Page 141 of A Queen’s Game (Aithyr Uprising #1)

Chapter Ninety-Six

Valeriya

A s a mother, Valeriya never thought she would part with her son.

Mycaub was curious, showing intelligence at such a young age, but like his father, he was quiet.

Shy. Valeriya thought she would have time to help him overcome his reserved nature, to one day be the King that Wyltam never was, but those plans had changed.

One last day with Mycaub wasn’t enough. Valeriya had read him his favorite books and played his favorite games, yet he knew something was wrong.

Mycaub was too smart for his own good. Part of her wished he hadn’t noticed, that he could be a child for one last day, for the next time she’d see him, he could be halfway to adulthood.

The goodbye to her son was a wound to her chest. Sobbing silently into Mycaub’s hair, her sweet son had turned his head to Valeriya, saying, “Mama doesn’t cry.” His words had been her undoing. Similar words she had always told him, her sweet boy.

Valeriya now waited on the bottom floor of the Royal’s Wing for Wyltam to escort her to Katya beneath the palace. They were to leave that evening, heading east to Enomenos. Her future awaited her, one where she and Kat could be the couple they always wished to be. That was if Wyltam ever arrived.

The mixed cities of Enomenos both thrilled Valeriya and brought on nerves.

Her mind imagined them being something like Reyila, yet without a monarch.

How did such a system work? A thought came suddenly to her—pondering such ideas would be a possibility, for she was no longer a queen.

She and Kat could stroll city streets, walking hand in hand without a care in the world, besides looking out for danger.

Still, her heart swelled. Though hurt by her separation from her son, she would have the opportunity to live the life she always wanted—with Katya.

Wyltam burst into the Royal’s Wing, Valeriya noting for the first time that no guards waited beyond its doors. Worry lined his face, the emotion disturbing from such a reserved male. “What is it?” she asked, fear twisting her stomach.

“The Chorys Dasians broke into the palace with the help of Gyrsh,” Wyltam said, gesturing for her to follow. “They tried to abduct Elyse and flee.”

They were here. She could stop their plans.

“Katya and Wynn apprehended Gyrsh—well, I should say Elyse did.” He shook his head, taking off down the hall. Valeriya tried to keep in step with him.

“And not Azarys and Sylas?”

“Gone by the time we made it back to Elyse’s suite.”

Then likely off the palace grounds already. A missed opportunity. She could have redeemed herself. She could have…. Valeriya steadied her thoughts with a breath. Even if she found Azarys and Sylas, the odds of apprehending them would have been low. After all, Sylas was Queen Agnyssa’s Mage Master.

Wyltam scrubbed his face, worry and exhaustion ebbing from his features. The sight unnerved her. She had known Wyltam for seven years and never had she seen as much of an expression. He was hiding something. “What’s wrong?”

“A riot. Keyain went against my orders and is blocking the Temple of Therypon.” Wyltam threw open the doors to the garden, heading for its paths with Valeriya following in his steps.

Her heart stilled. A riot in the streets as well as a break into the palace? Were they enacting the plan? No, if they were, then she would see Chorys Dasian soldiers rushing the grounds. “I take it that’s where the guards are. Foolish to leave none behind. Whose order was that?”

“Keyain’s,” Wyltam ground out. “He deployed every able-bodied soldier into the city to find her. Marietta’s friends at the temple got her there safely and tried to claim immunity for her, but Dyieter called a meeting.

” Wyltam kept his strides long as he rushed through the garden, his words coming fast. “The Ministers decided in a vote of eight to two to try her for treason.”

“Two? I’m guessing Keyain voted against it, but who else?”

“Minister Adryan.”

She bit back her surprise at both Wyltam’s willingness to share the information and to hear that Minister Adryan intervened.

As the Minister of Commerce, he had little reason to gain Keyain’s favor.

A pang of regret shot through her, knowing she would miss the thrill of politics once she was in Enomenos.

“Of course, as I’m about to leave Satiros, you decide to speak so freely,” she said, bristling.

Wyltam stopped abruptly, turning to her. “My biggest regret is not confronting you about your sister from the beginning. If I could do it over, I would change that detail, and then maybe we’d be in a better place now.”

She searched his face for the mocking tone he usually used with her, not finding it.

“I will hold that regret until the end of my days because we could’ve been great rulers if we were on a united front.” Wyltam looked at anything but Valeriya as he spoke. “An apology will never sum up the weight of guilt that I feel, but I hope you find peace with the women you actually love.”

Actually love .

Did he know from the beginning that her heart was held by a female?

If he knew Master Arkym, the mage who trained Valeriya and Katya, then perhaps he was aware when he asked for her hand.

That would explain his actions while trying to conceive.

Time and time again Wyltam had tried to stop, to say an heir was unnecessary.

She took that as he didn’t plan to keep her as Queen, never considering that he wanted to save her from that pain.

“I don’t blame you,” she said, stepping into his line of sight.

“For Mycaub. It was… uncomfortable, to say the least, but never once did I blame you.” Her chest lightened with the confession.

Those were the two darkest years, trying and failing for a child, having to return to his bed after each bleeding came.

“Mycaub was my light through it all.” Her voice cracked with emotion, thinking of her son. “Keep him safe.”

Wyltam nodded once, swallowing hard before he took off down the path again. Silence settled between them.

From the beginning, Valeriya had thought the worst of Wyltam, always viewing him as heartless, like a corpse.

If the past day’s events proved anything, it was that her husband had a larger heart than he ever cared to show.

For his people. For others. He was a king who would sacrifice his legacy in order to be a better ruler.

The lost opportunity forged from miscommunication would haunt her until the end of her days.

“What’s the plan now?” she asked, desperate to think of anything else.

“I want to ensure Marietta is safe within the palace before I take you to Katya.” They approached the palace once more, Wyltam holding the door for her.

“The citizens aren’t happy that the crown wished to apprehend Marietta while she sought immunity at a temple.

Thousands gather outside waiting for Keyain to remove her. ”

“Please tell me he has a way to get her out of there safely,” Valeriya said. Sweat gathered on her skin from the day’s oppressive heat. “In this weather, such a crowd would grow restless.”

“Keyain best have a plan to return her safely,” Wyltam said. “For both his and Marietta’s sake.”

Valeriya furrowed her brows. “You’re saying you don’t know if Keyain has a plan?”

“If he has one, he didn’t share it with me.”

Fear rose in her throat, but she swallowed it down. “Are Marietta and Keyain still at the temple?”

“No, they’re returning to the palace as we speak.

I announced the summons hours ago,” he said.

“The nobles are on lockdown while Keyain deployed most of the guards into the city.” He glanced at her.

“So, if we keep off to the side, no one will notice us and we’ll still be on track for your departure. ”

She nodded. Last night, something had shifted between them.

From the beginning, Wyltam never trusted her.

Though that irked her, she understood. Hells, she went into the marriage with the intention to tell her sister everything she could about Satiros.

Love from her sister blinded her endeavors and ruined the opportunity she had as queen.

Her ambition wasn’t for her own gain, but Chorys Dasi’s.

Never again would she allow herself to be so blind.

They hurried to the palace’s front and from the entrance hall, they could hear the screams carrying from the city streets. Valeriya stared at Wyltam, her heart sinking. “We have to see what’s going on,” she said.

“Agreed.” Wyltam walked to the entrance. “Try to stay out of sight. Most of the guards should be—”

He stopped at the center of the doorway, his jaw dropping. Confused, Valeriya joined him and understood. A crowd rioted from the palace gates, all the way to the Halia River, filling Oak Boulevard. Thousands of civilians, more than she had ever seen amassed, filled the cityscape before them.

The gates had swung shut before they arrived. Guards stood at it and prodded the crowd back. Keyain had a guard pinned to the wall, his face red from screaming. Marietta stood alone with a haunted expression on her blanched face marred with blood, wearing a blue tunic from the temple.

“He marched her through the crowd,” Valeriya said, pointing to the armored guards wiping blood from their swords. “What the fuck did he do?”

“We need to get Marietta inside the palace. Anyone could attack her out in the open like that.” Wyltam took a step forward, but Valeriya held him back.

He was right; with the guard’s attention on the crowd, it was a prime opportunity for an attack. “This isn’t safe.”

“I know it isn’t.” He ripped his shirt from her grasp as Keyain turned, locking eyes with Wyltam. “Which is why Keyain’s priority should have been getting Marietta to safety.”

“Have them come to us,” she said, her eyes scanning the rooftops visible from the front steps. “Something is wrong.” The hair on the back of her neck stood. Somewhere in the distance bells tolled, setting an eerie tone for the scene before them. This riot would be a perfect distraction.

Keyain approached while guiding Marietta forward, waiting until the top of the steps to acknowledge them. “Get inside, all of you.” The veins in his neck bulged, his jaw grinding.

“What happened?” snapped Wyltam, his expressionless demeanor slipping into a sneer. He grabbed the front of Keyain’s armor, his voice a low growl as the two began bickering in quiet voices.

Valeriya turned to Marietta, who shook where she stood. “Marietta, are you okay?”

Black ink curved up her neck. She took in her clothing, understanding what both meant: she joined the temple for immunity. Shocked, Valeriya forced her eyes to meet Marietta’s haunted face.

“They all died because of me,” she whispered.

“No, they didn’t.” Valeriya took her hands and tried to guide Marietta inside, yet she wouldn’t move.

Tears streamed down Marietta’s cheeks, mixing with the spattering of blood. She looked back at the crowd. “They were trying to free me and Keyain’s guards slaughtered them.”

“Hush, now.” Valeriya pulled her into an embrace. “Let’s get you inside.” She glanced over her shoulder to the rooftops and she saw a person aiming something at their group. Before she could manage a warning, she saw them release the weapon.

Time slowed for Valeriya. The crowd’s jeering muffled as her breath stilled.

She watched the trajectory, watched the crackling of electrical energy on what she could now see was a crossbow bolt.

She saw where it would hit. Without thinking, she grabbed Marietta and twisted her away from the projectile.

A sharp, agonizing pain pierced her back and took the breath from her chest. Valeriya heard Marietta’s shriek, heard the crowd behind her break into a panic.

The world felt far away as she collapsed to the ground, the electrical magic causing her body to convulse.

Her last thought was of Katya, who waited for her.

Maybe in the next life they could finally be together.

Maybe then they could both find happiness.