A laugh surprised its way out of his mouth. “She has always been outspoken.”
“I learned that within moments of meeting her—and fell for her that quickly.” He flashed his smile Zechariah’s way and extended a hand. “It is good to meet you,
Zechariah. Kasia has told me much about you, though she never mentioned we share vices.”
Zechariah clasped the king’s wrist, and marveled. He may resent the man, but still. He was king. “I suppose some things are common to men no matter their station.”
“And those things will never fail to anger their women.” His gaze swung to the door again. “I do not suppose you know any secrets to earning their forgiveness. I have
tried all I can think of.”
Zechariah breathed a laugh. “Had I such divine wisdom, I would have used it on a young lady a few weeks ago. Perhaps then she would not be married to another instead of me.
”
The king winced and clapped a hand to his shoulder. “My sympathies. It is bad enough fearing I have lost Kasia’s heart—I still have the knowledge that she is my wife,
which guarantees time to work through things.”
Zechariah deflated, like a wineskin emptied of its last drop. He could not hate the king. Could not even dislike him. He may be able to maintain some resentment, but mostly
he ached—and not only for himself.
The king loved Zechariah’s sister with all his heart. What would be left for Esther?
Xerxes sighed. “I could order this husband killed for you, but the women would probably hate us more.”
He could not help but grin. “I suspect so. I appreciate the thought, though.”
“Well if there is anything else I can do, please ask. You are family now.”
A strange and terrible thought.
*
Kasia kept her smile casually welcoming until the door closed. Then she flew through the room to fold Esther into a hug. “Finally! Had I not feared giving you away, I would
have demanded Hegai bring you in far sooner. This week has been torture.”
Esther laughed—that same sweet, beautiful sound Kasia remembered—and gave her a mighty squeeze. “You cannot know how I felt to see you! I had thought . . .”
“Abba.”
“I know. But to see you, not only well but wed to your Persian . . .”
Kasia pulled back enough to smile. “I begged them to tell you.”
Esther grinned. “It does not matter now. You are alive, and you are here.”
“And you are here.” She still had to shake her head at that. “I cannot believe it. Which is to say, I can, when I see you. You are stunning, little Esther.”
“Not so much as you.” Her smile was still innocence and freshness—sorrow still lurked in her eyes. “Oh, I must hug you again.”
Kasia obliged with a laugh. Then she steered her friend over to a couch and pulled her down alongside her. “Mordecai told me the plan. And I spoke to Zechariah last week.”
Pain coated with anger washed over her face. “Did he tell you?”
“I hit him for it.” She gripped Esther’s hands and smiled. “It hurts. Trust me, I know—you have no doubt heard the rumors about Xerxes and Artaynte. But this is the
will of Jehovah. I am sorry you had to go through what you did, but I cannot regret your presence.”
Esther studied her for a long moment, contemplation in her eyes. “You have changed . . . deepened. The same Kasia, but more.”
“I have been through much in these three years.” She returned the even regard, noted the flawless face, perfect figure. The spirit within that had emerged from the coals
of sorrow stronger than it had been before. “So have you. We were girls together, Esther, and now we get to be women together. I prayed for you every day.”
Tears filled Esther’s eyes. “I missed you every day, but I did not know to pray. I am sorry for that.”
“It is all right. My parents and Zech knew to, and Jehovah apparently whispered it in Mordecai’s ear in my darkest moments.”
Realization streaked across her countenance. “That was you! He would instruct me to pray without giving me names.”
Kasia grinned. “See there, you did pray for me. Jehovah knew.”
“And Zech did too?” Her expression hardened again.
“He would not have gone against Abba, Esther, though I know he wanted to.” Though why he would obey Abba in that and not the Lord in instructions on purity . . .
Esther shook it off and forced a smile. “Enough of him.”
“Indeed. You are a married woman now.”
She had said it in a tease, but Esther’s face fell. “I did not mean to marry your husband, Kasia. Had I known—”
She laughed. She could not help it. “Sweet one, countless women are married to my husband.”