Shivering at the very thought, Tanis wasn’t sure what she was expecting for the king of this land, but this wasn’t it. For one thing, Ambrose was very tiny. Probably no more than five feet or so. And exceptionally skinny. He had a long, thin, white beard that trailed to his knees and a gaunt, pointed face. He reminded her of a gnome. A welldressed gnome, but a gnome nonetheless.
And his bony face lit up the moment he saw Dash. “My boy,” he said excitedly as he pushed himself off his seat in a way that reminded her more of a child than a respected king.
No one seemed to notice.
Giddy as he could be, he moved to embrace Dash who welcomed him like family. “Long time, Sire.”
“Indeed. Too long and not long enough.” Ambrose looked toward her with an interested arch to his brow. “And who is your most lovely guest?”
“Princess Tanis Dragomir.”
Instant recognition widened the king’s eyes. Clearing his throat, he motioned for them to follow him.
She exchanged a frown with Dash before they allowed the king to lead them to an antechamber behind the dais. Once they were alone, Ambrose turned to face them, and his entire demeanor changed. He actually seemed angry now.
“Are you out of your mind?” he asked Dash.
“Most of the time, but to what are you referring?”
Ambrose gestured to Tanis. “You kidnapped Iagan’s daughter and turned her human? What were you thinking?”
Tanis smiled at his assumption. “Forgive me, Sire. But I kidnapped Dash and asked him to make me human.”
Ambrose’s jaw worked like a fish out of water.
“She actually did. Not so much a kidnapping as a trapping. But she did ask me to make her human.”
The king rolled his lightgray eyes, then cursed. “You’re both insane.”
“I won’t argue that.” Dash gave the king a charming grin.
Ambrose pressed two fingers to his temple as if he were having a migraine. “Tell me what’s happened.”
“I need my sister’s horn and Tanis wants her brother’s skull. We saw a poster that said the ones who’d taken them would be here to auction them off.”
Ambrose gaped. “Wait... here, you say?”
Dash pulled the poster from his pouch and handed it to the king. “You don’t know about it?”
Unfolding the paper, Ambrose scowled as he read it. “No. No one’s said a word about this. You know I wouldneverallow such a thing in my kingdom, and I would have killed anyone who came here with Renata’s wand. Dear God, she’s really dead?”
Tanis saw the pain in Dash’s eyes. “She is.”
Sadness darkened the pale gray of Ambrose’s eyes as he looked up at Tanis. “And your brother, too?”
“He is.”
“I’m so sorry for both of you. And for your father, Tanis, please give him my condolences. It’s an awful thing to lose a child.”
“Thank you, Sire. I will tell him.”
He handed the poster back to Dash. “This makes no sense. You two are the only livings in Pagos. No one’s visited us in almost a year. And even when they do, no one stays long. Mostly because certain citizens want to start using the livings for sacrifices. And even if they didn’t, livings can’t survive here for long.”
“Then you haven’t heard about the revolt?” Dash asked.
Ambrose scowled. “What revolt?”
“There are actually two of them. One against Queen Meara in Thassalia, and since word went out that I left Licordia, seven kingdoms are trying to overthrow me.”
