Read Chronicles of Logos Quest For the Kingdom Parts IV, V, VI, and VII Revised With Index (Quest For the Kingdom Set) for Free Online Page A

meeting!”
    Tullia
punctuated this last statement with a laugh of seeming innocence, but Marcus
noticed the looks exchanged between Vibianus and Livia. He raised an eyebrow as
if in query and she shrugged her shoulder as if for answer. Neither of them
smiled in response to Tullia’s laugh. A queasy sensation took over Marcus’
stomach, and he suddenly lost his appetite. He sensed that his friends were
aware of something as yet unknown to him and Tullia.
    Marcus had
followed the eyes of Tullia in her survey of the room, and he had noticed what
his wife had not appeared to see: an averting of the eyes whenever a pair
chanced to encounter those of Marcus.
    What, what is happening that I am not aware of, he thought, a sense of alarm now
overpowering him and threatening to suffocate him. The room seemed to spin
around him and he fought the urge to panic at the terror that rose up within
him, threatening to engulf him. I sense danger but I do not know from where.
    Tullia
continued her observation of the guests until she nonchalantly brought their attention
to Iacomus, whom Marcus was shocked to discover, was seated at the table with
Emperor Urbanus, and Renata, his gracious wife. How quickly indeed had Iacomus
risen in favor with the local townsmen if he was seated in intimacy with the
Emperor himself!
    “Why, there is
Iacomus Cornelius, seated at the Emperor’s table! Who would have thought that
he is acquainted with the Royal family? Do you know whether they have met
before? Or is he just a special guest, due to being a stranger in Potentus?”
    Tullia did not
need to pretend to be surprised; she was as astonished as Marcus to see Iacomus
seated at Urbanus’ table. The Emperor was an old friend of her husband’s, and
it seemed inconceivable to her that Iacomus should be seated at his table and
Marcus was not.
    Vibianus
looked into the eyes of his wife and gave her an imperceptible nod of his head.
She gazed at him for a moment, and proceeded to speak and share what she knew.
    “Well,” she
began in a furtive whisper, “Iacomus has managed to worm his way into the good
graces of the Emperor and his Lady faster than anyone I have ever seen. They
say that this is due to the respectable stock of his family back in Lycenium,
but that is a good joke, as I have heard that they have not seen him in many years.
Apart from that, he appears to have incredible powers of persuasion, and has
convinced Urbanus that he has the solutions to all of life’s problems, and is
willing to give him excellent counsel at a moment’s notice.”
    Livia looked
around her and lowered her voice still further. Marcus found himself hanging on
her words, his heart beating rapidly as a sudden fear clutched at him.
    “You know that
the Emperor is childless, a tragedy that is the only thing spoiling their
otherwise perfect happiness. I have heard it said just yesterday, that were
anything to happen to Urbanus tonight, that Iacomus would be his heir
tomorrow!”

Chapter
IV
A Royal Decree
    When the
summons came from the Palace, Marcus found that he was unprepared. True, he had
not had an opportunity for conversation with the Emperor at the banquet, a fact
which astonished him in view of their old friendship. Yet some part of him felt
that he could always rely on Urbanus to remember their history together, and
that he would be perpetually in his favor.
    He showed the
summons to Tullia, who shared in all of his trials and triumphs. Ah, what a
blessing she was to him, just as he had foreseen so many years ago! Truly she
was the best gift he had ever received, with the exception of the fabulous
Sword Logos which had been entrusted to his care.
    Tullia frowned
slightly and studied the summons intently; then turned to Marcus with a sigh.
    “Whatever may
come of this, I shall endure it with you,” she assured him as she took his hand
and held it tenderly to her cheek. “Whether it be blessing or…” she did not
finish. “I shall be prepared, Marcus,” she