“I do regret it,” Russal said.
“Why didn’t you take it back?” Felipdemanded.
“Because it needed to be on Kambry’s hand,”Sybil said. “You think actions don’t carry multiple repercussions.Some dangerous yet still necessary? I told the king to put the ringon her hand.”
“What?” Kambry gaped at Sybil. “It surprisedyou to see it on my hand when we first met.”
“Prince Russal had refused to follow myadvice when we discussed it.”
Russal tugged at Kambry’s hand beneath thetable. “I thought it over and realized it had merit.”
“It changed everything,” said Sybil. “For thefirst time, the future gained a positive note. Kambry made Kavinstrong, made it come back to life.”
This meeting wasn’t going anywhere Kambry hadexpected. “Fine. The ring got on my hand and brought about allsorts of new challenges. Let’s move along.”
Russal reached into his chest pocket and setthe spare Kavin ring on the table between him and Felip.
Kambry couldn’t see Burty, but Sybil’s,Felip’s and her own gaze riveted on the ring. What was Russaldoing?
He looked at Kambry. “We talked aboutamending our relationship with the Neck Kingdom. You suggested anambassador.”
Kambry nodded, gazing from the ring back toRussal. “What are you suggesting?”
“Felip Covey should be the ambassador toFroneck.”
Felip looked as flabbergasted as Kambry felt,but the idea felt right. He had all the skills and was uncle toKavin’s king. Froneck would view the gesture as a valid attempt toform a new alliance. “What about this ring?”
“With the help of Kavin, I have altered itsroot purpose. It will give Felip greater access to moving aboutKavin, but it can’t be used to take over our realm.”
Felip sat blinking. “You want to make me anambassador after I tried to undermine your kingship and take overKavin rule?”
“You protected its queen. You stopped thecoup your mother planned and its countercoup that Sarena thought toput into action. You know Kavin as well as I do. You have met theleaders in all three of Kavin Wood’s other kingdoms. You have theskill. What I need to know now is do I have your loyalty?”
“How could you even trust me?” Felip said,though he sat up and looked the part of ambassador already.
Russal shook his head. “You still think methe boy you had to teach to be king. I do what is best for therealm. Even if I couldn’t stand the sight of you, if I thought youwould benefit Kavin, I would accept you. I do accept you. MarshalBurtram?”
“It is a risk, but I think it a worthyone.”
“Sybil, what do you see?”
“I don’t see things.”
Kambry glared at Sybil.
The woman sighed. “I perceive strength inKavin’s future.”
“Kambry, my queen. What do you say aboutFelip Covey being ambassador to Froneck?”
Kambry looked at Felip. There appeared to behope in his eyes. They pleaded for her agreement. He had saved her.She could save him in more ways than just from the gallows.“Ambassador Covey, do you accept the position and all the requiredloyalty, demands and dangers that come with it?”
Russal smiled.
Did she just sound like a queen? She smiledback.
“Since you asked, it is impossible for me torefuse.” The mischievous glint she recognized as true Felip gleamedin his eye. He was likely to charm Froneck into a treaty ratherthan negotiate them into one.
Russal tapped the ring. “Put this on yourleft index finger.”
The glint in his eyes dampened. Felip reachedacross the table and took the ring, sliding it onto his finger withnoticeable trepidation. His gaze rose to include both Russal andKambry. After a moment, his face paled. “Kavin is a demandingtaskmaster.”
“Indeed,” Kambry and Russal said inchorus.
~~~~~~~
Kambry set the gold sharpener down on herdesktop and leaned in to continue her sketch. Russal’s soft stepsbehind her brought a smile to her face. “Don’t even think aboutit,” she murmured.
A hand slid aside the fall of hair across hershoulder, and warm lips pressed her skin, adding heat where thefirst cool breath of the evening air had touched her exposedneck.
She set down the wrapped lead and turned inher seat. “You just had to do it.”
Russal dropped to his knees and wrapped hisarms around her hips, resting his head in her lap. He breatheddeep, and she caressed the edge of his scalp behind his ear.
“Russal, I’m working.”
“Come back to bed.”
She ran her fingers across his bare arm, overhis shoulder and down the skin of his back. “I will if you answer aquestion.”
“Ask me anything.”
“What happened to the fox?”
“What fox?” he said into the satin of herrobe.
“In The Garden of Fellowship. Whathappens to the fox? Does he destroy the fellowship or join it?” Sheplayed her fingers over the muscles of his back, and heshivered.
“I can’t think.”
“But you must or I won’t come back tobed.”
He sat down on the floor, tugged his trousersloose at his knees and sat cross-legged, looking up at her. He rana finger around her ankle, sending shivers up her leg. “Whathappened? A little of both. He separates them with lies, drawingthem first one way then another as they chase him about the garden.Then one day he finds the doe alone in the forest. He has tochoose. Does he lie and lead her deeper away from the garden, ordoes he guide her back home?”
“What does he choose?”
Russal’s fingers ran down the top of herfoot. “He takes her the long way through the forest, telling her astory about a fox and two kits. She cries for the unhappy kits. Thefox leads her to two paths, both heading straight but also awayfrom each other. He tells the doe she must choose him as hercompanion or the black panther.”
“What does the doe decide?”
“She refuses to make a choice and asks thefox why she can’t have them both in her fellowship. He takes herdown one path that grows very dark and frightening. But it leadsback to the garden. When she steps out of the woods, he remainsbehind at the edge.”
“He won’t enter the garden?”
“The panther is there waiting, and the fox isfearful and sad.”
“How does it end?”
“That is how it ends. The fox at the edge ofthe woods, the doe
