by A. M. Miller
“It is an honor to serve her majesty on this mission,” Scarface said.
“You honor us,” the rest of the group replied. There was one other woman in the group. She appeared to be younger than the rest, standing at the same height as Lu.
“Rise,” Lu said.
They moved in unison, snapping to attention. Lu’s eyes scanned each group. They were an odd bunch. The only thing they shared in common were their uniforms. They varied in both age and body shape.
Domicin stepped forward and gestured toward Scarface. “My queen, allow me to introduce Marcella Jovanny Heart, commander of the ninth regiment.” Scarface, Marcella, stepped forward. Her skin was dark brown and body made of muscles.
“Jovanny?”Lu questioned.
“Names are meant to tell the world who you are and who you serve. Nothing more.” Leo said, picking the grass blades out of Lu’s hair. She’d played in the garden while he read under the shade of the willow tree.
Lu looked back up at her brother. He was the smartest person she’d ever known and at the time it felt like there was nothing he couldn’t explain.
“Who’s mama? What’s her name?” Lu asked.
“She is queen... and nothing more.”
People of the Heart Queensland were not given middle names. Mothers only gifted their children with their first name; anything more was frowned upon.
Marcella nodded. “My mother is Lady Jovanny of the White Queensland.”
She was a mixed blood, which explained everything. Other women did not share Heart’s traditions and beliefs. Lu had once heard a story of a White knight who had several different names. She struggled to imagine how one would be able to remember them all. It seemed rather pointless.
“How long have you been apart of the ninth?” Lu asked.
“Nine years exactly.”
“So you’ve worked with the previous queen on her missions.”
“Yes, we all have. Her loss was a travesty, but because of you, the queensland lives on. We will serve with you as we served with her.”
“And these are the rest of the crew members?” Lu asked, looking at the rest of the group standing behind Marcella.
“Yes, my queen, this is Kovain.” Marcella pointed to the tallest man. He stepped forward. His long brown hair fell over his shoulders in tight curls. He had high cheekbones and pouted lips. One might be tempted to call him pretty were it not for his eyes. They were sharp with a coldness Lu had never seen before. A deep crimson that made it impossible to look away.
“You will not find a more capable archer this side of the sea.” Marcella gave his shoulder a pat.
Kovain bowed. “It is an honor to work alongside you.” His voice was darkly enchanting as though each word was a forbidden spell.
“The big one next to him is Yack,” Marcella said. A short man stepped forward. What he lacked in height was made up for in muscle. His arms were the size of Lu’s head. He had a long red beard that was braided down to his belly button. When he smiled Lu could see that three of his teeth had been replaced with gold.
“His strength on the battlefield is world renowned,” Marcella said.
“An honor, my queen.” Yack’s voice was gruff yet jubilant. He gave Lu a curt bow and stepped back.
“And this is Tomerin Hellen,” Marcella said gesturing toward the third member. “They came to us at age fourteen from the White. They are our young scholar, skilled both in the art of healing and tactical war.”
Tomerin looked around Leo’s age. Their short black hair curled around their ears and their lips formed a thin line. Their eyes were the same dark brown as their skin. Unlike Kovain’s intense analytical gaze, Tomerin’s eyes seemed relaxed in their watchfulness.
Lu stared them up and down. She had never met a gilu but she’d been expecting more. According to the stories the ones the goddess chose to flow between the genders were suppose to be incredible beauties, but Tomerin seemed disappointingly normal. There was no way Joavan the seductive could have entrapped two high lords into war looking as ordinary as Tomerin.
Tomerin gave Lu a slow bow. “It is an honor to be of service to you, your majesty.”
Lu felt guilty for her earlier thoughts. Poets were known to take liberties. Maybe this was what gilus looked like. Tomerin was the first she’d meet and as far as looks went she couldn’t pass judgment. Plain was always better than ghastly.
“And last but not least, we have Tyla, our invisible girl,” Marcella said pointing to the other woman.
Tyla stepped forward, a bounce in her stride. Her left eye was a darker red than her right. Lu had never seen eyes like that before. Tyla smiled, bright white teeth and blush cheeks that pushed up into her multi-colored eyes. Her shoulder lengths sandy brown hair was pinned back with bright colorful clips. Of the group, Tyla was the most vibrant. She didn’t seem like the type of person who’d go easily unnoticed.
Tyla curtseyed, pulling at her cape as though it were a skirt. “Tyla at your service, your majesty.”
Lu noted a southern accent as Tyla spoke, rolling every “r”.
“Tyla,” Marcella called with a warning.
“Oh right, sorry captain,” Tyla said to Marcella before turning back to Lu. She bowed. “It is an honor.”
Lu glanced at each of them again. It was still a little hard to imagine that they were the prestigious ninth that served with the queen. Ninth was no easy position to obtain. Every member was expected to be highly skilled at disabling their attackers without killing them. Protecting the person who was trying to kill you required a certain skill set that most did not have, but it was necessary for the position.
The only one allowed to make the killing blow would be Lu. Only she could free the souls from their bondage.
“Your Queensland thanks you for your service, as does your queen,” Lu said.
They placed their fist over their hearts. “For the Heart.”
“For the Heart,” Lu agreed, placing her own hand over her heart.
...
The horses were brought around for them to mount. Lu brushed back the dark mane of hair careful to avoid the horse’s horns. She stared him in his dark red eyes before brushing her lips against his fur.
“Ride with me,” Lu whispered. She could feel the anxiety rising up the back of her throat, but she inhaled, swallowing it back down.
Marcella ordered them into formation. Lu road in the center with Kovain and Yack in front, Marcella and Domicin on the side, and Tyla and Tomerin at the tail. Lu caught the wink Tyla sent Tomerin’s way. Tomerin rolled their eyes but said nothing.
“Tyla, focus,” Marcella said. Her back was to them and Lu was sure there was no way Marcella could have seen Tyla or Tomerin
“Always boss, don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be even more focused than mean eyes up there,” Tyla said.
Kovain scoffed at Tyla’s response. “You haven’t the will power, let alone the brain power to do so.”
“Leave the girl alone, Ko. She’s just poking you.” Yack said climbing on the horse. The animal looked instantly smaller with him on top of it.
“Woman, Yack. Not a girl.”
“Quiet, all of you. At least pretend to behave around the queen,” Marcella said.
“Oh, we’re just trying to make her welcome. Hardly got to see the little princess as she was growing up. Best she gets to know us now.” Yack glanced back at Lu and smiled. “Don’t be so nervous, my queen. You’re in good hands. We’ve all done this before.”
Lu’s hands tightened around the reigns. “I’m not.”
“Of course, you’re not. Just thinking about my first mission is all. Damn near pissed me pants.”
“Yack,” Marcella snapped.
“You are an abominable human being,” Kovain said in his bored tone.
Tyla giggled and Lu felt a pinch of envy. There was something here she’d missed. They were a group who fought together. The banter was playful and there was an air of camaraderie. A friendship? Lu wasn’t q
uite sure she’d recognize one if she saw one.
There were no friends inside the castle only alliances. Being the unwanted princess Lu hadn’t even been able to obtain that level of companionship.
For the hundredth time, Lu found herself wishing her brother was here. He was the partner who’d helped her fight off the loneliness. They’d kept each other sane.
“They’ll be waiting for us inside of the city. Everyone will want a chance to glimpse their new queen on her first mission. Keep your head high and this will be over before you know it,” Marcella said.
Yack look back at Lu and winked. “The old queen use to absolutely hate this part.”
Lu looked up at him not sure what to say. She was struck by the thought that she was sitting where her mother should be, existing where another belonged. The thought overwhelmed her, nausea twisting at her stomach and goosebumps appearing along her arms. Sweat from her palms coated the leather reins making them slippery. Her eyes went to the wooden gate. The only thing locking out the rest of the city was a wooden slab.
The people out there didn’t want to see her; they wanted to see a queen.
“Are you ready, my queen?” Marcella asked.
Lu said nothing.
Domicin stared at her. “My queen?”
Lu looked at him, focusing in on the soft amber of his eyes.
This is my place. This is my life.
Taking a deep breath, she refocused her attention to the gate ahead of them. Lu swallowed and nodded.
A high-pitched whistle filled the air. The wooden bar was removed from the gate and the door began to creak open on the inner city.
Lu reached up a hand to her necklace. Guide me goddess, for darkness descends.
19
The Heart Queensland
The cobbled stone path lead down to the inner city. Lu could see them all, an ocean of people and homes rushing toward her like waves stretching for the sand. Her steed grew agitated, sensing Lu’s unease. She reached a hand down and gave him a gentle pat on the neck.
Be calm, Lu pushed the thought into the steeds mind. The steed’s ear jerked as if trying to catch sound of something.
Shhh, be calm and be brave.
The horse relaxed under her. For a split second, a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She’d trained in the techniques of mind mending but she’d never had the power of the goddess’s blessing to back her up. A fear had been building in the back of her mind that it would not work. After the ceremony, she still felt uncertain of her own abilities.
Any relief Lu felt was washed away the moment they reached the bottom of the hill where the city waited. All at once they seemed to be upon them. People of every age and shape stared up at them. They were quiet, watching in awe.
Lu told herself that this was how they stared at every queen and it had nothing to do with the color of her skin.
“Wrath’s mercy.” The cry rang out from the crowd. Lu fought the urge to look around and find its source.
“Wrath’s mercy,” cried another.
It became a cheer, the crowd erupting into shouts.
“Light made flesh,” shouted another.
“Goddess blessed be.”
“Mercy! Mercy!”
The voices combined together in a loud rumble. Lu did her best to calm the horses even as her own heart raced. The crowd’s energy moved all around them. They cheered for her. It called out to something inside of Lu, a nervous energy vibrating deep inside of her.
“Taint”
The word sliced through the air. Lu glanced back over her shoulder. The shout was nearly drowned out by the cries of the crowd. For a moment she questioned whether she had heard it right. Lu pulled back on her reins, halting the steed.
“Tainted.”
Lu searched the faces of the crowd. She couldn’t find where the cry was coming from. The crowd was still alive with cheers and excitement. None seemed aware of the other voices.
Domicin turned back to Lu. “My queen?”
Lu ignored him. Her eyes remained focused on the people. An old bald man, a blacksmith with a pregnant woman pressed closely to his side, children racing, weaving in between legs. Almost every person inside of the inner city had come out to see them. Looking at their faces they all seemed to blur into one another.
Then she saw them. White capes and black armor. They surrounded a man who stood on the left bank of the crowd. He fought them as they tried to pull him away. One of the soldiers hit the man over the back of his head and the fighting stopped.
“My queen, we should keep moving, “ Marcella said.
Lu glanced at her and then back over her shoulder. The man was gone. Lu looked at the rest of her group. They were all watching her. Lu’s legs squeezed around the horse as she shifted her body forward. The horse began to walk again, the rest of the group moving with them.
The people continued to cheer as they passed, but their voices faded into the background. The image of the man being pulled away by the soldiers kept coming back to Lu’s mind.
Tainted.
Lu looked down at her arms. Pale as the smiling moon. She imagined the dark veins of the black rose coiling and spreading out across her back. If she could, she would cut it from her own skin. If she could, she would cut it all away.
The inner city was called the eye because of the way the Kai’s river split in the west and reformed in the east. The whole city was surrounded by the river. They reached the piker’s bridge. Lu looked at the bridge that was mostly wood and vine. Despite knowing that piker’s vein was the strongest vine known to man the sight of the bridge still gave her pause. Though, if Lu was being honest, it was more than just the bridge itself that made her hesitate.
The river rushed past them. If she looked hard enough she could see schools of pangin swimming along the current, making the water look silver and purple.
“Is this your first time outside of the city, my queen,” Tyla leaned forward to ask Lu.
“No.”
“You ever been to the south?”
Lu didn’t reply.
“It’s different from here, but still the queensland. Still your home.”
Lu glanced back at Tyla. The multi-colored eyed woman smiled at her. Lu looked away. She pushed her horse forward. Together they moved across the bridge. A cold breeze blew. Strands of Lu’s hair smacked into her face. She pushed them back and looked up into the sky. The goddess’s glow was warm against her skin.
South of Kai’s river was farmland. The homes became larger and more spread out. Lords and Ladies with enough wealth to live near the inner city without having to deal with the congestion.
Their horses picked up speed. Lu felt the land change under them. The flat planes turned to hills and back to planes again. The air around them grew dry and the soil hard.
Marcella slowed her horse. “We should rest.”
Lu looked back up at the sky. The goddess sunk in the horizon. The crescent moon rose to take her place. The moon was almost at its half turn. By the time they reached Zendel the night sky would have its smile.
It is the smiling moon you can’t trust. It is when the night is darkest and its power is at its strongest.
So many of the dark tales took place during the smiling moon. Lu had passed most of it off as superstition. There was no real mention of the smiling moon in either versions of the holy text Elirion. The stories she’d heard as a child were nothing more than old wives tales. Lu was sure of it.
“If we keep going, we could cut a day off of our travel,” Lu said.
“Horses need to rest, my queen. As do we. Clear rested minds are what will get us through tomorrow,” Marcella said.
“But what about the man? Can he stand to wait one more day?”
Marcella looked down the path and then back at Lu. She let out a sigh. “We could continue but I would not advise it. Fiyan horses are known for their speed but they burn out. We’ve already come so far in such a small amount of time. If something were to happe
n it would prolong the trip greatly.”
Lu looked down at her horse. His breath huffed and heart pounded between her thighs. She stroked his mane again.
Lu nodded.
“There’s a place not too far from here. Will set up camp there. Kovin led the way,” Marcella said.
Lu spared one last glance at the moon before following along with the rest of the party. Tomorrow, when all was over, nothing would be the same.
20
Raven mentally replayed the scene from world history. The voices, the blood, and the screaming, all mixed in one confusing blur. There had to be an explanation for what happened. For a moment, it had felt like someone was ripping her head open. The voices had been louder than she thought physically possible.
No, not voices, Raven chastised herself. She was not hearing voices. She was not her mother. Her grip on reality was firm.
So was your mother’s, once upon a time, the voice in the back of her head whispered. Raven shook her head, pushing the thought away.
“Miss, are you alright?”
Raven’s head popped up. An elderly man stood in front of her. His eyes were full of worry. She could only imagine what she must look like. Sweat made her curly hair stick to her face and blood smeared from her nose around her mouth.
“I’m fine,“ Raven said. She could feel her lips struggling to maintain the fake smile.
The man’s bushy gray brows furrowed. “Need me to call someone?”
“No. It’s just a nosebleed.” Raven’s hand swiped at her mouth again. “It only looks bad.”
Raven hoped she was convincing. The man eyed her, studying her from head to toe. Anxiety twisted at her stomach. She placed her foot back on the pedal, preparing to take off again.
“Well, why don’t you come inside? I can get you a cold rag and you can clean yourself up a bit,” the old man said.
He walked over to the door. Raven’s eyes followed him. They were outside of a restaurant. Raven could see people eating through the windows. It wasn’t crowded, but there were at least a few people inside.