by Eva Brandt
“But you don’t think it is, do you?”
He sighed and slid his pendant back underneath his shirt. “No. Unfortunately not. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even be considering going along with this insanity.”
At that moment, I almost burst into tears. I knew that what I was asking him would be even harder for him than killing Thrand had been for me. I believed him anyway. I believed that he could smother the spark of my life, because I’d asked him to do it. “This is our pact then, Mathias. When the moment comes, you’ll kill me, and then bring me back. We’ll work on it together. I’ll show you how. We’ll break this spell.” I took his hand and placed it over my belly. “It’s not time to see Thrand and Halvar, not yet. When our son grows up, we will join them, but until then, we have to be brave and fight.”
“Yes, my queen,” he replied, daring to steal one single kiss from my lips.
For once, the pendant didn’t try to push us away. I should’ve maybe known that was a bad sign.
* * *
Mathias
Dahud decided to name our son Alois. I liked the name and waited for his birth with both eagerness and dread.
I already regretted the promise I’d made to Dahud. I’d told her I’d kill her when she was recovering from her labor. She had it all planned out. It would be with a snake poison and I’d have the antidote on hand, ready to be delivered exactly one minute after her heart stopped. She’d even made sure there was a wet nurse nearby to take care of our son, assuming that her breast milk would not be good for the baby after such an experience.
We normally wouldn’t have risked this whole experiment at all, but we were so desperate we had to do something. Besides, if all else failed, we had the pendant to fall back on. Through it, I could access some magical techniques that would help me bring Dahud back.
In theory, it was possible. I still wished I hadn’t agreed to it, or that we’d at least waited until there was a better moment.
Despite all our conversations and preparations, I wasn’t ready for the moment when Dahud’s labor started. Until now, Dahud had been moody and snappish, but mostly in control of her magic. That all went out the window the moment the pain hit.
I wasn’t allowed in the birthing room, not at first, but I could hear her screaming. The sound echoed against the walls of the palace and the whole building started to shake.
I decided to intervene before she accidentally brought the place down on us while bringing our son into the world. Ignoring the panicked guards, I burst into the birthing room.
Dahud’s mother was there, of course, arguing with the healers. “There’s nothing we can do,” a woman was saying. “We can barely get close.”
Instead of reprimanding the bitch for being a spineless traitor, the queen turned toward me. “You shouldn’t be here, Mathias.”
I ignored her. I was sick and tired of Dahud’s family and looked forward to the moment when I’d be able to end their miserable lives. But they weren’t important right now. I rushed to Dahud’s side and took her hand. Her eyes were hazy with pain and her hair sweaty. “Mathias,” she croaked out, “something’s wrong. He won’t come out.”
“He will. He’s just a little stubborn, like his fathers. But we’ll love him anyway, won’t we?”
Dahud shot me a little smile, but it vanished quickly as another wave of pain hit her. Still, my presence seemed to help. The healers were now able to approach and assist Dahud with the birth.
It took forever. Dahud screamed until she was hoarse and at one point, I thought I wouldn’t have to kill her at all, because she’d just bleed out. But finally, after hours and hours of torture, Alois came into the world. I held him in my arms and for the first time in many months, I felt hope.
Maybe we could do this after all. Maybe Dahud was right and we had to take this chance to save what little we had left.
Despite the painful experience she’d just gone through, Dahud was aware enough to feed Alois for the first time. She was weak, though, and I knew this was the moment when I was supposed to act.
It had been difficult to sneak in the poison into the palace. No one would have expected it of me, of course, but there were guards all over the place, and they took note of people carrying suspicious objects. I’d ended up bringing it in a small stone bottle, but actually giving it to Dahud would be a bit of a challenge.
Things got even tougher when the queen tried to usher me out of the room. “Dahud needs to rest. You’ve already intruded enough in something that is meant only for women.”
I stubbornly dug my heels in, refusing to leave my wife’s side. “I belong here. If Dahud wants me gone, I’ll go, but until that moment comes, I won’t leave.”
“I really must insist, Your Highness,” the healer said. “It’s only for a little while, until she recovers.”
That was the whole point. I needed to be here while Dahud was weak, so I could administer the poison, so we could break the curse. That was what my wife had asked of me. With everyone here, watching, that would be impossible, since they would interfere when the moment came for me to administer the antidote.
“I won’t disturb her. I’ll merely—”
A scream interrupted our argument. I turned and saw one of the healers collapse, dropping my son in the process. I got there just in time to avoid disaster, but I was furious. “What is the meaning of this? How dare you treat your prince so carelessly?”
It soon became obvious that my question was stupid, since the woman I’d addressed it to was still on the floor. At first, I thought she’d fainted out of fatigue, but I should’ve known better. One of the other healers pointed her finger accusingly at Alois. “The child! That child is a demon! It… It killed Una.”
I hadn’t witnessed anything like that, but I hadn’t been paying attention. “He did no such thing,” I automatically said. “If Una was struck by a sudden affliction, it had nothing to do with our son.”
The healers turned to the queen for aid. “Your Majesty…”
“Enough!” Dahud barked. “You shouldn’t have had someone ill or unqualified in my presence. Take the body away. It offends me. And if I hear anyone spreading wild accusations about my child, I will consider them treasonous.”
“Dahud…” the queen began.
“Mother, I’ve just had a long and excruciating labor. If I have to hear any more of this nonsense, I’m going to snap. We wouldn’t want that, would we?”
Malgven pressed her lips together in a thin line. “This conversation isn’t over, Dahud. We will leave you with your family, for now.”
Without another word, the queen ushered the healers out of the room, leaving us alone. As soon as we were gone, I placed Alois into his crib and turned toward my wife. “What do we do now, Dahud? Do you want to use the poison?”
“Yes. Give it to me, quickly, and let’s hope it works. We have to break the curse, before it has more of an effect on Alois.”
I reached into my coat for the bottle of poison and came up empty handed. Behind me, Alois let out a happy little gurgle, having apparently found something to play with.
“Alois, no!” Dahud shouted.
It was too late. Our son had already uncapped the bottle and lifted it to his lips. I had no idea how he even had the strength and coordination to do this. A newborn shouldn’t have been capable of it. The reasons became irrelevant when he drank the liquid inside, the poison that had been meant to kill his mother.
I ran to the crib, reaching for the antidote with shaking hands. Would it even work for him? He was only a baby. Could the antidote counter the amount of poison he’d just drunk?
As it turned out, I didn’t need to administer the antidote at all. My son was perfectly okay. He waved at me, burped, and a cloud of noxious fumes emerged from his mouth.
“What just happened?” Dahud asked, already out of the bed and standing even if she was still weak after her labor.
“I have no idea, love, but I think the curse might be the least of our problems right no
w.”
The Last Dance
Dahud
Over the next couple of weeks, it became obvious that Alois wasn’t a normal baby. He was quiet and he only made noises when he needed something. Even then, he didn’t cry. It took him less than a month to learn how to say ‘ma’ and ‘da’.
Once we realized he’d learned what to call us by listening to us talk to one another, we started teaching him things. It distracted us from the impending feeling of doom that loomed over us like an ominous cloud.
Alois was perfect. Physically, he took after Thrand, just like I’d known he would. But emotionally, he seemed like I was—like I’d been before my husbands had broken my curse.
I didn’t know what to do. My original plan—trying to kill myself and hope it ended the curse—was still an option, but whenever we spoke about it, Alois gave us disapproving looks, as if he understood exactly what we were saying and didn’t like the idea. Maybe he knew something we didn’t and him drinking the poison hadn’t been an accident. Or maybe I was just losing my mind after killing one of my husbands, then having a second one die without even being able to say goodbye.
I was more afraid than before, terrified of what this meant for my child. And I was not oblivious to the way the people of Kerys were looking at me and my family.
“Cursed,” they called us.
“A punishment from the gods.”
“She should’ve never married three men.”
“An abomination.”
I wanted to tear them all apart, but if I started, I would never stop, so I stuck close to my son and my remaining husband and plotted. We needed to get out of Kerys. We couldn’t stay here any longer. It was too dangerous and there were no answers here for us. Maybe we could travel to the East? There were talented magicians there, presumably the same ones who’d taught Mathias’s aunt the spell that had doomed me. If we tracked down the source of the curse, we might be able to undo it that way.
Alois was too young to make a long trip. And there were other problems to consider. Beyond the shields of Kerys, the Roman Empire was still powerful. Traveling over the continent with a newborn would be a recipe for disaster. He was resilient, yes, but I wasn’t willing to risk his health. We could try to avoid the more dangerous areas by using a boat, but we could still get caught or killed.
Finally, on Alois’s two months’ birthday, I made a decision. Leaving Kerys wasn’t an option for now, not until Alois was at least a little older. But I had always wanted to be queen. I had more to lose now, but I could still adjust my plans and fulfill my original goals.
It would’ve been easy to kill my parents, but it would’ve also drawn the eye, especially considering how many people were against me as of late. I chose a different approach. And this time, when I took over their minds, I made sure my mother wouldn’t be able to shake it off so easily. Or ever again.
“You will encourage the belief that there is no curse and I am still in mourning. Then, Father, you will decide it is time for another expedition in Roman territories. You will lead the expedition yourself. And then, once you are far enough from Kerys, you will end your own life in a way that will not make anyone suspicious.”
I would’ve liked to get rid of my mother first, since she was the real pest. Unfortunately, it wasn’t believable for her to go with my father on such a trip. I had to be patient, even if the curse was putting so much pressure on me.
But I wasn’t the only one who had issues with family, and this became obvious two days later, when Mathias’s parents appeared at the gates of the palace.
It was all so sudden. Since they’d refused our invitation to the wedding, I hadn’t expected them to ever show up. And after the incident with Anna, I’d thought they would avoid us. Honestly, I deemed their arrival very suspicious. I welcomed them anyway. What else could I do?
My first impression of them was positive. Ninian was a kind man, and Bertha a warm, loving woman. As soon as they saw Mathias, they started to fuss over him. Well, his mother did. Ninian just watched them with a fond expression.
“You look a little pale, dear,” Bertha commented. “Have you been eating? Or are you still having trouble sleeping?”
“I’m fine, Mother. Dahud has helped a lot. I’m sleeping much better now.”
That was a huge lie. He no longer had the same visions, but the nightmares that did come to him were much worse.
“And where is your little boy? Can we meet him?”
“He’s sleeping right now,” I replied, “but later, I’d be happy to introduce you.”
“Thank you, Your Highness,” Bertha replied. “You’re very kind.”
I smiled pleasantly, all the while making a mental note to get them out of the palace as soon as I could. I didn’t have the time for this nonsense. I’d allow them to stay for a few days, long enough to maintain appearances. Then I would use my power on them and force them to leave.
That night, we held a grand feast in Alois’s honor. Ninian and Bertha were our guests, and no one dared to comment on the fact that we seated peasants at the royal table.
I cradled Alois in my arms the whole time and he toyed with a strand of my hair. Sparks of magic danced around his fingertips whenever he touched me. I loved him so much it hurt and when I looked into his eyes, I wanted to cry. I wished Thrand and Halvar could have met him and held him like I had.
When Bertha brushed her arm against mine, I thought nothing of it. “You know, Your Highness,” she said, “I was always against my son coming to Ys. I thought there was nothing for him here. Nothing good, at least. But I see now that I was wrong.”
“I’m happy I changed your mind,” I replied disinterestedly. Perhaps I should just excuse myself early. If anyone cared or had anything to say about it, I’d just use my power against them and that would be that.
“You more than changed my mind. You made me see the truth. I realize now what I must do. Sacrifices are necessary for everything, aren’t they?”
Her tone sounded odd and it made alarm rush through me. If that hadn’t been enough, Alois started to cry. Since he never cried, that was a huge warning that something was about to happen that would be very bad.
Ninian and Bertha turned toward one another. They were no longer holding the cutlery they’d been using for their meals, but sharper knives unlike anything I’d seen before.
Without a single moment of hesitation, the two of them plunged the weapons into each other’s chests.
I’d never expected something like that from them. They were simple people, peasants who loved their family. Attacking one another out of the blue seemed so uncharacteristic.
The sight reminded me of what I’d done to Thrand and I froze in my seat, unable to move a muscle. The precious seconds I wasted while staring at the scene were almost my undoing. The blast of magic came out of nowhere. Mathias grabbed my arm just in time, pulling me away. My chair was evaporated, along with Ninian and Bertha.
I didn’t have too much time to focus on that. Chaos exploded around us. My father shot to his feet and pointed at us accusingly. “Guards, seize my daughter at once. Take the demon child and kill it.”
My eyes widened. It looked like Ninian and Bertha had broken the spell I’d cast on my parents.
Our time had run out. I could no longer afford to wait or pretend I was something other than a true queen.
“I’d like to see you try,” I spat.
Power erupted out of me, and every single guard who tried to reach for me fell to the floor. Still hidden in my arms, Alois started to calm down.
My father dropped to his knees as well, his sword sliding out of his limp fingers. “We should’ve just let you die when the gods demanded it.”
I let out a sharp, bitter chuckle. “It’s a little too late to have those regrets, Father. You’re the one who made this choice. Now you have to live—and die—for it.”
“Dahud, stop,” my mother choked out. “Things don’t have to end this way. You can still have a future.”
With a thought, I extended my magic and reached into my parents. I didn’t even have to think about what I was doing. It just came naturally to me. My mastery of the elements manifested in an entirely different way, stealing the air from their lungs and suppressing their lives.
As they slowly suffocated, I swept my gaze over the gathering of nobles and guards.
“From now on, I am the queen of Kerys. Treachery like the one we saw today will be punished to the full extent of the law. I am merciful, so I won’t take any steps against anyone who was here. I know you were only following the commands of my misguided father. But I have my limits, and if you test them again, you will pay the price. Do I make myself clear?”
A chorus of “Yes, Your Majesty”s followed my little speech. It would’ve been more satisfying had I not felt the taste of my parents’ death in my mouth.
A year ago, I’d have reveled in my new-found power. But I’d changed, and right now, I had vulnerabilities my enemies could target. I might be powerful, but my husband and my child didn’t have any convenient elemental magic to protect them. Even with the pendant and Alois’s natural defenses, they’d still be at risk from my foes.
Taking a deep breath, I forced my mental abilities to travel all throughout the hall. “I am your queen,” I repeated. “You will obey me in all things. You will protect me and my family. You will never betray me.”
This time, the agreement of the crowd was far more enthusiastic. I shared a look with Mathias. It was only a temporary solution, but for now, it would have to do.
We had to hope that my magic would buy us enough time to come up with a better plan, perhaps track down someone to help us with the curse. If it didn’t, I had no other options left.
* * *
Mathias