Page 148 of A Queen’s Game (Aithyr Uprising #1)
“Before even that, I would like to address our perilous position.” King Wyltam stepped from the dais, placing his hands behind his back.
“Reyila claims Marietta had designed Valeriya’s assassination.
” He paced before Marietta, catching her gaze.
“They seek vengeance for Valeriya’s life lost. On their side, there are the Chorys Dasians, who worked with Gyrsh Norymial to infiltrate and steal information from Satiros, also aided by Valeriya. ”
Resisting the urge to turn to Elyse, Marietta bit back the blinding anger that wanted to burn. Not only had Valeriya betrayed her, but she worked with the bastard who mistreated Elyse.
“Though the war in Olkia is at a stalemate, we now find ourselves at war with a Syllogian city-state. Likely Amigys and Kyaeri not only will refuse to help but also we cannot trust our past relations with them because of Gyrsh’s betrayal.
” Wyltam stared at the ministers. “Our foreign relations are sullied, caught between two wars with no allies. Enomenos, aided by the Exisotis, will attack, and Satiros will be at a disadvantage. We cannot fight two wars, let alone handle the mutiny in our city.” The King gestured with a hand.
“Minister Leyland, please explain the current situation within our city-state.”
An older man with dark skin and gray flecked through his hair stepped forward. “Much of our wealthiest citizens fled the city-state proper following the riot and death of Queen Valeriya. When Chorys Dasi and Reyila declared war, many fled from Satiros altogether.”
He paused, looking at his fellow ministers.
“They do not compare to the number of citizens who gather outside the palace gates each day. Most of the population view Marietta’s trial as an attack on the temples and that the crown overreached our control.
And it’s not just the pilinos. The elvish neighborhoods of Greening Juncture and Wooded Ward, our largest concentration of middle-class citizens, gather each night to protest Marietta’s charges.
The city-state is in an uproar, and many of my subordinates fear a mutiny. ”
They protested her charges when she was the one that failed to help them. Her stomach churned at the thought of them gathering in her name.
“The city cries for Marietta,” the King said, “because even they see through the ludicrous charges against her. Though she committed treason, Marietta said that Valeriya urged her to help, stating that the information was to help the Exisotis—her true home.”
“Your Grace,” cut in Dyieter, “if she considers Enomenos as her true home, then she’s a foreign entity leveling an attack, just as the Chorys Dasians did. And with her marriage to Keyain dissolved, she no longer has citizenship in Satiros.”
“That’s not true.” Marietta held her voice still as she spoke. “I was born in Satiros.”
“And what proof do you have?” Dyieter drawled, his face unimpressed.
Marietta turned to the King. “I believe you have the birth record.”
“That I do,” he said with furrowed brows. From his pocket, he pulled out a slip of paper and brought it to Dyieter. “You should recognize it, though this is the authentic version. Not the one Keyain doctored.”
Dyeiter ground his jaw, looking between the paper and Wyltam. “That is a bold claim—”
“I have the fake one Keyain had made as well.” He handed over a second paper. “There’s a discrepancy in the surname.”
So, it was true. Marietta’s heart pounded faster. Her idea could work. “Not only did Keyain forge those documents,” she said, her voice echoing in the cavernous room, “but I had rejected his proposal of marriage multiple times.”
“Per the law, that is legal,” Dyeiter said. “You should know that.”
“It is, but perhaps you should all be asking why. Why insist on marrying a half-elf from Enomenos?”
Murmurs followed her voice, the ripple of unrest starting.
“I’ll presume you’ll explain why, then.” Dyieter almost looked bored.
Her heart raced as she looked at Wyltam. He could fill that gap, the part she couldn’t figure out as she paced in the infirmary.
“As most of you know, I had tasked Keyain and his team to seek the leader of the Exisotis, otherwise known as The Shepherd. For years, Keyain spent half the year away from court, searching—or so I thought.” His deep voice rang through the room.
Keyain trembled where he stood, not daring to speak.
“There was a rumor that The Shepherd had a child. During Keyain’s time in Enomenos, I asked him and his team to look into that rumor, thinking if we couldn’t find the group’s leader, then we could find their offspring.
” Wyltam glared at Keyain. “Through my conversations with Marietta, I learned of how they met, of how a male named Alyck introduced her to Keyain.” The King paused as murmurs broke out.
“Keyain found the Shepherd’s daughter and married her in secret.
For years, he has been married to our so-called enemy’s daughter. ”
The roaring in her ears drowned out the murmurs that grew louder. Wyltam had shared they searched for The Shepherd and his family. Now he was saying… no. That couldn’t be true. Elyse hadn’t shared that part.
Keyain heaved where he stood, his eyes finally landing on Marietta. He knew. He fucking knew the whole time. He knew her father was the leader of the Exisotis.
“Markys Lytpier, otherwise known as Anthys Fulbryk in Satiros, is the leader of the Exisotis and is Marietta’s father.” Wyltam stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
The last name alone was shocking—her deceased family member being the founder of magic principles and wrote the gods damned book on the fey.
To find out her father also lied about who he was—what he did for his entire life, was devastating.
No wonder he and Tilan got along so well. They fucking worked together.
“Do you have proof that she’s our enemy’s daughter? Or that Anthys Fulbryk is their leader?” Dyeiter held her under a scrutinized gaze as if he were seeing her for the first time.
Wyltam nodded his head. “Bring him in.”
Unbound, washed, but bone-thin, Tilan entered, supported between two guards.
He lifted his head, finding Marietta. He blinked a few times, his jaw slacking as he stared at Marietta.
She couldn’t tear her gaze from him. Up close, she saw his hands and cried out.
His once sturdy and sure fingers bent and twisted at the wrong angle, mangled beyond use.
“Ministers, this is Tilan Reid, Master Creator for the Exisotis,” the King announced. “Tilan, will you confirm for the court who Marietta is?”
Without removing his gaze from her, he said, “Marietta is the daughter of The Shepherd. Markys Lytpier is the leader of the Exisotis. In previous private conversations regarding Marietta’s safety, he confided in me that he is Anthys Fulbryk of Satiros.”
“Stop!” Keyain yelled, stepping forward. The minister at his side grabbed his arm, halting Keyain’s approach. Tears formed as he gaped at Marietta, lips trembling.
Marietta shook her head, turning back to Tilan, who knew the entire time. He knew who her father was and knew he arranged their marriage. Her breaths came sharply as the edges of her vision blurred.
“Marietta, look at me.”
In her panic, she hadn’t heard Wyltam approach.
The King’s voice was soft, as if they were the only two in the room.
“Remember how I told you that you’re the princess of Enomenos?
This is what I meant. Your father controls much of the war, and he is pleading for your return.
” He lifted her chin, earning a hiss from Tilan.
Under his breath, the King whispered, “Trust me.”
Marietta took a slow breath in as she nodded. She trusted him, but she wouldn’t go back to Enomenos.
“Clearly, she had planned this,” said a minister, who stepped forward. “This all seems rather convenient to come out while she’s on trial for treason and murdering our Queen. How do we know she wasn’t working with her father to trick Keyain?”
Wyltam nodded to Adryan, who stepped forward.
“I stood to witness Marietta answer a series of questions before the trial. She had no knowledge of the information Wyltam would share today and confirmed that her father hid his true work.” He shook his head with a smile.
“A traveling merchant was an excellent cover for him.”
“You’re willing to swear on the law?” Dyieter asked. “If found out you knew she was lying, I will also try you for treason.”
“I swear on the law and on my life.” He nodded his head at Marietta as he stepped back in line.
“So, we have our enemy’s daughter in our hands and proof that she snuck information to them, or at least tempted to,” Dyieter continued. “I think that’s implication enough for her execution.”
“We have no proof that her execution will appease Reyila,” Wyltam said, standing at Marietta’s side. “We could execute her, and it could mean nothing.”
“Who says it isn’t worth the risk? She’s been nothing but trouble since her arrival.” Dyieter spared a glance at Keyain, whose face grew redder by the minute. The minister next to him tried to calm him down but lost that fight.
“I ask the council to consider all the evidence I brought forth today,” Wyltam said.
“Satiros fights two wars. One with Enomenos and the Exisotis, and the other with Chorys Dasi and Reyila. Our city is in an uproar over Marietta’s looming death sentence, and killing a deity’s Iros will spike tensions with all the temples.
Her death would rally our enemies in Enomenos and with the Exisotis, solidifying her as a martyr.
Marietta committed treason, yes, but it would be to our soon ally, protecting us against the greater enemy: the pending assault from Chorys Dasi and Reyila.