“Aye. And that man is king, now. A good, compassionate man who listens to those with good advice and better ideas. You've only been king three months, Emmerich. You'll learn in time.”
He stared at her a long moment. “What are you saying? That you'll stay despite wanting to leave?”
Clara looked down, thinking. After a long moment, she said, “No. I'm saying I will leave. Without you.” She looked at him. “You have a duty to the people now. You can't shirk that.”
“And you? You're a Seer. Don't you have a duty?”
“I haven't had a vision since Marduk's death. When I'm not at something official, I'm off on my own, sewing dresses for the ladies of the Court. I'm no use to you here.”
He grasped her by the shoulders. “Clara, I love you. I want you to be with me because I love you. Not because you have a use.” His eyes pleaded with her to accept his words.
It made Clara's heart break as she slowly pulled away. “There are too many unanswered questions about myself. I have to find answers. I have to find out who I am.”
“It's suicide for a woman to travel alone.”
“I won't be traveling as a woman.”
“You can't hold up that disguise forever.”
“Well, you can't leave, so what choice do I have? I know I cannot stay here. It feels wrong. I've had three months to think about this, about everything, and I feel as if I have to go.” She looked at him, lifting her chin in the old gesture of challenge. “You did teach me how to defend myself, Emmerich.”
He sighed, staring at her a long moment. Something sad and lonely filled his expression. “Take Jarrett, then.”
“He's the Captain of the Guard.”
“Aye. But he has just as much wanderlust as you. He'll be happy to leave with you and I'll be happy knowing you're well guarded.”
An uneasy silence settled between them for a long moment. Finally, she said, “Thank you, my liege. I, ah, would like to retire.”
He nodded, no longer looking at her. Clara walked past him but when her hand was on the door, he said, “Wait.”
She turned to face him. “Aye, your Majesty?”
“Do you love me?”
She almost told him no. She almost told him that there was no point in answering that because she was leaving. But, in the end, she couldn't lie to him. She could never lie to him.
“Aye,” she replied.
“But that's not enough.”
“No.”
He nodded. “I can't wait for you forever. The people need an heir.”
“I understand.”
“But I'll wait as long as I can.”
A small smile tugged on her lips. “Thank you.”
“When are you going to leave? It's already snowing in the North.”
“There's a caravan bound for Candor, leaving day after tomorrow. I can winter there.”
He looked her over, as if trying to memorize her every line. “Will I see you again before you go?”
She licked her lips. “No. I think it's best if you didn't.”
For a moment, it looked like Emmerich was going to argue, but, instead, he only nodded, looking down.
The moment had dragged on long enough. Turning, Clara left the room, the door closing behind her with a soft click.
Clara returns on May 13, 2016.
Letter to the Reader
Dear Reader,
Thank you for coming along with me on this journey to tell Clara’s story. If you enjoyed this novel, then please leave a review! I appreciate all of my reviews and they help me a lot. And don’t forget to check out my other books!
Sincerely,
Suzanna J. Linton
Acknowledgements
I want to give a heartfelt thank you to all those who did the proofreading and copyediting that has allowed me to create an updated version of Clara that I can be proud of. A big thanks to Fiona Jayde Media for the cover.
About the Author
Suzanna J. Linton began writing at a young age. At first, she worked on poetry but as years progressed, she found herself drawn to fiction, particularly fantasy. The authors that inspire her are Anne McCaffrey, Robin McKinley, and Charles de Lint. She lives in Florence, SC, with her husband, Brad, and their assorted pets.
Connect Online:
Website: http://suzannalinton.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/suzannalin
Facebook: http://facebook.com/suzannajlinton
Clara Page 30