The Unbound Queen

by M. J. Scott

  "No. My oldest brother, Liam, has children, besides which I am the youngest of the three of us and Alec, my other brother, also has a family. It would have taken a cataclysm worse than the attack on the palace for me to become the erl. And for that reason, also, I am not anyone that Eloisa was ever going to marry. We both understood that."

  "Perhaps not. But that doesn't mean she didn't care for you."

  Cameron shrugged. "Maybe. But I don't think she cares enough to drag me back to Anglion. After all, I would be no more acceptable as a consort to a queen than Sophie would be to wear the crown after spending time here." He gestured abruptly as though encompassing all of the empire in the sweep of his hand.

  "Not to mention she would have to somehow do away with your wife," the domina said, one side of her mouth quirking.

  "I don't think we can rule that out," Sophie said. "After all, there have already been assassins sent after me. Twice."

  "Twice? Here in Illvya?" The domina looked startled. Perhaps she didn't know their tale in full after all.

  "No. The first attempt was in Anglion. It was the reason we came here," Sophie said.

  "You did not think you would be safe there? Or that your queen would protect you?"

  "There were those at court who seemed uncomfortable with Sophie's power," Cameron said.

  "Anyone in particular?"

  Sophie bit her lip, feeling sick. But they had come here meaning to discuss Domina Skey. This was the opportunity. She breathed in, then out, pushing through fear. "Domina Skey comes to mind."

  Domina Francis went still. Then her hand crept back to the quartered circle at her throat. "Why do you think that?"

  Sophie looked at Cameron, and he nodded encouragement. She teetered on the edge of speaking. Her next words would either be a big mistake or their way out. All Sophie could do was hope that it would be the latter rather than the former.

  "The man who attacked me in Anglion told us he was hired by someone he thought came from the temple. Domina Skey was furious that we escaped the marriage bonding. And Sevan—the man in the Anglion delegation who tried to kill me here—he was always devout."

  "Anything else?" Domina Francis said. There was a wry twist to the words as though she thought what Sophie had said might be reason enough.

  "I told you earlier that Queen Eloisa was injured in the attack on the palace. That she was healed." Sophie stopped, then rushed on before she could talk herself out of it. "I didn't tell you that Domina Skey used me to heal her."

  "Used you how exactly?" Domina Francis said. Her voice has gone flat, and she sat rigid in her chair, her eyes suddenly a much darker shade of green. Like a hunting cat perhaps, intent on something small and vulnerable.

  But who was the prey? Sophie or Domina Skey?

  "I'm not entirely sure," Sophie said. "It was as though she tapped into my power somehow."

  "Describe to me what happened."

  Sophie took a deep breath. Those scenes in Eloisa's chambers were a memory she'd mostly buried away. Hard to recall. Which didn't lessen the fear they invoked in the slightest.

  She laid out what she could remember as fast as possible.

  Domain Francis didn't immediately respond when Sophie finished. Instead she closed her eyes, her mouth moving as though she was talking to herself and couldn't quite stop what she was saying from showing on her face. What was showing was anger. "Is this a usual practice in Anglion?" she asked eventually.

  "Not that I am aware of," Sophie said. "But I'm hardly an expert. My mother's powers were small. I don't know what exactly the temple healers or earth witches who have the talent for healing are capable of."

  "I don't think they usually feed off other people's magic," Domina Francis said. "Not without their consent at least. There are those who can form temporary bonds—a less binding form of an augmentier as it were—to share power, but as far as I know, it takes consent to enable such a thing." She paused and lifted her gaze briefly skyward before looking back at Sophie. "Of course, in Anglion, you do not necessarily follow the rules that we do. I do not know enough about the rites as they are performed there as I would like."

  Sophie was somewhat surprised that she knew anything at all.

  Her face might have betrayed her because Domina Francis smiled tightly. "We do not live in complete ignorance, child. We have ways of staying informed, though I will admit it is hard to get anyone inside the temple to pass information on. And rare that someone with any actual knowledge of the temple flees Anglion to come here. We get those with minor powers—and minor knowledge—at best." Her gaze turned thoughtful.

  "But in this case, I think I need to know more. Even if it is only what you can tell me. You know about the marriage bonds for the royal witches at least. That is something we haven't been able to learn much about. Tell me about that rite."

  "That rite would be part of the reason that Domina Skey is not fond of Sophie. Or me," Cameron said drily." I don't think it went to plan."

  "Actually, no," Sophia said. "I think it was the earlier rite that went wrong."

  "What earlier rite?" Domina Francis asked.

  "The dedication to the goddess after my Ais-Seann," Sophie said. "The sigils were supposed to disappear, and they didn't."

  The domina's eyebrows shot upward. "Sigils? Tell me more.

  Sophie shrugged. "I don't know much. After the Ais-Seann, if we manifest, there are rites. I'm not sure what they do. But when it didn't work, Domina Skey was furious. She knew that—" She stopped, glanced at Cameron who shrugged. "That Cameron and I had—"

  The expression on Domina Francis's face became enlightened. "Oh. I see. You formed your bond before the wedding, so to speak. And the bond between you is not the usual kind?"

  "No," Sophie said, glad that the domina seemed not to need a more detailed explanation of how they'd formed it. "Though I will confess, I cannot tell you what a normal bond should be. Or even how it looks. They don't teach us to see the connection to the ley line and other people's magic as you do here."

  Domain Francis nodded. "That much I did know."

  Sophie nodded. "From what I've gathered, marriage bonds are usually more one-sided. They are designed to somehow feed some of the wife's power to her husband. I don't know how much. Men married to royal witches seem to lead long and healthy lives. Though the same is not always true of their wives." She paused a moment, remembering Lord Sylvain warning her about the death of his first wife. "Not if they fall out of favor with the temple or those more powerful than their husbands, perhaps."

  "I see. But there was a rite at your wedding?"

  "Yes." She and Cameron spoke together.

  Cameron nodded. "But it was done after the ceremony, and I suspect it was mostly for show. The binding is always private, but Domina Skey didn't waste much time on us. She knew we were already bound."

  Domina Francis frowned. "That makes sense. But it doesn't explain how she was able to use Sophie in her healing of the queen. I could imagine if the dedication rite worked, that perhaps that would give her a channel to use. Maybe it was partly successful? Left her some thread of access. It would explain her anger, if she was expecting to have some degree of control over a witch of some potential, only to be locked out."

  Sophie shrugged. "I wish I knew more."

  "So do I," the domina said ruefully. "Regardless of how exactly she achieved it, it is clear that your dominas—or Domina Skey at least—have some skill at bindings and bonds. Enough to let her use you in some fashion. "

  She grimaced as though the idea was distasteful. Sophie had to admit she couldn't blame her for that. The more she found out about the way that the royal witches were treated in Anglion, the more distasteful she found it too.

  "Do you think other dominas may also have this knowledge?" Domina Francis continued. "Is it always the highest of the dominas who performs the rites for royal witches?"

  "Yes," Sophie said. "I can't think of many circumstances where a royal witch wouldn't be married at the tem
ple in Kingswell. There aren't so many of us that it is a burden. Only a few in any given year. Such weddings tend to be elaborate ceremonies, to reflect the status of the grooms. Unless the domina who heads the Kingswell temple was unwell or, as with me, something untoward happened around a witch's Ais-Seann, to cut her off from the temple, and she needed to be married away from the capital, I don't think it would be anyone else who performed the rites."

  "So maybe the wedding bond is a secret only entrusted to a few?" Domina Francis tilted her head. "It is only royal witches who are bound in this way, is it not? That is what we have been able to observe, at least. From time to time, we have had earth witches not of the royal line arrive in Illvya. Some with husbands. Of those, some have had the rudimentary beginnings of a bond between them, but that can sometimes happen between spouses who both have some power without anyone doing anything."

  Cameron opened his mouth and the domina held up a hand. "Not a bond like the one between you and your wife, Lord Scardale. That is a different matter altogether. The bonds we have seen are mostly love rather than magic." They may give a more heightened sense of what the other is feeling or experiencing or a sense if they might be in danger but nothing reliable and nothing that they even be aware of. I'd imagine if the two of you worked with the bond you share, you could do much more." She paused. "Or perhaps you already know this?" Have you explored what you can do together or have the maistres had you locked away studying your lessons as though you were just like all their other students?"

  "Maybe not exactly like the others," Cameron said. "But we both have ground to make up."

  "Me in particular,” Sophie said. "There is a vast difference between what your earth witches are taught and what I learned before my Ais-Seann. And what the temple was willing to show me afterward. Again, I don't know if that is what was normal or whether it was the domina being cautious because she didn't trust me."

  "Because you weren't bound in the usual way," the domina mused. "To the goddess or to your husband."

  "What do you mean?" Cameron said, expression turning intent.

  "I am suddenly minded to consider whether the temple takes two bites at a royal witch, as it were. Once during this 'dedication' rite and again when they bind a royal witch to her husband. There has to be some reason why they would agree to weaken royal witches to benefit their husbands when that is so clearly against the goddess's will. If there was also a benefit to the dominas who perform the rites, then that could explain why they may have been initially swayed to cross the line. It would explain why the temple has been growing strong while the witches of Anglion seem to be weakening over recent generations. Is that something that is acknowledged in Anglion?"

  Sophie nodded. "That witches are growing weaker? There is some talk. At least, amongst the ladies of the court. Eloisa's great-great-grandmother was a strong witch, she could affect the weather apparently. There's been no one to come near her in the generations since then. And even in her time, she was rare."

  "Rare like you?"

  "Me?"

  "You are strong. And unbound, that strength uncontrolled. It begins to make sense to me that your Domina Skey would fear you. Those who have gained power—or stolen it—can be ferocious in their attempts to defend that power."

  "Spoken like someone who works beside a conqueror," Cameron said.

  The domina flipped a hand. "Aristides is not so bad. Neither was his father. Yes, they conquered, but that is past, and since then, they have worked hard to bring peace and stability to the empire. They are not cruel rulers or capricious. I'm not saying it excuses everything the family has done, but I do not see them abusing their powers. They have the parliament to check them for one thing, and there are enough magic users who are not part of the imperial forces to present a serious challenge to an emperor who wanted to become a tyrant."

  "Aristides doesn't strike me as a man who is easily checked," Cameron said.

  "Perhaps not, but then neither is he a man who does the sorts of things that might inspire such checks to be activated. Our court has plenty of politics and game playing and jostling for power, but it isn't corrupt or working against the good of the empire. At least, not often. And when it is, then the emperor himself is quick to put a stop to it."

  "Are you one of those checks?" Sophie asked curiously. "What would the temple do if the emperor turned rogue and started abusing his power?"

  "The goddess sets the temple to guard the land," the domina said, a sudden thread of steel clear under her words. "We may not be the absolute religion in the empire in the way we are in Anglion, but we are still a power in our own right. We would do what was needed to protect the people in our care."

  "Has that happened?" Sophie said. "Has the temple ever removed an emperor?"

  "Not since there have been emperors. But kings and queens before that—centuries ago, yes," the domina said. "And there have been, other, less drastic means by which we have intervened. We can influence, and we can make our views known."

  "And what of the reverse?" Cameron asked. "What if the temple was the problem rather than the crown?"

  "I think a domina who plotted treason would be unlikely to be successful here," the domina said. "The emperor, after all, has an army of mages at his disposal, more than a match for our earth witches, even if I hauled every woman or man with even the slightest hint of power to heed my call. That's before we consider the sanctii." Her gaze sharpened. "But that is not the case in Anglion, is it? Not in the same way. There are blood mages and illusioners but no water mages. No sanctii."

  "No," Cameron agreed. "No sanctii. And the blood mages largely answer to the crown. If the king or queen wasn't aware that they were being manipulated, there would be little that anyone could do. Without staging some sort of palace coup on top of taking on the temple. I can't imagine anyone currently in the chain of command in the Red Guard attempting such a thing."

  "Particularly if the temple was slow to grow their influence. It might go unnoticed if they were careful. If they took control one tiny piece at a time and bided their time for an opportunity to do more," Domina Francis mused.

  "Like the one presented when a queen is made vulnerable. One who was inexperienced. Or injured," Sophie said, stomach churning. When she'd first had this idea about Domina Skey, she'd half convinced herself that she was being ridiculous. Jumping at shadows and building conspiracies out of air. A temple who wanted to remove her because, in their eyes, she was a rebel and a danger was different to one who was somehow plotting to take over the country or control the crown. But now, listening to the domina and feeling the pieces click into place in her head, she was no longer sure that she was being paranoid. Quite the opposite, in fact.

  "So. An inexperienced, injured queen. A domina who perhaps is ruthless or playing to some grand scheme the temple set in motion a long time ago." Domina Francis closed her eyes again. "I can see why Domina Skey might indeed be desperate to be rid of you in that situation, Lady Scardale. You are a powerful witch, who she doesn't control. Who she, in fact, cannot control in any real way. One who has a claim on the throne."

  "But one who has no means to act on any of that."

  "Maybe not then. Maybe in Kingswell, it merely seemed prudent to try and get rid of you before you could realize your own power and moved truly beyond her reach. I suspect if she tried to use you now in a healing, you could resist if you chose. But now that you are here, now that there may be the fear of the emperor turning his gaze once more to Anglion and having you on hand to help his cause, then who can say what that might drive her to?"

  "Which means what, exactly?" Sophie said.

  The domina shook her head. "It means that you are not going to like what I have to say, but that I rather fear Aristides is right. Anglion may need a new queen. One who will deal with the rot creeping though its heart. And, considering this and your visions, it would seem that the goddess may be trying to tell you exactly this."

  "Or she's telling me to save Eloisa," Sophie bl
urted. "Isn't that the better option? If it is Domina Skey behind this, then if we remove her, isn't Eloisa free?"

  Domina Francis leaned back. "By 'removing' Domina Skey, do you mean breaking the bond?"

  "If she has bound the queen without consent, then breaking the bond would only be a first step," Cameron said. "Attacking the queen is treason. But determining what else needs to happen after Eloisa was free from the domina's influence, would be Eloisa's decision."

  "Perhaps," Domina Francis said. "And perhaps only time will tell if that is correct. But first, I think we need to make it Aristides’s problem. I'm sorry, Lady Scardale, I know I said I would keep your confidence if I could but—"

  "I know," Sophie said, holding up a hand. "You are loyal to the emperor. To Illvya. I understand, and I agree. We need to speak to Aristides."

  "Are you sure you want to do this?" Cameron asked as their carriage clattered away from the temple and turned left toward the palace. He'd been relieved when the domina had called for a separate carriage. The journey would only take a few minutes, but it was, at least a small window for them to talk.

  "I'm not sure. But I don't think there's another choice," Sophie said. She reached down to run her hand over Tok's back as though touching the bird soothed her. The raven had been waiting for them in the oak tree when they'd left the temple and had swooped back down to Sophie's shoulder. Cameron watched the bird press his head into his wife's palm, pleased with her touch.

  Cameron knew how he felt. But right now he needed more than that to soothe him. He knew that Sophie's idea—to free Eloisa—was the best path for them, but he didn't know how they could do it. Or even if Aristides would agree to their approach. Fear and anger rode his gut. Swirling and stamping like fretful horses. His magic sparked, rising to the emotions. But his long years of training rose to counter it, and he held himself in check.