Obsidian Ridge - Jess Lebow [89]
The king looked up at the painting on the ceiling. It depicted a time in his nation's history, only a few short years ago, known as the Black Days of Eleint. What would these days be called, he wondered, if not black?
"The crops have withered," said the old merchant woman. "Our livelihoods ate at stake. Our lives are in your hands, yet you stand there and do nothing."
"You have seen the power of Xeries. Our army cannot best him, and we do not have the resources to beat him in a magical fight. We are looking into solutions."
"Give him what he wants," she said. "Turn over your daughter for the sake of the kingdom, and be done with it."
Korox paced across the dais. Inside he fumed, his frustration boiling over into a massive hatred of the woman before him. Right now, she was all that was wrong with the world. He wanted to smite her, cut her down for demanding such things from him.
"You know not what you ask of me," he said.
"I know very well," said the old merchant. "You can save the lives of thousands by sacrificing only one. That is a good pay off. Even someone as poor with economics as you can understand those numbers."
The king reached for his sword, but his hand was stayed by that of Senator Divian.
She smiled at him, and gently directed him toward his private reading room. "That is quite enough Lady Herrin," she said to the merchant. "Your request has been heard, and the king will take it under advisement. You will be contacted if your advice is needed further."
"But what about-"
Divian cut her off. "Good day, Lady Herrin." The senator escorted the king out of the audience chamber.
The door shut behind them, and Divian raised her hand, illuminating the room with her magic. The king walked silently to a heavy chair and sat. He could feel the skin on his face drooping from lack of sleep. He could hear the arguments for each of the decisions ahead of him running over and over again inside his head.
He let out a sigh and placed his face in his hands. "Divian, what would you do?"
The senator stood beside his chair and touched his arm. "I cannot tell you what I would do. I am not the king. Mariko is not my daughter."
The king nodded, rubbing his face.
The senator smiled. "What I can tell you is what I think you, the rightful King of Erlkazar, should do."
"And what is that?"
"You are human, Korox. Your daughter is all you have left of your family. She is the end of your bloodline, and the heir to your kingdom. It is only natural for you to want to save her."…
"But what if there isn't any kingdom for her to inherit?"
"That's where it gets tougher. Ask yourself, if what you want is to tell Xeries he cannot have your daughter, then how will you protect her? What is your next course of action?"
"There is little else I can do. The army cannot fight him, and I fear the Matron's offer of help with the convocation cannot be trusted. It does not seem wise to risk the fate of the kingdom on the promises of a woman who kidnapped my daughter and wants to use me as her pawn."
"That seems like a wise assessment," she agreed.
"If I send Mariko away, ask her to run for her life, I will be dooming the rest of the kingdom."
"It sounds as if you have already made up your mind."
He stood up and took Divian into his arms. "I'm afraid I have. I was just hoping for a miracle, I guess, before it came to this."
++++'?
"You can't be serious." Quinn couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I have agonized over this decision, Quinn. I have weighed every option. I have tried everything within my power. Where was unable to save Llorbauth, Mariko can." The king let out a resigned sigh. "I have no other choice."
Quinn felt his heart racing in his chest. "Are you going to tell her?"
"Soon. She will have until the morning to make her peace with it." Korox looked at his trusted bodyguard, sadness in his eyes. "As will you."
Quinn took a deep breath, trying to steady himself and get his head around what he had just heard. "If this is your decision, then I want to tell her, and I want to be the one to take her there."