Five new protective uncles.

“A shark!” she shrieked, as Aramus rose from his throne and walked to the edge of it to stare down at her as she arrived at the bottom and danced around his men, such was her excitement.

He then looked to his queen.

“Wife, explain,” he demanded.

“It was a little baby one,” she said.

He did not feel much better at this knowledge, even having it knowing she could likely communicate with the creature.

It was still an animal with animal instincts.

Undeveloped thus unrestrained animal instincts.

“It was caught in a tidepool,” Ha-Lah shared.

“Yes, and we released it,” Dora bragged. “It was amazing.”

It was in this moment, for the first time, he wished he had not encouraged Cassius to take Nero with him rather than sending Aelia’s personal guard with Aramus.

He had felt Cass would need all his men about him.

And he had felt he and his men would be entirely prepared to protect them.

He had forgotten about his stubborn wife.

“As I promised my friend that I would give my life to protect those of his daughters,” Aramus began slowly, his eyes locked to his queen. “I’d prefer not to have to explain why one of them got their hand bitten off by a baby shark.”

“It wasn’t going to bite us, Uncle Aramus,” Aelia informed him. “I think it wanted to play with us.”

“You promised Cass to protect us with your life?” Dora breathed.

Ha-Lah gave him big eyes.

Aramus tore his from hers, ignored what she was communicating, and looked down at the girl.

“Yes,” he answered.

“Aramus,” Ha-Lah murmured.

“He made you promise to protect us with your life?” Dora asked.

“Yes,” Aramus told her, for he felt she should know how Cassius felt about her.

“Aramus,” Ha-Lah hissed, for she felt she should not be frightened, when that was not a concern as he’d let nothing happen to any of his girls.

“But…you’re a king,” she said.

“And you’re a daughter, and when you have one, you’ll understand which is most important,” Aramus shared.

She stared up at him with her lips parted.

“All right, well, we came to save you from your citizens for a spell while we had luncheon with you, but if you’re feeling unable to rein in the honesty, we should let you eat alone,” Ha-Lah stated irritably.

“Perhaps we should have a moment alone,” he suggested to her.

“Perhaps we should take that moment later, after dinner, when the girls are down,” Ha-Lah retorted.

When the girls are down.

Would he and his queen have girls?

He’d like girls with her ringlets and those crystal eyes.

Therefore, he decided, they’d keep going until she gave him just that.

At least two.

Or, perhaps, three.

“My queen, I did not say—” he began.

“We’ll discuss it later,” she interrupted.

“Ha-Lah—”

“Don’t worry, Auntie Ha-Lah,” Aelia singsonged, dancing to his wife, taking her hand and tugging on it. “Nothing will happen to Uncle Aramus or you or me or the boys,” she threw her other arm out to indicate “the boys,” in other words, his men, “or anybody. I mean, Uncle Aramus is the king of the seas. And you control its beasts.”