“He was a good friend for
many years,” the Sural continued. “But I knew he might someday move against me. I knew
he would blunder when he tried and be caught.”

“I sent him to the Jorann,
as she commanded. When he returned, he told us everything he knew and gave me
access to his tablet. The Jorann had ordered him to reveal Detralar’s secrets
to Suralia, even at risk of upsetting the ancient balance of power. She had
also ordered him to cede his province to me. Then—he begged to be allowed to
walk into the dark.”

“I gave him the
opportunity. I ordered him locked in a cell and given time for the inhibiting
drug to leave his body.” He shook his head. “It would have been an honorable end,
and his people would not have had to die. When sufficient time passed, he still
lived. It was necessary to kill him.”

Marianne shuddered. The
Sural wrapped his arms around her. “It gave me no pleasure to take his life. I
would he had died like a ruler, so his people could live. He died like a
frightened flutter, crying and struggling.”

“Then they fail to understand our law. His
actions brought the death of his entire people, over 300,000 men, women and
children. Had he the courage to walk into the dark, they would still live. That is a great crime—and a great
tragedy.”

She buried her face in his
robes. He stroked her hair. “Beloved, hear me. Humans also execute their own citizens for certain
crimes, do they not?” She nodded. He lifted her chin with one hand so she had
to look at him. “Had I not killed the Detral, another provincial ruler would
have—and then I would have been bound by law to walk into the dark for failing
in my responsibility. When he attacked you, he directly disobeyed the
Jorann. He used a weapon to attempt
an illegal assassination. Two serious crimes, the second carrying a sentence of
death. I was compelled by law and honor to execute him.”

“Consider this also,
beloved,” he added. “Because the Sural carries out his sentences, no other child
of Suralia need know what it is to take a life.”