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Charani shrugged. "I look at it this way. I know that Felix’s decision to leave the profession was something you liked. If Francois is made King, he’ll be too busy being both King and husband to be a thief. Would that not be a safer?"

I nodded in agreement. "What about Syeira?"

“I’ll take care of my sister, I’ve been with her since birth. You worry about my son," Charani replied. She spooned the last of the soup into my mouth. "How do you feel?"

"Shattered, sad, but better than I was an hour ago," I said. "But who do I turn to when I need strength?"

"You can turn to my sister and I. We’ll be ready when you need us. But first, lets get you cleaned up." She smiled and set the bowl aside, stroking my hair. I smiled back, knowing that while Charani wasn't the woman who gave birth to me, she was more than filling in admirably.

"None taken. Now, how about you help me up and to the shower?"



The night sky was filled with stars when Francois came home, his face tense and his eyes haunted. Closing the door behind him, his face immediately brightened when he saw me sitting at the dining room table, freshly scrubbed and freshly clothed. I greeted him with the best smile I could. "Welcome home."

Saying nothing, his eyes brimming with emotion and relief, Francois picked me up from the chair, holding me to his chest in a tender embrace. I felt feather light, and let him hold me silently. Charani and Syeira watched for a few seconds, then left the kitchen area. "I missed you."

"I'm sorry," I apologized. "I know that you’re grieving your brother as much as I am. Probably even more."

"That’s beside the point," Francois replied, saying nothing else as he continued to hold me in his arms. Carrying me gently, he took me into the living room area, setting me down on the couch. "My only concern this whole time has been your health. Each day I watched as you wasted away further, and I didn't know what I could do to help you. I’m not so good in emotional situations, but I’ll learn. I was feeling like I would lose you too."

"You won’t. So what’s the news?” I asked, changing the subject. I’d stepped on a scale earlier, after being frightened by the image of my reflection in the bathroom mirror. “It’s good I hope.”

"Nothing official yet,” Francois said with a small shake of his head. "But they’re coming around. The knowledge that I have you is helping, in fact. The other men, they feel like me being in a relationship somehow shows I’ve matured."

"I don't know how you were before, but I can say that you’re more than ready to do what needs to be done," I said. "Francois . . .”

"I know," he answered, reading the emotions in my eyes. "I miss him too. We’ll have a memorial ceremony as soon as the vote is completed. That should be in a day or two. I’ll shed my tears there. For now, I’ve got a lot to do, regardless of the final verdict. I also have a very serious question for you, Jordan."

"Yes, Francois?" I asked, suddenly nervous. His face was so serious and composed, there was none of the good humor or twinkle that I had come to expect from him. Felix's death had changed him, and I wondered if that good-natured Francois, the daring one who had somehow convinced me to have sex in the middle of a forest would ever return. "What is it?"

"Do you still want to be my wife?" he asked, setting me down and taking my hands. "I know it’d be different from if Felix was still here, but my feelings for you are the same. I can’t imagine a future without you."

I blinked, relief washing over me unexpectedly. Had I actually thought that Francois wouldn't want me still? “Of course, my love. I need you more than ever.”

He bent his head, looking down and blinking before looking up at me, his eyes glistening. "When you are recovered, and our tears are shed, we’ll talk about that more. For now though, let’s have dinner. You look like you need it.”





Chapter 27





Francois





With a real meal sitting in her belly for the first time in days, Jordan fell asleep on the couch soon after the last of the food was eaten. Syeira was just about to go help with dishes before I stopped her. "Please, wait and talk with me."

She nodded, and I led her outside where we could talk quietly. "How are you doing?"

"Today was better than yesterday," she said quietly. She wasn’t a broken woman, her spirit was too strong for that, but she was severely beaten down. Even though it wasn't her fault, I thought it wasn’t too great a punishment for Syeira to bear for what she did to my mother. “Some day are worse than others. Your mother has been helpful."

"I know, and I’m grateful for her help," I said. "Syeira, I can’t imagine your pain. I know that I can’t replace my brother, but I just want you to know, I consider you my mother too. Will you help me as you helped Felix?”

It was true, I'd need her advice. She'd been the crown princess for all her life and knew more about how to keep up with the political side of Romani life than anyone. She thought, and nodded. "For a while, until you get settled. I just hope you and Jordan make me a grandmother. Maybe that’ll bring some joy back into my life."