42

Melinda approached her husband's side. King Sloan stood over the elegant table; his fingers pinched the bridge of his nose. King Rowan's decree of war lay scattered before him.

"What are you going to do?" his wife whispered. King Sloan leaned on his hands, the table cool on his palms.

"King Rowan has declared war," he said to her. He let his eyes wander over the documents. "It won't be long before they're here."

"The kingdom just went through a war."

"That was nothing," he mumbled. "King Rowan is going to do whatever it takes to make sure Calliope is dead."

"This isn't her fault."

"I know."

"Maybe you can talk to him."

"He's young and he's angry. He won't listen. This will prove himself as a worthy king to replace his father and his father's father. That's how he will see this."

Melinda sat at the table and let her chin rest in her hand. "Asmar was a good ally."

King Sloan sighed. "I know. I'll try to talk to him. But I need to get the army ready to defend the kingdom when they arrive."

"Mido will do well as a knight."

King Sloan gathered the papers on the table. "He's just the man I need to help me in this."

"And what of Calliope?"

"We'll keep her safe. We could hide her."

Melinda nodded. She stared at the empty space where the papers were.

"You and the girls will be safe, too," King Sloan reassured his wife.

"And Lucas?" she asked, meeting her husband's gaze. She lifted her head from her hand and straightened in her seat, anxious to hear what she already knew he would say.

"Lucas has been wanting to defend the kingdom."

"He will not be a part of this."

"Melinda, we can't keep him from this any longer. If he is to take over as king, he needs to start his training now. He is old enough."

"You cannot throw him into this war."

"He's had training. He knows what to expect." Melinda shook her head as he spoke.

"He's ready to take this on," her husband continued. "It's time. Mido has been training him and preparing him for battle."

Melinda's eyes were soft as she looked upon her husband. "I'm scared."

King Sloan knelt before her and took her hand in his. He kissed her hand before moving his hands to her face. "He will be fine. He's ready. Mido will take care of him. He's in good hands."

Melinda nodded. "I know," she whispered in an attempt to reassure herself.

"He will make a great king. It's my job to make sure he's ready when it's his time."

"Just promise me he won't be like King Rowan." Melinda squeezed her husband's hands. "He's just a boy, Rowan; too young to be a ruler. His father gone. All alone in that kingdom." She buried her head in King Sloan's shoulder. King Sloan kissed her head.

"I'm not going anywhere," he assured her. "I will fix this. I'll make this right. King Rowan needs guidance. I will do everything in my power to help him and keep our kingdoms at peace as they once were."

"Make sure Calliope is safe, too. The poor girl never asked for this."

"We owe her our lives. I will defend her at any cost." King Sloan stood and pulled his wife up.

"I will make sure you and Fallon and Tianna are safe. Stay within the castle walls with the girls when war breaks. I'll make sure Calliope is protected and in hiding away from the castle. Somewhere they won't think to look. Everything will be fine."

"Promise?"

King Sloan kissed his queen. "I promise."