Page 131 of A Queen’s Game (Aithyr Uprising #1)

Chapter Eighty-Six

Marietta

M arietta gasped for breath, hearing the thundering boom behind her. She paused in the silent aftermath. Gods, what in the hells was that?

Her mind swam—Tilan was alive, and the Queen knew magic.

Marietta nearly wet herself when Valeriya’s hands lit into flames, fire racing towards their attacker.

She had seen nothing like it. Gods, she had sacrificed herself so Marietta could get away.

She sent a prayer to Therypon that the Queen would live, that she and her son would escape as well.

Marietta reached for Therypon in her chest, the warmth spreading, calming her breaths. She and Amryth needed to leave—now. She tried to calm her mind as she remembered Amryth’s instructions in her head.

She found her way in the dark, not daring to use a light globe, recognizing the path that led to her room. Her knees burned from tripping along in the dark, the tunnel’s rough ground ripping through her dress and into her flesh.

She suppressed a hiss as voices carried down the hall, accompanied by the clinking of metal on metal. Amryth had shared that some personnel knew of the tunnels but also said it was unlikely anyone would be down there. They hadn’t planned for it. She needed to keep moving, to find Amryth.

Marietta kept her breaths even, her feet silent as she darted down the path. She peeked around the corner as a guard flicked on their light, Marietta scampering backward and falling to the floor.

“Hear that?” the guard said, the voice vaguely familiar.

Footsteps echoed from the hall as Marietta picked herself up and ran to the connecting hallway behind her.

As she turned the corner, the light from his globe appeared.

She pressed her back against the wall, hearing his approaching footsteps, and then silence.

Marietta held her breath. Gods, was he waiting for her to move?

“C’mon!” called a different voice.

His footsteps echoed back down the hall, his light disappearing.

She sighed, slumping against the wall with relief.

Now she just had to work her way to another hall to surpass those guards.

Someone yelled from far off, coming from the direction Marietta had left the Queen.

A feminine voice answered from the end of the adjacent passageway.

Marietta’s heart thundered again her ribs—how many were down there?

Anxious, she reached for the dagger in her pocket, only to find it missing.

She slowly backed towards the hall, where the guard almost caught her.

Perhaps they raced towards the person who called out, and then she could slip past.

Metal tinked behind Marietta as she took another step back, causing her to whip around.

A golden light suddenly blinded her. She tried to step away, but they gripped her wrist. Her limbs numbed as panic seized her heart, a scream building in the back of her throat.

Her eyes adjusted and focused on who grabbed her.

The grip on her wrist tightened as she saw his pallid face and the slow shake of his head. Keyain jerked her closer to him as he hissed, “Marietta, what did you do?”