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strong arm. Blushing, she allowed him to lead her forward to stand beside him and their daughter to receive her due accolades.
    “Poseidon! Poseidon! Poseidon!”
    The king raised his golden trident in acknowledgment a final time, then turned and ushered his family back inside. A guard hurried to close the doors behind them, shutting out the tumult from the city.
    Rhiannon gave a sigh of relief and passed the now fussing baby to Prince Orion, who dangled him upside down until Perseus began to giggle again. “I think someone’s hungry,” he ventured.
    “And sleepy,” the queen added. She removed her heavy gold crown set with pearls and sapphires and handed it to a waiting servant. “And he’s not the only one.”
    Morgan slipped off his crown and tossed it to his younger brother Paris. “Try that on for size,” he said.
    “Not me,” Paris replied. Instead, he balanced it on little Perseus’ head. The crown promptly slipped forward and lodged on a dough blob of a nose. The prince crowed with laughter and tugged at the crown. Perseus tilted his head forward, the crown tumbled off, and a dolphin nursemaid caught it neatly before it hit the marble floor. “See”—Paris said—“already a king. What he doesn’t like, he won’t tolerate.”
    “I’m glad that’s over,” Rhiannon said, removing the baby’s cuirass and kilt, leaving him in a simple soft loincloth. “Isn’t that better?” she murmured to Perseus. He gurgled happily and patted her cheek. “You know how I dread these state occasions.”
    “You shouldn’t,” Morgan said, motioning for Perseus’ nurse to take him. “Your subjects love you.” He leaned down and brushed her lips with his. “Your king loves you even more.”
    Rhiannon’s mouth curved in a smile as she rubbed the back of her neck. “And I love you. But ...” She grimaced. “You and Danu are better prepared to cope with this formality than I am. If I had my way, I’d never attend another state occasion.”
    “Objection noted,” Morgan said. “But ...” He shrugged. “Some things we have to do. And today assures our children’s future safety and the loyalty of their subjects.”
    “I suppose”—Rhiannon agreed as she unfastened her bracelets and necklace of pearls and rubies and passed them to a lady-in-waiting—“but I’ve never been fond of crowds, and there are too many people out there to count. It’s a little overwhelming.”
    “For one not born to royalty, you manage admirably,” Lady Athena said. “Her highness, the dowager Queen Korinna, says that you have arranged a magnificent feast for this evening.” She bent to tickle the baby and was rewarded with a giggle.
    “With Queen Korinna’s help,” Rhiannon insisted. “I couldn’t imagine trying to manage the palace staff without her.” She smiled at the baby’s nurse. “I think it’s time for the prince’s nap, don’t you? He’ll be a bear if he’s over-tired.”
    “He will, your highness.” The stout woman nodded, curtsied, and carried little Perseus off to his bed.
    “We have a chamberlain, don’t we?” Morgan said, continuing the conversation. “Can’t you delegate some of these tasks for entertaining?”
    “Nevertheless, I’m proud of you,” Athena said, tactfully ignoring Morgan’s remark.
    Rhiannon smiled at her mother. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just check with the chefs one last time. Lady Athena, Danu, would you two like to come with me?”
    Orion waited until the queen, Lady Athena, and his niece left the chamber before gesturing to Morgan. “We need to speak.”
    With a last glance to make certain that his son was well cared for, the king followed his brother into a small anti-chamber. “Any news of Alex?”
    Orion shook his head. “Nothing. I just received confirmation from Dewi that the target has been sighted in Fiji. He left the Anastasiya and flew into the capital by helicopter. Bleddyn was unable to locate Alex. He wasn’t at the meeting place,