if your
papa made an appearance sometime soon. So hear me, Andru. Hear every word.”
Her voice took on the tone of a leader that he was very familiar with and the
grieving mama disappeared.
“I don’t agree with Darius on how he is handling this offer of Dorn Gowsky’s. He
sees an opportunity for Gothman to move into the Neurian nation, and wants you to
see things as he does. I know you’ll draw your own conclusions, but I want you to
know how I feel about this. I can see that you still want Meah, and I would have done
exactly what Ana did when she sent out those messages to the clan sites. Obviously
they would respond quickly if they thought the message came from me. She’ll do
anything to see to your happiness. Your papa will do anything, regardless of people’s
happiness, for the sake of Gothman. He’ll kill Meah if he finds her.” Tara paused and
53
Lorie O’Clare
wished for Andru to say something. He’d mastered every art of Darius’ leadership
abilities and he’d mastered them well. She smiled sadly in spite of herself. She wouldn’t
know his thoughts, but she would at least know that he was listening. “He will do this
because I refuse to proclaim her dead. He’s simply waiting for her to enter Gothman
land. I know he gave orders for Gilroy to kill her when he finds her.”
When her son still wouldn’t respond to her words, she took a step toward him and
placed her hand on his iron chest. She smiled and looked up at him. “I guess I want you
to know that I’m on your side. Bring her to the clan site and I’ll give her sanctuary.”
Tara sighed again and stepped back, then turned to head toward the stairs.
“Mama?”
Tara turned, and her expression was hopeful.
“I told Ana her stunt was foolish and she would pay dearly. She won’t hold a
grudge.”
Tara nodded and turned toward the stairs again.
“Andru,” she said, pausing. “Your papa knows you’ve agreed to meet Dorn’s
daughter to avoid suspicion of your true intentions. Be careful, please.”
Andru watched her descend the stairs and
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