King Tobias had sent Erika a note requesting a private “meeting” with her directly after breakfast, so Erika headed for the wrought-iron table outside in the rose garden, her father’s favorite location to meet with guests. She smiled at his tactics. What father requests a private meeting with their daughters? Tea in the garden with him on such a lovely morning would relieve the stress from her adventures in Cho Nisi. She had left the island not knowing if she ever would return. The threat of skura and the elder’s death warrant left her with little hope of survival. But Arell had saved her life, and his kiss had restored her hope that someday he would love her. Why had he been so distant on the voyage home?

The budding roses emitted a distinct fragrance as the sun warmed their petals as she meandered through the pruned hedges, grinning once she saw her father sitting with his head back and his eyes closed. This would be a wonderful opportunity to tell him about their successes on the island and to boast a bit about Kairos, his apprentices, and of course the guests she brought home with her.

“Good morning, Father,” she said.

“It is, isn’t it? The sun shines, the birds sing. What better morning could we have?”

She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his forehead before she pulled up a chair next to him.

“You look lovely today, Erika. That’s the gown I bought you in Fairmount, isn’t it? Green is a suitable color for you.”

“When I wear a dress, I enjoy wearing green, especially green silk with a gold braid and a little yellow tulip on the bodice.” Erika agreed, giving him a teasing smile. He knew she hated wearing dresses. She found more comfort in tunics and breeches than in heavy frocks. “Did you have something special to talk of, or are we just going to enjoy our time together speaking of weather and roses?” she asked. “Sylvia stressed the importance of the meeting.”

“Spending time with my beautiful daughter is important, Erika.” He coughed, a deep congested cough, and Erika frowned as he fought to clear his lungs. Taking a sip of his tea, he patted his chest. “My pardon,” he whispered with a coarse voice.

“No rush, Father. Get your breath.” Word of her father’s health had come to her by her sisters, but to see his deterioration for herself troubled her.

When his coughing ceased, he wiped his eyes with his napkin and smiled. “You must tell me about your trip. I want to know every detail, and every detail about these interesting guests you’ve brought back—those natives, and that young king who we so disturbingly forsook—tell me about him.”

“He’s a powerful leader. The Cho Nisi love him.”

King Tobias raised a brow.

“What?” she asked. He shook his head.

“How did Kairos do?” he asked. “You left knowing there were hordes of skura circling the island. Did he have trouble annihilating them?”

“Trouble indeed plagued the island and had we arrived much later all may have been lost. Kairos proved himself a hero. You should be proud to know you have a capable wizard.’

“I’m glad he’s coming to his own. Late. The man is beyond his youth.”

“He can’t be a day over thirty.”

“Yes, I know. I exaggerate. I’m glad he’s finally tapped into a niche. Lord knows I’ve been giving him enough chances to prove himself.”

“He had a hard image to live up to, what with his precursor’s abilities. There was not a mightier wizard in all the land than his father.”

“No. You’re right, and I’ve missed the man. We’ll have to move Kairos on to Tellwater. Commander Neal is there building a fort.”

“Did the commander bring magicians with him?” Rhea would not be happy to see Kairos leave so soon.

Her father nodded.

“I would think Kairos would be more valuable here with the Cho Nisi elders.” She took his hand and leaned forward. “Let him help, Father. Let’s do all we can to get Barin well again.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” he said.

Erika held her breath as she watched him sip his tea and hold back another cough. He gave her a quick smile.

“Kairos really loves Rhea,” she whispered. “They should marry.”

King Tobias cleared his throat and sat upright. He stared into his cup and shook his head. “No.”

“Why?”

“If they married now, that would make Kairos heir to the throne if…”

Erika’s smile faded. She hated to think what would happen if Barin didn’t recover.

“I’m afraid, for all the good he did on Cho Nisi, the man is—shall we say—incompetent. Bungling. Ungainly? I don’t know. He’s not king material.”

Erika chuckled at her father’s search for a suitable description of the wizard.

“He’s a good man,” she said.

“Good doesn’t make a king. Strong makes a king.”

“Barin is strong,” she whispered, shifted in her chair, and gazed at the castle where her brother lied strapped to a bed, possessed and mad. A man otherwise ardent, wise, and capable. Barin should not be in such a state. He should be out here talking with them, enjoying the sunshine, laughing. She missed her brother. “He’s going to recover, Father. We brought the Cho Nisi healers with us.” She had faith in the elders. Her father needed that faith. He put his trust in gods that stand frozen in the corridor. “Why not trust the magic of the island?”

“I hope, Erika. That’s the best I can do. I have been praying day and night for his recovery. But I cannot set aside the fact that he may never recover, and I will not live forever, nor can I put aside dying as I wait for him to get well. I do not know how long I will live. I need an heir.”

“I’m sorry I and my sisters have disappointed you.”

He patted her with warm hands, almost feverish, but the softness of his gaze took her worry away. “All it takes is a public confession of love and that weds you legally.”

“Why are we having this conversation? I have no one to love.”

He raised his brow again. Why did he do that?

“Two people must love each other for a marriage to work,” she explained.

He glanced at the scars on her hands, quiet for a moment, and then looked in her eyes. His kindliness melted her heart. She loved her father. Talking about him dying made her hair stand on end. She didn’t want him to go anywhere. King Tobias should live forever.

“Tell me what happened in Cho Nisi. I heard the demon Skotádi attacked you,” he said.

“Indirectly, yes. When we got there, they told me Arell was dying. I went to the castle to find him and tell him that Kairos found the magic to save the island, that he shouldn’t give up on life. As I rushed through the halls, I saw someone had been following me, a mist, and a disturbing figure which turned out to be Skotádi. When I entered Arell’s room, the mist flew in through his casement and took form. The mountain giant pulled him from his bed and immediately crushed him. I had a torch in my hand and knew the fire would destroy the monster, but Skotádi appeared, and I fought through his magic to rescue Arell. The Vouchsaver wanted to kill him and devour his soul. Skotádi is the most horrible creature I’ve ever seen. That’s where these scars came from. I had to save him, Father. What else could I have done?”

“Of course. You did the noble and necessary thing. Then what happened?”

“Skotádi turned on me and commanded a skura to attack. Arell—King Arell, that is—killed it.”

“And then?”

“And then Skotádi disappeared.”

“And then what happened?”

She stared at him. Where was he going with this? What does he think happened after that? How could he know Arell kissed her and that she helped him into his bed and nursed his wounds and they talked? Does her father suspect she had lost her heart to him?

“I put a clean wrap around his wounds.”

King Tobias chuckled. “That’s it? Nothing else? You didn’t thank each other for saving each other’s lives?”

“Well, of course we did.”

“Erika, Rhea told me you scolded her a while ago. Do you remember why?”

Erika’s cheeks flushed. Caught in deception, she’d have to eat crow. She nodded.

“Why did you scold Rhea?”

“For not admitting to you she loved Kairos,” Erika whispered, twisting the lace on her sash.

“I see.”

“Father, Rhea and Kairos are both in love with each other. My love for Arell is unrequited.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. And rightly so. I killed his father, remember?”

“Not purposefully. Confess your love to him. If there is nothing happening between you and this handsome young king, as you claim, then we must find you a husband elsewhere.”

“Me? Why me? Let Rhea marry Kairos.”

“They can marry, but Kairos will not sit on the throne.”

“Then Felix and Olinda.”

“Felix won’t. He wants the war to be over before he marries.”

“You can’t do this to me. I refuse to be betrothed. I would rather be a queen than marry someone who...,” her voice trailed.

“Queen? That would be too revolutionary, my dear Erika. The people would protest. You would have a nation rebelling against you, and how would that help anything?”

“Other nations have had queens.”

“We are not other nations. We live here in the kingdom of Potamia, and we do not have daughters that inherit the throne. No. We must inquire how this young man feels about you before we take another step. Look, here he comes now!”

“Did you arrange this?” She slapped her hand on the table, but her father only hushed her. Erika would get up and storm back inside if it weren’t for his illness. She loved her father too much to offend him.

“Don’t do this, Father,” she whispered.

Arell appeared tailored as a prince, freshly bathed, his hair still damp. He strolled through the garden until he eyed the king and then made his way to their table. He bowed cordially.

“Vasil,” he said, and with another bow to Erika, “Fairest.”

“Come sit with me, young man, and let’s talk.”

Erika did not smile. She bowed her head and scooted her chair over so that she didn’t have to face Arell.

“Did you have time to give my proposal a thought?” King Tobias asked.

Erika frowned at her father. What proposal? She did her best to remain poised, as a king’s daughter ought to. King Tobias smiled at her and went on.

“Erika doesn’t want me to talk like this. She doesn’t want her father to die, but—” he patted her hand. “We all must meet our end, some of us sooner than later. I am not a young man.”

Erika looked out over the rose garden, her cheeks flushed as she focused on the loveliness of the sun beating on the patio. The bees were busy this morning.

“You will not die soon, Father,” she said.

“Erika, dear, put yourself in my shoes. The physicians take care of me, but they have no cure. At night I sweat and wake up short of breath, if breathing at all. Sometimes I cough blood.”

This startled her. She looked at him wide-eyed. Perhaps the Cho Nisi could heal his illness as well.

“I’m an old man and know my time of passing draws near. I must put my affairs in order.”

Erika scowled when he looked at her. She could only guess at Arell’s reaction, but she dared not peek.

“I need to make plans for this kingdom, Erika. Barin cannot rule. Not in the state he’s in.”

King Tobias lifted his hand toward Arell.

“If you are waiting for an answer to your proposal, Vasil, then I will keep you no longer. I cannot accept this offer. I have a kingdom already. One nation is all that I can manage. I came here to assure our allegiance, but I cannot promise any more than that.”

“I see.”

“What proposal did you actually offer, Father?”

King Tobias did not answer, and so Arell cleared his throat.

“Your father offered me your hand in marriage and his kingdom when he dies. Vasil, if you’ll excuse me, I must check on the elders and see if they are making any advancement with your son’s healing. A miracle will be the order for the day, and you will no longer have to worry about your estate.”

King Tobias nodded as Arell rose, bowed, and took his leave.

Erika stared at her father, her cheeks hot as the sun on a rose petal. “So, you offered me and your kingdom before even consulting me?”

“I had to get his opinion on the matter. Such things are commonplace among Royals. You should know that by now.”

“I would think our family had grown away from such customs. They are archaic. I understand your concern about an heir, but to learn that you’ve already talked to him! Father, please!”

“You’ve shown every sign of loving this man, Erika. Even your chambermaid has hinted at your affection for him.”

“Unrequited, I never once said he felt the same way toward me. He hates me. I could not live under such conditions.”

“Yes, and I thought I could win his heart by offering my kingdom to him. Perhaps he’d see it as recompense.”

“I appreciate the noble gesture, but you can’t trade a kingdom for a man’s life.” She watched Arell hurry into the castle, sick to her stomach. Had he been willing to marry her, it would thrill her. But he wasn’t. He must abhor her. Now he loathes her entire family.

“Why did you do that, Father? You insulted him. Everything you’ve worked for is in this kingdom. I don’t want to see you casting your pearls to swine.”

“He’s not swine, my dear. He’s a noble young man. I’m sure if he had consented, you’d not talk that way about him.”

“No, I suppose I wouldn’t. But you’re dreaming. You saw how he reacted. He barely considered your offer, and to pursue it any longer is painful for me. I prefer to think of him only as a king of an ally country. Let’s not pressure him any longer so that he doesn’t change his mind about that!”

King Tobias sighed and shrugged his shoulders. “It takes time to nurture love.”

“And there needs to be a seed in the ground for anything to grow. They will heal Barin. You’re fretting over husbands for your daughters could very well be needless. May we end this conversation? I would like to see how Barin is this morning.” She rose and gave him a hug. “I love you.”

“Yes, I love you too,” he said, patting her hand. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, no longer did he have a smile.

Erika curtsied and left.