Read Sign of the Throne: Book One in the Solas Beir Trilogy for Free Online Page A

you’re suffering from delusions of grandeur. Or maybe too much sun,” Abby teased, playfully elbowing his arm. Apparently he was that oblivious—still, it was better to play along. She rationalized that saving his feelings was better than crushing him.
    “No, seriously. Every rich , little daddy’s girl has a fantasy about a ‘pool boy.’ It is a well-documented fact,” he insisted.
    “Really? Interesting,” Abby said. “But tell me this—do you hear voices? Maybe see things that aren’t really there? I ask only because I’m concern ed about your mental health—loving you like I do.”
    “Mental health?” asked a petite woman approaching the guest services cabana. She looked to be in her late thirties, with auburn hair and a puckish sparkle in her hazel eyes. Behind her trailed two small boys and a girl. “I hope, Jonathon, that you are discussing your finished psychology paper?”
    “Oh absolutely,” Jon replied. “I was just explaining Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, in fact.”
    “Is that so?” The pixie of a woman smiled mischievously, amused at Jon’s creative attempt to cover the glaring fact that he’d been engaged in a far more interesting topic than psychology theories. “Excellent. Because I’m really looking forward to reading your paper—it sounds fascinating. So, are you going to recruit your friend for my class?”
    “Class?” Abby asked.
    “Yes,” said the woman. “Jon is getting a head start on college. He’s enrolled in my evening class at the university.”
    “Wow,” Abby said. “Why didn’t you tell me, Jon? That’s great.”
    Jon shrugged. “Eh, you know me—gotta keep people guessing. Anyway, Miss Abigail Brown, allow me to introduce you to the ever brilliant Dr. Cassandra Buchan, Professor of Psychology and Statistics at the University of Santa Linda.”
    Cassandra Buchan smiled. “Kissing up won’t help you on that paper, Mr. Reyes.” She turned to Abby. “I’m pleased to meet you, Abigail, and there’s no need for formalities—just Cassandra is fine. And this is the Buchan brood: Ciaran is five, and my twin s, Siobhan and Rowan, are two.”
    “It’s nice to meet you all,” Abby said, waving at the children. “And I just go by Abby. I’m not much for formalities either.”
    Ciaran, a towhead with his mother’s eyes, waved back shyly. Siobhan, a miniature of Cassandra, and Rowan, a sturdy toddler with dark hair, were indifferent, more interested in watching a sparrow hopping near the pool’s edge.
    “Don’t let Jon fool you,” Cassandra said. “I know he has this reputation of being a slacker, but he’s actually one of my best students.”
    “Hey, I’ve worked very hard on that reputation,” Jon said.
    “Well that is definitely true,” Abby grinned.
    Cassandra laughed. “You know, Jon, since I have you captive at the moment, tell me about your paper—your real paper, I mean. How’s the class going for you so far?”
    Abby let them talk, excusing herself and dutifully returning to folding towels.
    Suddenly, Abby felt a strange sensation of vertigo. The world around her snapped into focus and she saw the scene unfolding, as if she were viewing it from a distance and in slow motion. Ciaran and Siobhan stood next to their mother, the little girl obediently holding her older brother’s hand. But Rowan, clutching a plastic toy triceratops in a chubby fist, was tottering dangerously close to the deep end of the pool, having wandered away unnoticed during the conversation.
    In a flash of intuition, Abby knew he was about to fall in. She raced around the service counter, moving faster than she had ever imagined she could, like a bullet speeding toward the child. He was leaning toward the water, his little bare feet perched on the edge. Then he lost his balance. Lightning quick, Abby reached out…and caught him under his arms. Rowan looked up at her with wide blue eyes and let go of his dinosaur. With an audible plop , it dropped like a stone,