Esdras the Gnoll (special preview)

Charlee’s posture sags and she looks down at Therea. “You don’t know Saguis like I do,” she whispers. “His ambition and desire are so strong. He saw very few things than what could lay ahead of him.”

I lower my eyes and set my fork down from eating. “I know him all too well,” I murmur. “Or well, not him, but someone very much like him.”

Charlee looks up to me and I smile sadly.

“My wife, my Bethsabe,” I close my eyes as I lower my face. “She was amazing and brilliant, one of the most intelligent people to ever grace the empire.” I scoff and shake my head. The wound still feels as fresh as it did nearly twenty years ago. “But she was flawed, damaged. Perfect to me in every way, but I know she suffered.”

I look back at Charlee and smile. “You had the commonsense to get out when you knew you had to.” I shake my head. “I didn’t. I admire that greatly about you Charlee.”

Therea fusses and whines as Charlee stands up. She hands the little bundle over to me and I happily take it.

“I remember when Ishmael was such a squirming thing,” I grin as I hold Therea. She looks like her mother but has patches of black scales all over her body. “So small and sweet.”

“Do you have any children of your own?” Therea asks as she eats.

I sigh and shake my head. “Bethsabe and I tried for as long as we were together. The miscarriage took it’s toll on her, I’m afraid. She couldn’t believe she could fail at something and it just-”

“Ishmael speaks very highly of you,” Charlee cuts me off. “The few times I met with him, he just spoke of how much he believed in you.”

I smile softly as little Therea closes her big black eyes and falls back asleep. “He’s my world. He helped me heal after I lost Bethsabe. He gave me my reason to live back. Do seeing him to the throne and happily married makes me prouder than I’ve ever been.”

Charlee frowns. “It’s during the wedding I’ll be meeting with the Royal Council, correct?” she asks.

“You have nothing to worry about with the Council,” I tell her. “They simply want to speak to you in person to make sure everything you’ve given lines up.”

Charlee nods. “I just want this over with. I want to return to a normal life but I feel as if-” she chokes up a bit. “I don’t believe Sanguis is gone,” she whispers.