No wonder she was having nightmares.
As if aware of the sudden turn her thoughts had taken, Olivia drawled, “If you’re looking for sympathy, you won’t find any from me. You brought this on yourself, you know. No one is making you marry the Crow.”
Seraphina swallowed back the hysterical peal of laughter lurking in her throat.
No one was making her?
Dryly, she muttered, “The Lord on High would beg to differ.” He had made His thoughts on the matter perfectly clear with this whole vision business.
But Olivia didn’t care. A part of her wondered if the other woman even believed she was actually experiencing visions sent by the Lord Himself.
Perhaps Olivia thought she was just putting on.
Perhaps Olivia thought she was going mad.
“That man was trying to leave,” her friend hotly reminded her, sending her stomach twisting into knots at the reminder of that day in the throne room. “He offered to set you free. And yet you begged him to stay.”
Begged. The very word left a sour taste in Seraphina’s mouth.
It was the right word, of course, but that didn’t make the memory any less bitter.
Nor did her latest vision in which she actually wanted tokissthe man make it any less alarming.
Pressing her fingers against her eyes as if she could physically shove the vestiges of her dream straight from her thoughts, Seraphina asked, “Are you quite finished abusing me? Because if you are, I would like to go back to sleep now.”
“I’m not trying to abuse you, Sera,” Olivia huffed, a hint of desperation lacing her words. “I just…”
When she trailed off, Seraphina finally lowered her hands, daring to peek that way. But Olivia was no longer looking at her. Her friend stared straight through her, as if deep in thought.
Softer now, Olivia confessed, “I worry about you.” She blinked, and her amber eyes focused again. Her sharp features pinched with visible concern. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”
Seraphina tried to conjure up a smile, but she was sure it probably looked more like a grimace.As do I, is what she wanted to say. She didn’t, though. She couldn’t. There was no point in worrying Olivia further.
If she did, the other woman might very well start suggesting again that she kill Aldric rather than marry him. But she couldn’t do that. It wasn’t what her God wanted.
Nor was it the right thing to do.
Drawing in a deep breath, Seraphina uttered with all the confidence she could muster, “The Lord knows what He’s doing.”
Olivia shot her a dubious look.
But Seraphina continued anyway, “We must trust in His plan now. We must trust that He is not going to lead us astray. No matter what comes next.”
Letting her eyes finally flutter closed, she willed her heart to slow. Her soul to quiet. Her mind to actually believe the words she was speaking.
Shehadto believe. Shehadto trust.
There were no other options available to her.
Elmoria was a ship on the brink of disaster, and she, the hapless captain at its helm.
Only the Lord’s grace could possibly save her and her people now.
Chapter two
Aldric
Tension blanketed the Elmorian council chamber like heavy Kunishi fog. No one spoke. No one moved. All eyes remained fixed on the double doors leading out of the chamber as they waited for Sir Arkwright, Captain of the Queensguard, to return with the prisoner.
