The Cerberus Rebellion (A Griffins & Gunpowder Novel) by Joshua Johnson Page A

countered. The elf had the truth of it, he realized with regret. But Nordahr was already a strong ally and trade partner with Ansgar. “My sister is already married to Duke Penn; there is nothing to be gained by another match with their royal family.”
    Alden Hanley braved the potential wrath of his sovereign and re-entered the conversation. “Your Majesty, there is much to be gained. His Highness Prince Kelvin is in training to become the commander of all of their military. If your daughter were to be married to him, it would assure—”
    “ It would assure that the next King of Nordahr would have another voice in his ear telling him to do something that he is likely to do already,” Eadric answered harshly.
    “ Your Highness—”
    “ I will hear no more of this.” Eadric stood. The councilors rose quickly but Eadric ignored them as he pushed through the doors and out of the room.
    Eadric wasn’t sure where he was going, only that he wanted to be away from the members of his council. They were wise but they had no concern for his feelings as a father. His daughter was far too young to be married off to some stranger in another nation, thousands of miles away from home. When she was fourteen he would start the search for a suitable match, not a day before.
    Eadric went over the council meeting in his mind as he walked. Before he realized it, he found himself in the throne room.
    Four Shields guarded the door. Inside, another dozen guards were pressed against the outer walls.
    The room was closed off from petitioners, leaving it empty and quiet. Tall windows at the far end of the room let in golden shafts of afternoon light and the recently washed and waxed white marble floor made the room shine. Two rows of six black marble pillars cut the room into thirds.
    When Eadric held court, the two outer thirds would hold the nobles, lords and petitioners in attendance. The center aisle would be reserved for those who were allowed to approach the throne at the back of the room.
    The Seat of the First King had been carved from red marble. The arms were the two massive legs of a giant; the back was the man’s midsection and chest. The giant’s head was directly above where the King’s would be, uplifted to the window in the roof and bathed in sunlight. His arms were outstretched above him, a spear clenched in one hand.
    The Seat rested on a stone dais three feet above the white marble floor. The platform was a cone beneath the chair, stairs cut into the front.
    Just beyond the seat was the King’s Door, which led to his study and parlor here in the Grand Keep. That door was flanked by another pair of guards.
    “ A penny for your thoughts.”
    Eadric turned toward the sweet as honey voice.
    Haley Garrard was a slender woman of average height. Her chestnut hair fell in thick ringlets onto her shoulders and her blue eyes sparkled with a mixture of mischief and intelligence. Eadric held her as one of his most cunning councilors.
    “ I would have hoped you had something more than a penny.” Eadric smiled as her guards fell back to the door and he embraced his wife. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and took her hand. “My nobles and lords are too cheap to finance their own forces and are begging at my door for loans and promises of money.”
    “ Arming and feeding thousands of men is not inexpensive,” Haley said. “But the autumn harvests were good and they should have been more than able to set monies aside.”
    “ Indeed. And there was something else.” Eadric’s voice grew grim and Haley frowned. “Nordahr made a proposal for Kara’s hand.”
    Haley’s brow furrowed in thought. Eadric could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she worked through the options and impact of the potential pairing.
    Much to her father’s dismay, Haley had taken an interest in the politics of court and international relations from a young age. He would have preferred that she study needlework and the proper way to serve as