The Archer Queen

by Blake, Nova

  Lady Jaelyn? I was going to need to correct Tol when I saw him next.

  If I did see him.

  We walked through the tall arched doorway which opened onto an expansive entrance. Floor length curtains of rich blue hung from the ceiling, draped in a way that made me think of the sea, the waves, the frothy peaks I'd seen from the clifftop. A crowd of Ascended and Cursed filled the space, drinking wine and eating nibbles being served by attendants decked out in blue and white.

  I froze at the opulence. The marble floor was pristine, and huge vases overflowing with beautiful, aromatic flowers dotted all through the room. It created a strange blend of sweetness mixed with the salt of the sea. It was unusual to me, but delicious as well. A massive portrait of the royal family took up most of one wall, set above the staircase which arched around each side of the far wall to the upper level.

  Tol was there, looking regal, though much younger than he was now. There were two young girls, and his father and mother stood behind the three children, looking haughty and entitled. That probably hadn't changed, I thought. My gut clenched at the thought of what I was going to have to do. Providing I could actually find the damn horse.

  Someone tugged at my arm, pulling me further into the room. I accepted a glass of wine and drank, hoping it would quell my nerves about this evening.

  While everyone was welcome at big celebrations in the Court of Stone, they were not like this. Well, not the ones that we got to go to. Or perhaps, there were parts of those parties I just never saw; that was a more likely scenario. The royal family and friends would do the rounds with the lower classes before retiring to their own dens of decadence.

  Which was just another reminder that I didn't belong. Not here, not in any Court, not with people who were born from royal blood and connections with other places. I bore the Mark, but I was just a lowly hunter. I was just…just me. My stomach churned with discontent and my complicated mess of feelings about the whole thing.

  "Breathe," Farrow whispered, gripping my elbow and steering me through the crowd towards the large doors under the stairs. "You have the magic and the right to be here."

  "You look divine. You look like you belong," Killian added.

  Thomas moved to my other side and reached for my hand. "You do belong."

  Their words were kind, reassuring, but I knew that this had to come from inside me. The way they saw me was tantalizing, it was what I wanted to be, but I had to step into that and I wasn't quite ready.

  For now, I would just pretend.

  I lifted my head and strode through the second set of doors to an even more expansive room, this one a great hall with massive windows that looked out over the sea. It seemed like you could leap from them and you'd be right in the waves, but I knew it was too far to be safe. An illusion of closeness. The queendom of Seawall was out there, lights from the towns and court glowing so that the land became a mass of black against the darkness of the sea. I wondered what strange and different ways of living they might have; knew that if I became the True Queen I could go there, go anywhere. Learn all about of the queendoms.

  Were there other True Queens out there, even now, finding their way to the throne? Did they come from all kinds of backgrounds?

  I knew so little. And it was that lack of knowledge that shook my confidence in stepping into the role. Would it all magically be imparted to me if I took the throne?

  I wasn't even sure I believed in the process like that. Chiron had always been present, part of our lives, but not in a living breathing way. Not in a way that impacted on what I did or how I lived.

  I pulled my mind back to the present, telling myself not to get too far ahead. Nothing was set in stone, anything could change in a heartbeat.

  The king and queen sat together on twin thrones by one of the windows. They looked regal and cool, distant from the crowd. She drank wine, but he did not. And behind them…

  Was a huge statue of a horse. It looked like it was made from white marble, and even though it was stone, the mane seemed to flow like real hair. A zing shot through me as I laid eyes on it, and I squeezed Thomas' hand.

  "That's it," I hissed, nodding towards it, not that anyone needed my guidance; it was impossible to miss. Though, would the king and queen really be so bold as to display this holy relic so clearly for everyone to see?

  Of course, they would. Who could steal it? It must weigh an incredible amount. Damn, there was no way I could sneak it out of here. No way at all, not even in the dead of night. We'd make too much noise and it would take too long. I spun towards my men, unable to keep the disappointment from my face. I opened my mouth to speak, but at that moment a hand gripped my shoulder and spun me back.

  "Lady Jaelyn! You came," Tol said, his grin so wide it might swallow me. My heart ached, but I was so confused and frustrated that I couldn't tell whether that was a good thing or a bad thing right now. There was too much going on and I didn't have the energy to behave smooth and charming.

  "How did you find me?" I asked, the words coming out blunt. I winced, but couldn't think of anything to say that might soften those words.

  "This, my lady, means I shall always find you, no matter where you are." With a flourish he dragged the sleeve of his shirt up, exposing the Mark. The arrow. My arrow.

  There was a groan, but I couldn't tell who it came from. Thomas stepped forward, exposing his own Mark. "You're not the only one, Tol," he said. The words weren't unkind, but the staking of prior claim certainly was.

  "Oh," Tol said. "Now that is very interesting." His clever eyes moved from Thomas to Killian to Farrow. "Do we have a roster, or is this an all-in, all the time situation." He raised an eyebrow, as if he was open to either.

  "No one decides who comes into my bed, but me," I said firmly. "And right now, you're not on the list yet."

  Tol pulled back, his charisma fading a notch as he considered me. "Can I at least have a dance?" He held a hand towards me, waited. I pursed my lips and then turned back to the others.

  "See what you can find out," I whispered. Then I turned back, took Tol's hand, and let him lead me onto the dance floor.

  27

  Tol

  When she took my hand, it was like the world tilted on its axis. Suddenly, I could see it with new light, new distance. I put my fingers on her waist, checking her face to make sure that this was okay, and then with her consent given, we spun into the crowd of other dancers, leaving her companions behind.

  They were an interesting group, and clearly possessive of their beloved. Because I could see love in all their eyes, whether they knew it or not. The solid one with the curly hair had a tension in his jaw which suggested he wasn't entirely happy to be sharing her, and I could understand that with her here, in my arms. She felt right, like she fitted against me. Belonged with me.

  It was the strangest sensation. I had never felt like this before about anyone, though I'd had my fair share of dalliances. No one was as captivating as her; it was like my skin came alive when I was near her.

  We danced through the crowd which seemed to part around us, as though she was too good for them to touch. Her hair fell in radiant waves around her face and down her shoulders, spilling free and wild in a way I didn't often see here.

  "Where are you from?" I asked.

  "Stone," she said, glancing over my shoulder to see if she should spot one of her other men I assumed. "And you are the prince. You didn't tell me that yesterday."

  "We didn't have much time for conversation," I said wryly, my lips twitching into a grin. I spun her and her dress twirled out, the golden gossamer spreading to reveal thin gold leggings beneath it. Despite the fact she was showing very little skin, she was the most appealing woman in the room.

  We twisted again in an intricate movement, and her dress caught on my hip as she spun, tugging the fabric down to reveal a strange mark on her shoulder. I wanted to touch it, to strip off her clothes and see what was revealed. It seemed to pulse once before she shrugged her shoulders and the
fabric moved back into place.

  "And has someone in your Court being given the Mark?" she asked, locking gazes with me.

  I opened my mouth, breath caught in my lungs before I could speak. "No. None have come forward." I frowned and missed my next step, bringing us awkwardly into the next stance. It was clear she was following my lead, perhaps didn't even know this dance; but I did, had been raised to know them all, to be the loyal son, the pride of Salt.

  It was a shame I could not help the streak of mischief that ran all the way through me.

  "Why do you want to know?" I asked her, getting a sense now that there was more to this arrow on my arm than stray magic. More to her than just another pretty face and intoxicating persona. It almost grated on me that I wanted her, because it wasn't like I'd made a decision. She'd just been there, and then I had been falling for her, falling into her perfect blue eyes like she was the sea itself.

  Jaelyn clenched her jaw, grinding her teeth. If there hadn't been a hall full of music and people, I swear I would have been able to hear it. She glanced over my shoulder again, leaning in so that we were chest to breast, so that her breath tickled my neck. She seemed to be scanning the room and I gently turned her so that she could see more of it. Once we'd done a full circle, she rested her chin on my shoulder.

  "I've been Marked," she said, her voice so low I barely heard her. My muscles tensed but I forced myself to relax.

  "As in, the True Queen?" I asked.

  "Shh, I don't want anyone to hear." Her voice was harsh, ragged, like she actually feared for her life. "I don't know if I am, but I've been tasked with returning the holy relics to the Court of Stone. Which means…" She turned me subtly so that I was glancing at my parents. "I need that horse."

  The horse.

  The big marble statue that sat next to the thrones.

  "But…" I licked my lips and drew away from her, though it physically pained me to. "How?"

  She sighed, "I was hoping you could help me with that."

  "I don't know, but I can try. I will try. I will do whatever I need to help you." I don't think I had ever spoken more serious words. But something compelled me, the power of the gods if this Mark and her Mark were anything to go by. Our lives were twined together and I didn't want to see her sad or disappointed. I wanted to see her smile. To see her shine like the queen she was.

  I wanted the rest of the world to see her how I saw her right now.

  Surprise washed over her face, but I could tell that she knew I meant it.

  "Okay," she said, pulling even further away. But this time she reached for my hand, intertwined her fingers with mine, and led me from the dance floor. "I've got an idea."

  28

  Jaelyn

  Tol was not what I had expected. Or rather, he was everything I'd expected and more. The solemnity in his statement had taken my breath away, but the pressure of time passing, the crush of destiny was choking me and I needed to do something.

  Something completely crazy. Something I didn't believe would work, but I had to try it.

  We wended our way back through the crowd, finding Farrow first, and then Killian and Thomas. Each of them looked at me with an intensity that frightened me. It honestly felt like everything was coming together, threads of destiny colliding.

  "I want to try something," I said after we'd moved to the side, claiming a seat in one of the bay windows. The curtains managed to muffle some of the noise of the crowd, at least enough that I could be heard. "The horse statue." I pressed my lips together. "I need to get close enough to touch it, just in case that triggers something, the same way it did with each of us, with the bow, the quiver."

  "And if it doesn't?" Of course, it was Thomas who asked that question.

  I threw my hands up in the air. "Then I get carted away for daring to touch a holy relic! I don't know. I just… I have to." I cast a glance towards the statue. It seemed to glow beneath the marble, though it could just have been the lighting in this room. I wouldn't know until I did it.

  I licked my lips, determined, and turned back to my men. "I'm going to do this, and you are going to cause a distraction."

  Farrow smiled. "Do you have a particular distraction in mind?"

  I shook my head, looking at each of them, searching eyes for a plan.

  "As much as we love our wine and a good celebration, my parents don't tolerate those who are so drunk as to cause chaos. I'd suggest one of you slosh wine all over yourself, and act the fool. Smash into one of the tables, and the other two can act his friend. It could be fun, no?" He cocked an eyebrow.

  "And what will you be doing, while we're getting thrown out of the party?" Thomas said.

  "Providing Jaelyn with an alibi. I can speak with my parents, be close by in case she needs my help. No one is going to lock her up if I'm by her side." He dropped his amused attitude, his shoulders sagging a little. "I know you don't know me, but like each of you I bear a Mark, and like each of you I'm dedicated to this woman. I will do anything I need to keep her safe. Anything."

  He said that last with such force that I shivered. His gaze swung to mine and I gasped. His was a deep passion. A steady force.

  I swallowed hard and nodded, reaching for his hand again.

  "If this works, I'll meet you outside the city. You'll be able to find me through our link." I looked at my men, wanting to kiss each of them, assure them with my touch that we would be okay.

  "And if it doesn't?" Killian asked.

  "Then you get the hell out of here, and I'll meet you at the inn," I said.

  "We will meet you at the inn," Tol corrected. He gave my hand a squeeze, some of his determination bleeding through our touch.

  "Okay." Farrow nodded, then looked between Thomas and Killian. "Who wants to play the drunkard?"

  Thomas blanched, and Killian shook his head.

  "Guess it's me then," Farrow said with a sigh, but then he winked at me and moved away, heading straight for the table and more wine.

  I watched the other two trail after him, my heart feeling heavy that one way or another, we'd be parting. If this all went well, it might be days before I saw them again and I'd have no way to know whether they were okay in the meantime. I could only trust that they would be. That there was a purpose for all of this. That destiny would bring us back together again.

  "Ready?" Tol asked me.

  I let out a long slow breath, trying to calm my mind. "Yes," I said. "Lead on, my prince." I tried to laugh, but I couldn't quite manage it. All the lightness had left me. This was just another beautiful party where I didn't belong. And I had a mission to accomplish.

  Tol moved us along the outer edges of the room towards his parents. The music swelled and then lowered a little, and I wondered if something was going to happen. Instead, I heard the crash of plates and glass and turned to see Farrow struggling to get up, Thomas and Killian tugged at his arms, and he fell again.

  "Come on," Tol hissed, pulling me faster. Everyone else was looking at the drama in the middle of the room; the king had stood and was waving his hand towards the guards posted on the door. Tol made it to his father, and then covered me while I stepped past towards the statue.

  His mother hadn't moved and I wondered whether she had consumed more than wine to get through this evening…

  Finally, I was there. I looked up at it, this huge creature, wondering how on earth I was going to get on it if indeed I could find a way to make stone into flesh. But there was no time for that, no time to worry about what came next. I reached for its neck, stroked its marble hair and felt it shimmer beneath me.

  This was actually going to work.

  The magic in my body flared to life and shot from me into the creature. I knew I didn't have long, and so I did the most unladylike thing possible and scrambled up the side of the queen's throne, and flung myself over the back of the horse. It rippled to life under me, stone turning soft, cool to warm, the fire inside the animal seeping into me, inflaming my soul. I leaned against its neck, fel
t the breath it heaved in, felt its muscles bunch to move.

  Tol's movement caught my eye, dragged me away from the connection with this magical creature, and he took three steps, jumped onto his mother's throne and then joined me on the back of the horse. No sooner was he on than the horse leaped from its dais and set off across the room. Screaming guests surged to the sides, creating a pathway for us. It ran straight over the flattened table, past my lovers, and through the double doors.

  More shouts and screams followed, and the crunch of bones as some poor person was trampled beneath the horse’s hooves. Tol gripped my waist tight, while I stayed flat against the horse’s neck, feeling the surge of muscles beneath me, mane flowing over my head, our hair blending together, white and fiery red.

  We'd built to a canter now and charged across the entrance floor, heading for the exit. A few guards looked like they might attempt to stop us, but wisely jumped clear before we reached them.

  Nothing would stop this horse. That thought made me smile.

  I closed my eyes and let him take me. Take us. Knew that I could trust him because I could feel the magic between us, feel the reciprocation, the connection.

  He was mine.

  * * *

  I had no idea how long we rode for. Distance seemed to blur, and all I could feel was the movement of muscles beneath me, and Tol's arms around my waist. It could have just been the three of us, the rest of the world could have disappeared and I didn't think I would know. Something was changing inside me, the horse was the third piece of the puzzle, the third relic. I could feel each of those three pieces like they were a part of me now.

  How would it feel when – if – I had to give them up?

  My mind couldn't begin to wrap around that. It seemed impossible in this moment, that any of these things could belong to Anya.