Dark One Rising by Leandra Martin Read Free Book Online Page A

kingdom.”
    “He only asked because he seeks whatever hold he can gain over you. He’s looking for something you can give him. There’s a more sinister plan in his mind, father. Can you not feel it? Are you willing to put your only daughter through a life of humiliation and sadness just so you won’t have to hear the words people say about her? Are you willing to lose her, maybe sentence her to death, just to make sure Fallon doesn’t invade, doesn’t try to destroy you? We can fight him if we need to, father; we’ve fought worse.”
    “I’m afraid of him, Kevaan, and you should be too. His power is stronger than I could ever hope to vanquish. I’m sorry, Kevaan, I have no choice this time. I know you love her like no other and will do anything to protect her, but the future of this kingdom, your kingdom, lies on whether she marries or not. Sometimes we have to sacrifice in order to survive. We have a kingdom to protect.”
    “She was not given to you to make her the sacrificial lamb to the slaughter. She’s your daughter, your blood. Mother would not have approved of this, and you know it.”
    “If your mother were still here, I wouldn’t have had to do this at all.” King Randor hung his head sadly and shook it. “I will not have an old maid for a daughter. I’m sorry, Kevaan, but she no longer gives me any option but this. You have done your duty for the crown; it’s her turn now. I would have rather chosen someone else other than Fallon for her, but no one else has asked, and I’ve run out of time. She will marry him. He will return in three days to go through the proper traditions. Do you want to be here when I tell her?”
    He thought about that for a moment, pictured the scene in his head and his heart started to ache. He could do nothing to stop her heart from breaking, but maybe he could be there for her after, to put it back together.
    “No, I don’t, father.”
    “Very well then. Please go down and send her to me.”
    “Yes, sir.”
     
    ***
     
    Melenthia sat on a stone bench wiping her face with a towel, her sword lying on the bench beside her. She heard someone approaching and moved the cloth away from her eyes so she could see. Her brother walked toward her, looking not in the least bit pleased. He was tall, almost six-one, and had wide shoulders and large arms. His brown hair was short but thick, and a neatly trimmed mustache matched his hair color. His brown eyes were sharp but held a boyish sparkle at times when he was trying to joke with her. She could never look into those chocolate brown eyes and not smile. The eyes that watched over her all her life, the eyes that held a love for her she’d never seen in another man. At the moment, however, they held no sparkle, no jesting.
    She stood up to greet him and smiled. “Did you see that last duel, Kevaan? I was better than ever.”
    “Yes, I did. So did father.”
    “Oh.” She changed the subject. “What’s wrong? Why so glum?”
    He tried to hide his gloom by smiling at her and saying, “ nothing ”, but she was not easily convinced. She knew her brother.
    “What is it?”
    He gave up and said, “Father would like a word with you in his sitting room.”
    “Why do you look so upset? What does he want to see me about? Is he still upset about me leaving the party?”
    “No, but I cannot tell you because he wants to tell you.” He tried to make it sound less serious. “Why don’t you take a bath and change first.”
    She eyed him for a moment. “Goodness, Kevaan, it sounds very serious.”
    “Well, that’s because it is.”
    “Please tell me. You can break bad news gentler than he can.”
    “I can’t, Mel. It’s for father to tell you, not I.” He wanted to tell her. Wanted to try and break the news gently, tell her it would be okay. But he knew it was not his place. Besides, whatever wrath she would invoke on their father, he deserved.
    She sidled up to him smiling largely, her brilliant emerald colored eyes