His father sighed and finally turned to look at him. “You were eager to get out into the world, and I knew you would learn much in these years of preparation. Darius,
I am entrusting my empire to you. Will you really gripe about ruling it from the comforts of Sardis?”
When put like that, Darius knew he could not argue. But still he wanted to. He had been counting the days until he was away from Artaynte, out in the fields where he could
come into his own. How could he do that here, under her watchful eye? “I want to fight, Father. You are a skilled warrior—would you deny me the opportunity to be the same?
”
“My skill came from controlled exercises—and a few forays before I was named the next king.”
Darius felt his mouth twist. “Cyrus goes with you.”
Xerxes let out a growl. “Cyrus’s life is not worth as much as yours. You are my heir, Darius. You. If one of these bands of rebel Greeks wanted to cut me off at my knees,
all they would have to do is get their hands on you.”
“As if it would be so easy. Besides, if I were killed or captured, you would just name another in my place.”
From where had that fear sprung?
Xerxes tossed up a hand and spun away. “I chose you for many reasons, Darius. Though for the life of me I cannot remember them at this moment.”
“That is easy.” A grin won possession of his lips. “Had you named anyone else, Mother would have had him killed.”
His father snorted a laugh and faced him again, arms akimbo. The amusement in his eyes shifted into something stronger, warmer. “I am proud of you, Darius. You have grown
into an admirable man, otherwise I would not be so willing to leave you here as liaison between me and the rest of the empire. I would have given anything for such an honor
when I was your age.”
Darius nodded and decided to focus on that satisfaction rather than the niggling discontent. Was the control of an empire not worth more than the love of one woman?
Lately his father made him wonder. Sometimes Darius was unsure Persia still ranked at the top of Xerxes’ priorities. It seemed that title had been given to the curvaceous
Kasia. Part of him thought such dedication ridiculous—yet another part longed for Artaynte to look at him the way the Jewess did her husband.
Smiling it away, Darius embraced his father and nodded to the week-long stretch of army ranks. “Go tend your war, Father. I will keep the rest of the empire in working
order—you will not be disappointed.”
“I know.” With a playful clap to the side of Darius’s head, Xerxes stepped away. “I will be in touch. Do not get too attached to the authority, my son—I will ask it
back from you when I have added Greece to our dominion.”
Darius chuckled and lifted a hand in farewell. His smile faded as soon as the king was out of sight. No more dreams of becoming a war hero, then. Would ruling well be enough
to earn the respect of Artaynte . . . or would he have to give up dreams of her as well?
*
“Mistress, we must go. The king wants to depart within the hour.”
Kasia blinked and let her eyes refocus on the familiar pattern of her rug. She had been in prayer for a good while, but the pressure around her heart had not eased. If
anything, it felt tighter than when she arose that morning. She tried to sit and winced at the pain in her back. Zad whimpered beside her and licked her in the face. With a
halfhearted chuckle, she pushed him away. “Would you help me up, Desma?”
Desma put an arm around her, clucking her tongue. “You should not bend over so long in your condition. I am sure Jehovah would understand if you prayed in a chair.”
Kasia let her maid haul her up. “No doubt he would. But I cannot concentrate so well when I am comfortable. I doze off.” She spread a hand over the small mound of her
stomach. “The fault of this wee one, I suspect.”
“Better sleepiness than nausea.” Desma grinned and roll up the rug.
She looked around at her chamber, devoid of everything but the furniture it had held upon her arrival here three months ago. “Where did the others go?”
“To prepare the wagon for you, mistress. Artaynte stopped in, to say farewell—she said she would wait for you outside.”
Pain laced the pressure inside. When they started on this journey nearly two years ago, she never would have guessed she would become such good friends with the other women.
Was it only because of proximity or had they truly accepted her? Either way, she would miss Artaynte and Parsisa.
Either way, she would not miss them like she did Esther.
Theron filled the doorway and greeted her with a smile. “You have emerged from your prayerful stupor, I see. If you are ready then, mistress?”
Kasia smiled and followed her eunuch out the door, the dog bounding ahead of them. When she stepped into the warm sunshine, she fought the urge to turn and run back inside.