Page 133 of Tashama
Tashama shook her head. “We have to do something.”
Valmor stepped onto the table and then did a little dance in the middle of the dishes. Chuckles filled the room.
Loran stood from his throne. “Guards! Remove this buffoon at once!”
The colonel and his men rushed forward to Loran’s surprise. Tashama took a deep breath. “They’re no match for Valmor and his dark sorcerer ways.”
“Look, Tashama.” Aleron pointed to Valmor. “He’s not doing anything about the colonel’s men.”
“Valmor!” Loran shouted as the men led him away.
“Maybe this was supposed to happen, my lady,” Jaran said.
Tashama frowned at him. “Next, you will say what Balthazar has said to me all along.”
“What is that, dear Tashama?”
Her lower jaw dropped as Balthazar limped toward her. “Balthazar!”
He groaned when she hugged him soundly. “Watch the ribs, my princess.” He kissed her cheek, then pointed at the walking cast covering his foot, hidden mainly by the gown he wore.
“Balthazar.” She tugged on the medallion dangling at his neck. “Valmor hasn’t transformed.”
“He has. Valmor is about four years old in your human years. If our men take him to the island now, he’ll return to his own ornery way in a couple of days, only he won’t be able to harm anyone further. He has no power over water…as I’ve found you’ve already learned.”
Tashama gave the orders, and the colonel had the childish Valmor removed from the room.
She folded her arms as she considered her sorcerer. “You sent me to Maldovia. I know it was a mistake, but…”
He shook his head. “You found your mate and led your people to victory…all without hardly any of my help.”
“You promised you would stay with me.”
“I couldn’t. Before I knew what had happened, I was lying in a hospital bed in traction. They said I had been drifting in and out of consciousness for several days. This was the first chance I had to break loose from my captors.”
“You sent me to Maldovia on purpose?”
Balthazar smiled at Aleron. “You found your mate, did you not? The one you dreamt of for so many months before departing for here.”
Tashama considered Aleron’s smile. She took his hand in hers. “He has met all the tests. He is the one.”
“To Tashama!” several of the courtiers shouted. “To the return of the first royal house!”
Tashama smiled as Aleron kissed her cheek. “You move men like no other…and me more than anyone else.”
EPILOGUE
Aleron was eager to participate in Tashama’s coronation that day, with so much more going on than at his. He was thrilled for her. Balthazar had tracked down three of her friends from the farther reaches of their kingdoms—Princess Talamaya, Princess Mexia, and Princess Kersta. Everyone was delighted to be there with their friends.
Queen Talamaya had told them all about their wild adventures while retrieving the Scepter of Salvation and of marrying the barbarian king, as he was affectionately known to be. Princess Mexia had managed to help take over the mage school for sorceresses, and women were now allowed to attend, and she was married to a prince who co-led the school. And Princess Kersta had helped save Prince Argon’s sister, all the while he had wanted Kersta for his own.
They were fascinating tales that included a grumpy dwarf adventurer and delighted everyone.
Even Tashama’s dragon and her male companion sat high above on the parapets and flew down to give an exciting fire display.
Balthazar and Carission had become friends, exchanging secrets between mages, which in and of itself was a remarkable thing.
Anyone in the two kingdoms who disagreed with the way things had gone, including Deveal and Oshon and his wife, was sent away to make their way in the world, even at the request to stay. Aleron couldn’t have any of them remain who might still be a threat to his queen. Loran was made to pay the price for the ultimate betrayal of killing her parents and killing so many others in the nonstop wars.
