The general ground his teeth as he glanced at the captain. Jimson sat curiously, wondering what the general would come up with to keep from exposing Rezkin’s secrets, which he was obliged to conceal since Rezkin had asserted his authority on the matter. “That is none of your business, Frisha.”

Frisha stomped a foot and said, “Like Hells it isn’t! If you will deny me my chosen husband, then I have a right to know why!”

Lady Adelina gasped. “Frisha, dear, language!” She looked at her husband and said apologetically, “She does have a point, love.”

Marcum huffed. “Nothing in those letters said anything negative about the man.”

“Quite the opposite, really,” Captain Jimson supplied. He knew he was playing with fire, but he felt that he owed a great debt to his friend.

The general turned his ire on Jimson, but before he could say anything, Frisha perked up. “Is that so? What did they say, then? How did they not refer to him as a soulless creature?” she asked flippantly.

“Rezkin has asked that I not divulge their contents,” the general answered.

“And you are so inclined to do as he asks,” Frisha remarked. “Then give me the general idea, since it is obvious they had some profound effect on you.”

General Marcum growled. “Fine! Rezkin had the trust of King Bordran.”

Frisha’s mouth dropped as did Tam’s and Adelina’s. Jimson smiled slightly. It was a very simplistic summation of the certificate Rezkin carried. Frisha grabbed onto the boon with the tenacity of a drowning woman to a lifeline.

“I-If Rezkin had the trust of the king, then how can you say he is a soulless creature? How did he even know the king? If he really had the trust of the king, then how could I do any better than such a man?” The multitude of questions flying through her mind was more than she could process at the moment, and she had to stay on task if she was going to make her point.

“There is much more to that man than you know, Frisha. There is more than even I know, but what I do know is not good! I cannot in good conscience give you to that man. I am sorry, Frisha, but it is for your own good,” General Marcum stated firmly.

“For my own good? You have told me absolutely nothing that supports your rejection of him as my prime suitor. If anything, you have made my case for me!” the young woman yelled.

“He is a killer, Frisha!” Marcum hollered back.

“So are you! And, so are Tam and Captain Jimson!” Frisha shouted in return. Tam winced, but Frisha’s attention was solely on her uncle and did not notice.

“This is different, Frisha! He is not like us,” the general stated. “He …”