by Jeanne Hardt
“So you do believe an army will come here, whether or not we venture from our borders?”
He cupped his hand to her cheek. “Search your heart, Olivia, just as you told me to look deep. You know it to be so.”
She pressed her head into his touch. “When we discussed it previously, you said you would turn yourself over to Callum to spare Padrida—something I would not consider. Yet now, you wish to fight?”
“We have no choice but to fight, Highness,” Jonah muttered. “I was present to hear the rumblings of the people. If Sebastian gave himself up and allowed King Callum to end him, it would not stop there. Callum believes you pushed Sebastian into using tannin root to kill his daughter. And, the people of Basilia are casting blame on all Crenians for the death of King Roland. They want your blood even more so than Sebastian’s. Our fight would not end with his death.”
She sadly nodded. “And what of Donovan?”
Sebastian let out a long breath. “If he is a part of this, one day soon, he will make his presence known. We must be prepared for whatever comes.”
She firmly grasped Sebastian’s hand and reached for Jonah with her free hand. He stepped forward and took it.
“In my visions,” she said, “I have not been granted the ability to see the faces of those slain, but my heart assures me the two of you will live. Even if my heart has misled me and I must bear the possibility of losing you, I cannot keep you from the fight.”
They stood in a circle facing one another.
Sebastian drew strength in their presence. “If we are fortunate, time will be on our side. Frederick will assume we have accepted our fate. He will be gloating in his new title, and while he struts, we will train every man in Padrida, so when the battle comes to our land, we are ready to fight.”
Jonah nodded his agreement, but frowned. “And what of Allana and the others in your family? How can we protect them?”
“My mother and sisters are exceptionally strong. If they see the need, they will flee. They know where to find us.”
“So …” Jonah stood a great deal taller. “You think Allana might come to Padrida?”
“My sister will follow her heart. If it leads to you, then so be it.” He firmly patted Jonah’s back. “You may not have been dubbed by my father, but he told me Allana could find no better husband. He respected you, Jonah. Blame yourself no longer for his death. You loved him as much as I.”
Olivia cast her eyes downward and tenderly rubbed her stomach. “Love brought all of us to where we are now. It is difficult to accept that our child may be born in a time of war, but I believe in God’s plan. We may think Frederick and Donovan are the orchestrators of our lives, but it is not so. They are treacherous and evil, and they seek power, but no one is as powerful as God. We must keep our eyes on Him. If we hold onto faith, we shall prevail.”
She lifted her face to the sun, and a smile slowly lifted the corners of her lips.
Her faith resembled that of her father’s. King Boden had spoken of God’s plan and her role in fulfilling the old prophesies. But Sebastian could not see her as a warrior. His deep love for her pushed him to protect her at all cost, not stand by and allow her to lead them into battle.
He could not bring himself to display any form of happiness, not while mourning. But he had been trying with all his might to have the kind of faith Olivia so easily wore. Like breathing itself. He had come to accept that God did not rest, and neither would he.
There was much work to be done.
With his best friend to keep him strong and focused, and his faithful bride to encourage him along the way, he would move forward. He would try to dismiss Masa’s prophecy and any resemblance Olivia had to the woman foretold, and instead, place his efforts on proving their innocence and restoring the respect of his people.
He owed it to his mother and more importantly, to his father.
His death would not be in vain.
If you enjoy fantasy, you might like to journey into this contemporary tale. You’ll be surprised to find that one of the characters from the Shrouded Thrones series makes an appearance.
A Golden Life
By Jeanne Hardt
In the beautiful mountain setting of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, something unusual is about to happen…
Traci Oliver may be a best-selling romance author, but for the first time in her writing career, she can’t type a word on the blank page. Book number fifty is supposed to be her best ever—her golden book—but inspiration joined her husband in the grave. How can she write about love with a shattered heart?
At the precise moment of the anniversary of his death, a knock on her door changes everything.
Characters from her books take on human form and tell her they’ve come to help her. Of course, she doubts her sanity. Are they real, or has she lost her mind? When she lands smack dab in the middle of one of her own love scenes, she assumes the latter.
Her doctor says grieving is a process, but she never dreamed that part of the process would bring her heroes to life. She wonders if all people experience this kind of thing, or is it a weird phenomenon reserved solely for romance writers? Truthfully, the only hero she wants is her husband, and she can never be with him again.
Or maybe she can…
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017Z6CREI
Books by Jeanne Hardt:
The River Romance Series:
Marked
Tainted
Forgotten
From the Ashes of Atlanta
A Golden Life
The Southern Secrets Saga:
Deceptions
Consequences
Desires
Incivilities
Revelations
Misconceptions
Redemption
He’s in My Dreams
The Smoky Mountain Secrets Saga:
Whispers from the Cove
Hushed into Silence
Murmurs in the Mountains
For more information about Jeanne’s books, check out the links below:
www.facebook.com/JEANNEHARDTAUTHOR
www.jeannehardt.com
www.amazon.com/author/jeannehardt
www.goodreads.com/jeannehardt
