Guardian of the Crown

by Melissa McShane

  “So long as you’re willing to marry me here, now,” Kerish said. “I don’t think I could bear traveling with you again and not sharing your bed.”

  The idea made her shiver again. “And we’ll adopt Felix. But we can’t tell him yet. If he knows he doesn’t have to be King, he’ll let it slip eventually.”

  “You’re probably right. Well, it won’t be many months, will it?”

  “I hope not. Can we really be married tonight?”

  “Any vojenta can officiate at a marriage ceremony. And I even came prepared.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Kerish released her and began digging in his belt pouch. “This thing is too cluttered…here, hold this.”

  He held out something she’d thought was a coin toward her, and she gasped. Gold inlaid with stars of silver gleamed in the sunlight. “You kept it.”

  “Of course I kept it. I’m never without it.”

  To her senses, the ring burned, like a star giving off bursts of fizzing light. She folded it into her sleeve, closed her hand around it and watched him search. “This wasn’t supposed to be so awkward,” he said, and came up with a bright silvery spot. He hesitated, then said, “I thought wood might be too plain, and stone couldn’t alter if it was the wrong size, so I hope I guessed correctly.”

  Willow reached out to take the ring in wonder. Solid steel, the only metal she could easily handle, but slimmer than his, and set with a dark blue faceted stone. Sleek, unadorned, something that might fit easily under a glove.

  “Sapphire,” Kerish said. “I hoped…I know it will take a lot of caring for, but you do like it, yes?”

  “I love it.” She slid it onto the middle finger of her right hand. “It’s only a little loose.”`

  “Well, it’s not as if you have any other rings I could borrow to make a better fit.” He took both her hands in his and kissed them, one at a time, his lips lingering on her knuckles. “I love you.”

  She put her arms around his neck once more. “Show me,” she said.

  Willow’s story concludes in

  Champion of the Crown

  An Eskandelic Glossary

  PRONUNCIATION: j is always zh, -u after an initial letter is -w, kh- is hard k and only comes at the beginning of a word

  adjeni--the voting roster for the Conclave

  amhiri--tea (black tea)

  cabra--flatbread

  eskarna (es-KAR-nuh)--harem spy

  ezdalha--motive force

  fuolero (fwo-LEH-roe) --half-brother in an Eskandelic principality

  galt--unit of money almost equivalent to a Tremontanan guilder. Gold coin

  giorjanesh--like a sari, brocade and satin

  harima--potential member of a harem, pl. harimi

  Jauderish--the building where the Conclave meets

  khaladesi--term of endearment roughly equivalent to "beloved"

  khaveh—coffee, Turkish-style

  khedesh (keh-DESH)--how the children of an earlier princeling address the current prince (their "stepfather")

  khetashi--dog trained to perform tricks

  khojabi--a meeting of supplicant to one of higher status

  lehndashi--hunting dog

  majdran (mazh-DRAHN), pl. majdrani--how the children of a principality address wives who are not their birth mothers

  najabedhi--jungle panther

  nastaheh--breakfast

  nesh--jam

  nouhut--sort of breakfast pancake of flat bread, soft goat cheese, and jam

  obat--unit of money equivalent to two Tremontanan coppers. Bronze coin

  parjeni--controlling voters in Conclave; those who command the votes of others

  parjenisur--someone who commands votes, but gives those votes to another

  ryad--unit of money equivalent to half a Tremontanan stave. Silver coin

  scholia--like a university, but smaller, and often focused on one field of study

  sheteshi--big dog show, the most famous in Eskandel

  sovi--with personal name, how to address a harem sister

  stevaashi--dog that competes on looks and obedience

  suorena (swo-RAY-nuh) --half-sister in an Eskandelic principality

  surabhi--Device

  vojenta (voh-ZHEN-ta)--leader of the harem, the "voice"

  vojenta mahaut (voh-ZHEN-ta ma-HOWT)--ruler of Eskandel for a year's term, Conclave to Conclave

  voleni--person who keeps order and handles Conclave business; almost always an academic from a scholia

  zetesha--personal maid/valet

  zuareta, zuareto (zwah-RAY-tah/toh)--how a member of the harem addresses children not born to her

  About the Author

  Melissa McShane is the author of the Crown of Tremontane series, beginning with SERVANT OF THE CROWN, The Extraordinaries series, beginning with BURNING BRIGHT, the Convergence trilogy, and several others. After a childhood spent roaming the United States, she settled in Utah with her husband, four children and a niece, two very needy cats, and a library that continues to grow out of control. She wrote reviews and critical essays for many years before turning to fiction, which is much more fun than anyone ought to be allowed to have. You can visit her at her website www.melissamcshanewrites.com for more information on other books and upcoming releases.