“I will be all right, Theron.” Yet tears veiled her vision, and she sagged against him.
She had just lost the one friend she had left in her husband’s house.
Thirty-Three
Xerxes dug his heels into his horse’s flanks. For forty-five long days he had kept his pace steady, knowing the world watched his retreat. He would not give the Greeks the satisfaction of thinking they chased him home—but his soul had strained toward Sardis. Now that it was within sight, he could curb himself no longer.
A horse approached from the city, and Xerxes smiled when he saw Haman upon it. He called out a greeting as his friend neared.
Haman fell in beside Xerxes. “Greetings, master. We have all been anxiously awaiting your return.”
“All?” Did he dare hope? He had to. Yet fear shadowed him. “What of your charge?”
Haman shrugged. “Who can know the mind of a woman? She does not seem so angry lately, but then, your son may have cajoled her out of her temper.”
His throat closed. “Darius?”
“Mm. Everyone else was wary of befriending an enemy of the god, but the prince took her under his wing. They have become . . . rather close.” Something cold and wary sparked in Haman’s eyes. “You may want to speak to them about that.”
No. He trusted her. Even in her anger, she would not succumb to adultery—it went against everything her God advocated.
Although his son he was not so sure of.
He shook it off and urged his horse a little faster. “How is her health?”
“Well enough, I imagine. She spends most of her days out of doors, at the grave of her son.” Haman lifted a brow. “If you ask me, such behavior denotes an unhealthy mental state.”
Xerxes chuckled. “You just admitted you do not know her thoughts, so forgive me for ignoring your judgment on her mental state.”
His friend sighed and looked over his shoulder. “Your brother is with you?”
“Directly behind. Go find him, I will ride ahead.”
He focused on the looming walls of the citadel. Another minute and he would be there. Two months’ separation over at last. If he had a god left to petition, he would have sent up a prayer that Kasia receive him.
Instead, he concentrated on closing the distance, then nudged his steed toward the grave. Hopefully she would be there. If not, he would take a moment to pay his respects to their son, then search her out inside.
The collection of figures he spotted was encouraging. Yes, it was Theron standing with folded arms beside the tree, so that must be Kasia sitting with her back to him.
She turned her head—his breath caught when he saw that beautiful profile. He swung off his horse.
Kasia pushed to her feet, and Xerxes swore his heart stopped. Would she flee? Turn her back on him again?
She rushed toward him, naked affection on her face. For the first time since the day of darkness, total peace blanketed his spirit. He ran forward. “Kasia.”
“Xerxes.” She flew into his arms, burying her face in his chest. “My love.”
He could not hold her tight enough, could not take in all the sensations. The fragrance of her hair, the feel of her arms around his waist, of their babe nudging him in the stomach. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “My darling. Say you still love me. Say you forgive me.”
She tilted her head back, and he lost himself in the simmering heat of her eyes. Though she did not smile, he knew her answer before she opened her mouth. “I love you always. I forgive you. And I pray you forgive me.”
Unable to help himself, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “You have done nothing wrong. I am the one who acted the arrogant fool, who lost sight of what mattered. I am so sorry, my love. The things I said, the things I asked of you—”
“And I am sorry.” She pressed her lips together, tears welling in her eyes. “I obeyed you when I should not have. Jehovah bade me pray for you, and I refused.”
He could barely force a swallow. That proved her anger more than anything else could have. “You despised me.”
“I was angry.” She focused her gaze on his chest, nostrils flaring. “I later learned that was the day the spy came to you, to convince you to attack the Greeks at sea. Perhaps if I had prayed, one of the Lord’s messengers could have whispered a warning in your ear.”
He saw again that flash of light, snuffed out by darkness. Was it possible? Had one of her Jehovah’s angels tried to reach him, only to be stopped by Ahura Mazda’s? Had it been her prayers all along that made the difference?
Resting his forehead on hers, Xerxes closed his eyes. “I will never again ask you not to pray to your God.”
“And I would never again obey you, even if you did.” A smile colored her words. Then her fingers fisted in his tunic. “It must have been awful, for you to give up the battle after one day.”
He lifted his head so that he might meet her gaze. “All my advisors said I should have mounted another attack. But it ceased to matter. I only wanted you. Besides.” He smiled and moved a hand to her stomach, where the babe continued to make her presence known. “Had I delayed much longer, we would not have been able to make it back to Susa before our daughter joins us. And that was your dream, was it not?”
The tears made her eyes glisten like sardonyx. “We still have two months before she is due.”
“It will take us nearly one to get home, and I know you will be uncomfortable at the end of your time. I would have you resting at the palace for the last weeks.”
She nestled against him, her lashes a black fan against her cheeks. “I have missed you so.”
“Oh, Kasia.” He cinched his arms around her and closed his eyes on the rest of the world. “You are the most important thing to me. The god was none too pleased—he came in a dream again, threatened to destroy you and all your people, to undo me through my wives if I chose you over him.”
He opened his eyes again and found her gazing up at him, agape. “Yet you are here.”
“I am here.”
She swallowed. “Even though I chose Jehovah over you.”
“Jehovah preserves your life, protects you, ministers to your soul.” He shook his head and urged her to move to his side so they could meander toward the citadel. “My god works through darkness and fear. I have had enough of that. I want only you, and will trust that your Jehovah can fend off the anger of Ahura Mazda.”
“He will.” Her fingers wove through his, and she squeezed. “He could be your Jehovah too, you know. Then he could minister to your soul, protect you, preserve you.”
If her ceasing to pray were the proof of her anger, this was surely the proof of her forgiveness. Xerxes lifted her hand, kissed her fingers. “I am no Jew, my love. It is enough that he bless you.”
“Father!”
He looked up at the wall, where Darius waved to him with a smile. Xerxes lifted a hand in greeting. “I see you kept the empire in one piece while I was away.”
His son laughed. “There has been little to do. I will update you at your leisure.”
“Soon.”
Darius nodded, cast a long glance over Kasia, and drew in a breath. Did his son not even have the sense to guard his gaze? “Well, I will leave you to your stroll.”
Xerxes watched him stride away and then glanced down at his wife. Her eyes were focused straight ahead, and he had the distinct impression they had been throughout the exchange.
Best to get it over with—he would not be able to rest if he were wondering. “Haman said you and Darius became friends.”
Her lips pressed together, pulled up. It was not a smile. “He was kind and attentive, but only out of pity. No one else has spoken to me since I arrived. Other than Pythius, of course, but he does not appear in public these days.”
Pythius. “I am glad our Lydian friend has not extended his hatred of me to you.”
“He does not hate you. Not any longer.”
He appreciated the squeeze of her fingers, but that had not been the purpose of this conversation. “Good. And I am glad Darius welcomed you.”
Did she hear the question behind the statement? Her brows arched. “I would have preferred to pass my days with Artaynte, had Parsisa not forbidden it.”
He refused to be baited into discussing his brother’s wife. Instead he stopped, put a finger under her chin. “I saw the way he looked at you, Kasia.”
She sighed. “It is nothing. Perhaps a passing infatuation on his part, but he has long been in love with Artaynte.”
“Artaynte?” He dropped his finger, brows creasing. “Why did he not say so? We could have arranged a marriage years ago.”
“I believe he wanted to win her affection first. The irony being he had it all along.”
“Well, time enough has been wasted, then. He needs to marry soon and start producing heirs. I will speak to Masistes before we leave Sardis in a fortnight.”
And get his son wed as soon as they returned to Susa. Perhaps when he had the lovely Artaynte in his bed, he would not find the need to ogle Kasia.
He slipped the torc off his wrist and onto her arm, where it belonged.
~*~
Kasia left the feast with a smile on her face. Xerxes had kept her close to his side and frequently slipped an arm around her shoulders. For the first time in months, excitement overcame the exhaustion. She had her husband back. More, he had returned in a way she had not dared hope—contrite. Humble—or as humble as the king of kings knew how to be.
Light still infused her nerves. He had given her leave to worship Jehovah. He had cut his ties with his god. Perhaps . . . did she dare hope someday he would serve the Lord with her?
“It is good to see you happy again, mistress,” Desma said from right behind her. “The sparkle is back in your eye.”
Her lips pulled up even higher. “I never should have doubted what Jehovah could work.”
Desma drew in a breath that sounded happy too. “I was glad to see the court speaking to you again tonight.”
“Except Parsisa and Artaynte.” Which pierced. And made guilt wiggle to life. She should not have mentioned Artaynte’s and Darius’s feelings to Xerxes, but it had seemed the only way to assure him the prince had no designs on her. Although perhaps she could have found another way had the prince
not
had designs on her. She could hardly admit that to Xerxes, though, unless she wanted to be a wedge between them.
She did not. And surely Darius would forget his supposed feelings for her when he had Artaynte.
“Ah, there she is.”
Kasia froze, dread settling over her. Running into Masistes was never fun when Xerxes was not there—especially when he had a slur in his voice. She forced a swallow. “My lord. It is good to see you safely returned—your wife and children surely missed you.”
“And I them.” Yet as he swayed forward, thoughts of them seemed far from his mind. That lecherous glint was in his eyes. “Though not so much as my brother missed you. You changed the course of the war, my lovely. He should have kept you there so his heart was not torn. Although . . .” He hiccuped, leered. “I suppose he did not want to watch you increase with another man’s child.”
Fire pulsed through her and made her tremble. “How dare you accuse me of something like that!”
Ice followed on the heels of the fire. He was not the first to make such an accusation. Did everyone think she had betrayed the king with another man? Did they all think he had sent her away because of
that
? Bile rose in her throat.
He chuckled and stumbled a step nearer. “You are a woman of passion, and he had ned . . . had niggle . . . had neglected you. I am only sorry I did not realize it so I could have offered my shoulder. And arms. And—”
“That is quite enough.” She stepped back, happy to let Theron slide between her and the sot. “I have never been unfaithful.”
Masistes loosed a bark of laughter far too loud, too raucous. “Whatever you say. But it is never too late to change that. The king will be another hour or two at his feast, if you would like some company.”
Her fingers curled into her palms. “No thank you.” With Theron as a barrier, she marched by. Masistes would not follow, but his words lodged in her mind.
Did the entire court think her so low? First the prince, now Masistes. Though he had said he did not “realize” it before . . .
Her breath stalled. Someone must have started the rumor, someone who had always hated her. Someone who had been here to whisper to Darius, someone Masistes would have spoken to as soon as he arrived. She knew exactly who that someone was.
Haman.
~*~
Artaynte leaned into the window and sighed. The landscape no longer looked beautiful, the mountain seemed only to snarl at her. Though the rest of the people rejoiced around her to have the king among them again, she cared little. What did it matter?
Mother sat nearby, looking pleased as could be. And why not? Father was home, they would head back to Susa soon, and she insisted all went well with Darius.