Scaredy Cat

What does the richest man in the world do when he's afraid to love his baby girl?

***

What do you do when your three-year-old insists on sleeping in a hammock - two stories up from the ground?

Devin Metreedi is the richest, most powerful man in the world. Except when it comes to dealing with his tiny daughter. His commanding wife gets the child to toe the line, but Restella spends most of her time at sea, which leaves Devin... not alone with little Karana, but in charge. Sort of.

Devin's worries over the obstinate little creature mingle with his lingering sense of loss. He lost both his parents to pirates when he was only three years old himself. Giving his whole heart to Karana seems to place her at risk of being hurt in the same way.

Easier by far to just give orders and dictate consequences. Though his heart breaks a little each time his baby girl turns to someone else - someone gentler, easier, more understanding - for comfort.

Scaredy Cat is a unique entry in the epic fantasy Knightess of the Realm Saga: a tender, cozy love-story about the relationship between a man and his little girl.

***

"Did you see how high I went, Uncle Andry? Did-you-did-you-did-you? I was up even higher than you can reach!"

Andry bent over double to sweep the small girl up in his arms. "You were, my lass. You're getting very brave."

"Andry, don't encourage her," Devin said with a sigh, and as Karana's beaming little face fell, he cursed himself for his fumbling lack of subtlety. He should have left it to Andry, who seemed to have been born subtle.

You'd think that having spent every minute together that they could arrange since their mothers first had them share a cradle would have gotten some of that to rub off on Devin, but no...