Page 68 of The Demon King's Destiny

Chapter 17

Six Months Later …

Quietly as she could, Evelyn hovered just outside her father’s study. Today, a missive from Marrok had arrived. It was the third one he’d sent, the first of which arrived three months ago.

Father had yet to mention any of them to Evelyn. Nor had he told Eden, the daughter he trusted most with matters of diplomacy. Since Eden’s broken engagement, he’d been grooming her to be his successor. Keeping this from Eden wasn’t a good sign.

“Will you not even consider it, Edward?” her grandfather, Flynn, asked.

“You think I should?”

Evelyn’s stomach tightened. From Marrok, she’d learned her father had delayed his response to the first inquiry of a possible engagement. When he finally replied, it had been a polite declination.

The second message from Marrok was more pragmatic, offering to visit and court Evelyn, to see if they were compatible. Edward wrote back, citing some nonsense he felt his middle daughter was not mature enough to consider marriage at this point in time.

Evelyn had been furious. She was only two short seasons away from turning twenty-two—less than half a year. Soon after Evelyn’s coming birthday, her younger sister would turn twenty and be married off to the King of Burghard.

Marrok had talked her down and promised to continue his endeavor to broker the marriage. He also made Evelyn promise not to confront her father.

“I think it’s something to think about,” Flynn replied, breaking Evelyn out of her memory. “This letter is different. He has no reason to lie about his reasons. He’s given you cause to consider his offer. Besides, your argument over her maturity was quite weak, my son.”

“It was all I could come up with at the time.”

“Why are you so opposed?”

“Have you met Marrok?”

“I have.”

“Do you know how he came to be on the throne of Sundari?”

“Brennen passed away and left no heirs. Marrok was the only surviving royal, so he inherited his title by birthright.”

“He didn’t simply pass away. Demons are immortal and, thus, notoriously difficult to kill. Brennen, who was not someone I looked upon favorably, mind you, did not die of natural causes. Everyone in Imperium knows he lost his heart. What we don’t know is how.”

“You think Marrok did it.”

“Who else would have been strong enough?”

A chair creaked. Evelyn could picture her grandfather shifting in his rickety old seat, the one he refused to get rid of.

“Brennen was a blight on Sundari, Edward. You know it. If Marrok had the courage to eliminate his uncle from further damaging the Southland, I would think that would be a testament to his character. Sometimes we must do things we detest to protect that which we hold dear.”

“You mean, greater good and all that?” Edward complained.

“Yes. Don’t hold Evelyn back from her future because you are dreading Nora’s move to Burghard.”

Evelyn’s pulse quickened. Finally, someone was being the voice of reason.

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Aren’t you?”

Edward sighed. “Not purposefully.”

The silence stretched. Evelyn thought she might have heard drawers opening and papers shuffling.

“I will hear him out, but I wantto see him face to face. Reply back. Tell him, the first new moon after the summer solstice, I’ll expect his arrival. We’ll discuss it then, not before. I’m inclined to worry about only one daughter at a time.”

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