Sky Mesa silk & stone

"oh, safiya, no, no." khusobek had not cried in a remembered time but he felt the surge of them threaten now. "never lose your kindness, habibti. do not let him take that from you."

"you did nothing wrong." he kissed her forehead and straightened. "i do not mean for you to be gone so long." only that she was departed long enough for khusobek to thrust the man's eyes down his very throat, to bury him in the sand.

"our pharaoh prizes kindness. she is gentle; she is soft, though she is steel as well. you will do well in her halls, safiya."

he felt the stirrings of machiavelli's resolute aura; he joined them with his own and embraced the girl once more. "go now. i will come to akashingo when i am able. send word when you arrive, machiavelli."

if he did not let her go now, khusobek was unsure he could at all.