Page 44 of A Queen’s Game (Aithyr Uprising #1)

Marietta’s head jerked to Keyain. As if the slur wasn’t enough of an insult, he added pedigree on top of it as if she were an animal. Was this the company Keyain kept? Could he seriously love her if this is how they’d talk about her? Marietta glared at Keyain, waiting for him to correct his friend.

The correction never came. Instead, the three kept talking. A few hours ago he confessed his love for her, but now didn’t speak up against his friends? Sure, the slur stung, but it was nothing compared to the hurt of Keyain’s inaction.

Perhaps he didn’t want to stir the pot so soon after meeting his friends.

That had to be the reason. He had stood up for Marietta when they were in the countryside a few weeks back.

Humans in a small town between Avato and Kentro had called her ill-blooded for being half-elven.

He was feral in his response, threatening to hurt them all.

Keyain cared for her, so there had to be a reason to say nothing this time.

With a sigh, she decided to swallow through the insult, and she would discuss it when they went back to their room.

They ordered drinks and dinner, the elves talking about Satiroan politics, which proved boring.

Marietta’s mind wandered to her clients that week.

There was an alchemist in Rotamu that she was to meet for the first time.

A mutual acquaintance gave Marietta the recommendation but knew little of their practice.

The elven woman’s business was struggling, and a friend of hers grew concerned that the alchemist’s operations would go under.

Marietta had done her research and learned she had a drinking problem, which she knew was likely the cause of the business’ failing; and that wouldn’t be the first time Marietta helped in such a scenario.

The problem with gaining notoriety over the last six years was that people talked.

The elven woman wouldn’t be the last person she would have to help with such a problem, even though being a counselor or a doctor wasn’t part of her job. She couldn’t say no to helping someone.

“Marietta,” Keyain said, touching her arm, “don’t be rude. Peryn asked you a question.”

Marietta shook her head, forcing a smile.

“Apologies. I was thinking about my clients. What was the question?” Keyain’s hand fell to her thigh, giving her a warning grip.

He wasn’t happy, which did nothing for her mood.

The audacity he had at times was enough to set her off.

Keyain was, as always, a pain in her ass.

“That’s alright. Clips often have trouble focusing. That’s just in their nature. I was asking—”

Marietta cut him off. “We don’t say clip in Enomenos. It’s a slur and one I am asking you not to address me, or any other pilinos, as such.” With practiced patience, she kept her voice calm as anger burned under her skin.

“Marietta,” Keyain snapped.

“I didn’t mean any offense,” Peryn said, his smile tight. “In Syllogi, we say clip as it isn’t a slur.”

“It is one, whether or not you’re from here. Just because Syllogi is ignorant and believes pilinos’ lives fall below full elven one’s doesn’t mean the rest of Akroi is as ignorant,” she said, not hiding her anger. Keyain’s hand gripped harder as she pried it from her leg.

Rynka and Peryn shot looks at Keyain. “I didn’t realize your partner had such strong feelings against Syllogi,” Rynka ground out, her eyes burning.

“Apparently, she has had too much to drink.” Keyain gave her a warning look. “I have never heard her say anything bad about Satiros or Syllogi myself.”

Marietta gaped at him, knowing full well she had made fun of him to his face about being a Syllogian elf. Keyain was lying, but why?

“I’m just going to make this clear for you three,” Marietta said, splaying her hand on the gnarled wood tabletop.

“Clip is a slur. It is insulting. You don’t get to decide whether it is or is not.

Elves are not superior—they never were and never will be.

One day, your bodies will burn just like the rest of ours.

I suggest during your week in Rotamu you learn how to empathize with those who look nothing like you because clearly you never have. ”

Marietta left the booth, turning around adding, “I would say it was great meeting you, but unlike some people here, I’m not a liar.” She glared at Keyain before stalking off to the stairs, heading up to their room.

Keyain returned to their room not long after Marietta, slamming the door behind him. “Are you kidding me?” he yelled, his face red.

“I should be the one asking that,” Marietta said, crossing her arms. “You honestly believe clip is an okay way to refer to me?”

“We’ve been through this—that’s how people refer to pilinos in Syllogi, Mar!” Keyain dragged a hand through his hair, turning away from Marietta with his jaw tight.

“I don’t give a fuck where it’s said. It’s an insult, and you were in the wrong. If you can admit I’m your partner—which, by the way, seemed unbelievable that you’d ever date a half-elf—then why can’t you stand up for me? Why can’t you treat me like I’m a whole person?”

Keyain whipped to Marietta, his nostrils flared. “I know you’re a whole person, Marietta. And yes, it probably was jarring for them to see me with someone like you but—”

“Someone like me? You mean a clip?” Marietta rolled her eyes and went to her pack, pulling out her nightclothes. “Half- elf is just as easy to say, only it admits that part of me is elven. Wouldn’t want to taint the word elven with my filthy, part-human blood,” she said sarcastically.

Keyain walked over to her. “Marietta,” he said, grabbing her arm.

She jerked back from his grasp. “If you ever— ever— try to grab me like that again, then you can travel Enomenos by yourself.” Marietta stepped closer to him, placing her finger on his chest with a furious glare. “Do you understand?”

“I don’t want to fight.” Keyain bit his tongue, biting back tears. “This is our last week together for a while. I don’t want to end our amazing journey to be like this.”

Keyain’s arms wrapped around Marietta, folding her into a hug.

Pettiness wasn’t above her, and she thought of shoving him away and insulting him some more, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Gods knew Keyain deserved a huge blown out fight.

After everything, she should just leave him and tell him to not return to Enomenos; yet when she looked into his face and saw the emotion in his expression, that anger cooled.

She hated herself for it, wishing she could stay heated, could hate him for not standing up for her.

The funny thing about love was that once it took root in one’s heart, it was hard to weed out.

Keyain made her furious, not just at him but with herself.

Despite that feeling, she knew that she loved him.

The good of him outweighed the bad. And now, whether she was ready for it, Keyain was leaving in less than a week.

Perhaps six months away would do them some good. After all, living out of inns together for the past few months had been an awful lot like being married. Marietta would gain some independence back.

She didn’t want to part on a sour note, no matter how in the wrong he was. “Okay,” she whispered into his chest. Keyain pressed a kiss on the top of her head.

“I love you, Marietta. I promise to always support you, even when it doesn’t seem like I am.”

Marietta bit back her retort, deciding not to fight. “I love you, too. And I’m really going to miss you.”