Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce owns all of these characters; I do not.
He couldn't wait to see the look on his cousin's face when he destroyed the kingdom. Jonathan would know that Roger had won, once and for all. Perhaps Roger had won in a strange way, but he had won.
The man ran his fingers through his dark brown hair, grinning broadly. Maybe he did fear death. He knew he could not attempt another Sorcerer's Sleep. But the knowledge that he had accomplished something so great that it would affect the world forever…that would be a memory he would cherish.
He had loved Jonathan once, until he began to realize that the throne of Tortall was his by right. He deserved to be king. And then that Alanna, his squire, had dueled him and won.
What he craved now was something no man could ever understand. Some might call it revenge; and it was, in a way. But it was also much more. It was what he needed to do now.
He was a fool for not realizing it before. He couldn't get happiness in any way now. There would always be the fact that he had killed the cousin that he loved. But now he could rest, for he would let himself die with his beloved cousin, Jonathan of Conté.
And Alanna would be coming with him. No, he thought, smirking. He would never go to the Black God's realm without his darling Lioness. A snicker escaped from his lips.
No one knew his plans. Not even Alex, whom he trusted and loved. But this was what he needed to do, to satisfy himself. It was the only choice he had.