Heir of the Gods

Ch. 19: Hope Undying

Elias shifted nervously before the window, watching the banners billowing from the sides of the coliseum. Clouds had begun to roll in from the coast, pearl grey and benign.

Behind him, the quiet scratching of a quill over parchment was setting his teeth on edge. The king had summoned him almost thirty-five minutes ago. A few brief words about needing his assistance had been the only explanation Elias received. Runners had been coming and going for the duration of that time, but nothing had shed any light on why Elias was standing in the king's private office, staring out the window.

A knock sounded on the door once again. The king called, "Enter."

Elias turned slightly, peering at the newcomer from the corner of his eye without being too obvious in his curiosity. It was the same servant who had summoned him, but he wasn't alone.

A stately older woman sank into a painfully deep curtsy. Her dark hair was elegantly coiffed, her light blue dress well tailored. Elias recognized her as one of Cassia's ladies-in-waiting. Not the shy one with the gold-tinted hair, or the pretty one with green eyes.

She was the one who'd watched him like a hawk when he'd taken Cassia to the theater last month. Claudia, he thought her name was. Or perhaps Cordelia?

"You summoned me, Your Majesty?" she said, her voice demure, her eyes cast toward the carpet.

The quill kept scratching, once again leaving them all in suspense. Elias continued to stare out the window, hands clasped loosely behind his back. The stiff black coat of his uniform was heavy on his shoulders, a little too warm to be worn anywhere but on the deck of a ship. The collar rubbed at the side of his neck where the linen of his shirt couldn't quite reach. 

He hadn't been exactly thrilled when the summons had come with an order to arrive in uniform. At least it wasn't full dress, he thought moodily, but still he had been looking forward to a fair few months that didn't require him to wear his navy clothes.

Finally, there was a soft clatter as the king laid down his quill. With a sigh, he said, "I believe that one of the descriptions of being a lady-in-waiting is to always know where your charge is. Or am I incorrect?"

"No, Your Majesty," the woman murmured.

Elias' fingers tightened into fists. 

"I've just been made aware of the fact that no one seems to know where my daughter is," the king said, his voice growing steadily more dangerous. "Can you enlighten me as to how that could happen?"

Silence descended over the room, and Elias forced himself to stand absolutely still. He wanted to be anywhere else, but had to settle for being invisible. 

"It would be wise for you to answer me, woman," the king growled.

"Her Highness had wanted to visit the temple this morning," she began softly, though there was nothing resembling fear in her voice. "Which is not unusual. As I'm sure you're aware, Your Majesty, the princess is quite devout."

At least some things never changed. Elias couldn't count the number of times she'd bribed him into early morning temple visits. She'd loved all the festivals and the services held throughout the year. Her patron goddess was Corlana, which had always seemed odd to Elias considering how dismal her fate had always been.

"So she is in the temple, then?" King Durus demanded.

Elias frowned lightly, watching as a sea eagle drifted on high thermals, wheeling back toward the bay. Toward the harbor he had limped his ship into after that last dreadful storm. Elias brooded over the fact that he would need to return to the ship soon, to check on the progress of repairs.