Page 89 of A Queen’s Game (Aithyr Uprising #1)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

Marietta

T he goddess’ warning echoed in her head as the temple came into view around the statue.

Being in Keyain and Wyltam’s grasp already put her in danger.

Now the goddess shared that her being an Iros, which was completely ridiculous, put her in peril.

Gods, Keyain hated the temples, calling the attendants cultists.

What would he do if he knew her status? That she was now a deity’s paladin?

Perhaps Therypon made a mistake. Perhaps Marietta was hallucinating.

What if she never woke up from the drugs that Keyain put her under?

The sudden thought sent chills across her body.

With a hard pinch, she determined that no, this was real.

She had conversed with a damned goddess who claimed her as her paladin.

Marietta turned towards her friends, who stood off to the side. Deania silently cheered for Marietta while Coryn smiled and beckoned her to follow them. Amryth stood between them, mouth agape.

“You should’ve seen you!” Deania whispered in the hallway. “You were glowing with the goddess’s light with your hair floating around you like you were underwater! Oh, Marietta, this is so exciting!”

“Deania, hush. Wait until we’re somewhere private,” Coryn chided, though a smile still lined his face.

After a silent trek back to Deania’s office, Coryn shut the door, turning to Marietta. “So we were correct; you are an Iros.” Coryn clapped her shoulder as he walked past, propping himself up on the edge of Deania’s desk. “Congratulations, Marietta.”

“This was all meant to be! Coryn, you get to tell her about the Iros!” Deania bounced on her toes, unable to contain her excitement.

At a loss for words, Marietta turned to Amryth, who stood with a bewildered expression. “Mar, this is not good. I mean, it’s incredible, but still not good.” Amryth shook her head and sat on the couch, her gaze feverishly shifting back and forth in thought.

“She’s right,” Coryn added, crossing his arms. “This is incredible, but complicated. The King and his court don’t worship the gods. Ever. They oppose those who seek them, which puts you in a dire situation.”

“What does this mean to be an Iros? What will I do?” Marietta asked.

“Therypon deemed you worthy of her gifts. Usually, devotees need to train, pray, and seek the deities to gain their favor. Deania has been an attendant for many years now but she never received her ability from Therypon until she completed her cleric training a few years ago.” Coryn shifted his weight as he crossed his arms.

“So I can do magic.” Marietta stared at her hands.

“Not quite.” Coryn’s gaze shifted to the ceiling. “You’d have to go through the ceremony first, get inked with the serpent’s ash, but this,” he said, pulling down his collar, “is quite noticeable. I’m unsure how the crown would react. The tattoo makes it impossible to hide.”

“They’ll kill me,” Marietta said in a small voice, her eyes staring at the marble floor. “Therypon said if they found out, they would kill me.” Her gaze rose to meet Coryn’s, his lips tugging into a frown.

“I would doubt that, but if the goddess said it, then maybe they’re worse than we thought.

A noble becoming an Iros…” Coryn laughed dryly, rubbing his hands on his face.

“Therypon sure has a sense of humor, gifting this information after we just received instructions to join Enomenos in the war that Minister Keyain controls.”

“Coryn, that’s not very funny.” Deania chided him that time, frowning.

“I know, and I’m sorry, Marietta. Gods, this is such a mess.

” He shook his head. “Communication is sparse between us and the temples in Enomenos, since Satiroan soldiers still occupy Olkia. I’m not sure when we can hold the ritual, so there’s time to figure this out.

Therypon wouldn’t have made this so obvious if she didn’t mean for you to become a fully-fledged Iros. ”

“But what if I don’t want to become one?” Marietta asked, her throat tightening. It was as if they claimed her choice, just as Keyain did.

Coryn shot a glance at Deania. “We would never force you to become an Iros, but the goddess doesn’t converse with even the best of us.” He stepped toward Marietta, placing his hand on her shoulder. “Marietta, you’re an enigma. We’ve never had someone like you.”

“Can I think about it?” She searched his dark eyes, finding confusion and hurt. “It’s not that I don’t want to, but it’s overwhelming. My life has already changed so much.” Coryn stepped back as she fidgeted with a strand of hair. “First losing Tilan, then adjusting to life here.”

“Mar,” Amryth warned.

Coryn and Deania exchanged looks. “Who’s Tilan?” Deania asked.

“Don’t.” Amryth’s tone was resolute, her expression stern.

Marietta glanced at her friend. “Some things are best kept secret.”

“Perhaps another time then.” The serious look on Deania’s face was off-putting for her cheerful demeanor. “So you are aware, the temple can claim you and protect you, even against the crown.”

“Granted that you don’t break any laws,” Coryn added with a sad smile. “If you ever feel unsafe, you have us.”

Marietta nodded. Not a day has passed where she’s felt truly safe ever since she arrived in Satiros. But Amryth was clear—some secrets need to be left unsaid.

“I heard about them finding the other missing pilinos,” Marietta said to Deania. “I’m so sorry for your losses.”

A tight smile came to the cleric’s face, as if forcing a smile through such pain was familiar. “May they finally find peace. Life in Chorys Dasi wasn’t easy for any of us.”

Marietta’s eyes slid to Amryth. “I didn’t know they were all from Chorys Dasi.”

“There isn’t an official record kept of pilinos refugees’ home city-state,” Amryth said. “Per law, Keyain can’t base any of the findings off of word of mouth, but he’s trying. He’s following up on full elven persons who came to Satiros from Chorys Dasi.”

“And any luck?” Coryn asked.

“No.” Amryth frowned as she stood. “Nothing official, even with the tip about horns and wings.”

Deania’s face darkened to an expression that didn’t fit her features. “The guards laughed at them, said they were crazy.”

“And this friend, they were from Chorys Dasi as well?” Marietta said, sensing Deania’s mood change.

The cleric nodded her head, a smile returning. “Yes, they served an elven family, as I did. We came from a long line of servants to a wealthy family.”

“Yet, here you are in Satiros, cleric to the goddess Therypon,” Marietta said. “I don’t understand how anyone would want to serve a Syllogi elf like that.”

Deania laughed. “There’s good money in it, you know. The elven designed Syllogi so half-elves have little room to grow. Servitude is one of a few lucrative jobs choices for pilinos.”

“Then why’d you leave?”

“Well, it was fun until it wasn’t,” she said with a sheepish smile. “I fled to Satiros because I made the family angry, and then had to join the temple for immunity. The family sent the Chorys Dasi guard after me.”

“King Wyltam told me that they don’t allow other city-states’ guards into the city,” Marietta said with furrowed brows. “Why would you have to join a temple once you made it to the city?”

Deania hesitated, glancing at Coryn.

“Well,” Coryn said, running his hand over his chin, “that doesn’t prevent the city-states from hiring elven civilians to, uh, apprehend refugees inside the city’s walls. It’s a loophole.”

Marietta’s heart sank to her stomach. “Why would they come after refugees? What’s the difference between a refugee and a pilinos moving to Satiros?”

“The laws state anyone can move between the city-states of Syllogi, but only with the proper paperwork.” Distaste laced his features as he locked eyes with Marietta. “Of course, that process is unending and most pilinos never get the paperwork approved.”

“Does that mean pilinos can’t even visit the other city-states?” Marietta said, anger tinging her tone. She thought of her life in Enomenos and how often she would travel freely and regularly.

“Again, with the proper paperwork, they can, but must follow a strict set number of days to return by,” Coryn said. “Which most pilinos use that time to give themselves a head start to flee if their situation merits it. Others don’t even get that approved and leave the city themselves.”

“Once they arrive,” Deania said, pulling Marietta’s gaze, “only some are hunted down. Not allowing guards into the city slows the process and protects those who have committed no crime; yet, those of us who did, they send bounty hunters for us. Our only option is to join a temple.” She gave a weak smile.

“Not even the Queen Agnyssa of Chorys Dasi would go against the temples, so we gain immunity.”

Gods, what crime could Deania have committed? But did it matter? No, not when the elven forced pilinos to the city-state in which they lived. Not when stealing was, unfortunately, some people’s way of surviving. That much, Marietta could assume.

“The pilinos who went missing, are the bounty hunters taking them?” Marietta paused, hesitant to add, “And killing them?”

“We consider all visitors suspects at the moment,” Amryth said. “The guard is investigating all possible legal avenues.”

“We’re lucky Minister Keyain has a soft heart for pilinos,” Deania added, the corner of her lips curling. “Without you, Marietta, the whole situation could’ve been worse.”

Marietta stilled, her breath caught in her chest. “But they’re being attacked because of me.”

Deania gave a small, dry laugh. “I can understand why the guard thinks that, but I’m sure you’re just a convenient distraction. Something else is going on.” She shook her head. “You should get back. Keyain will be worried.”

Coryn clapped her shoulder again, walking to the door. “As for becoming an Iros, you have time to decide. Just don’t take too long. I’ll reach out to the others so they can arrive in time for the ceremony.” He gave Marietta a weak smile. “That is if you decide to accept.”

Iros. A paladin. To a goddess.

The thought was laughable. Unbelievable. Utterly ridiculous. But she saw Therypon—again. Her deep onyx skin, long raven hair. Gods, even the scent of her was so vibrant, as if Marietta truly saw the goddess in her bakery.

What did it mean? Therypon said she would be of importance, at the thick of it all—that her choices would lead to death.

In the carriage, she rubbed her palms on the skirt of her dress. Death, no matter the cause, was never easy. Even deaths from old age left marks on Marietta’s heart, lingering longer than she wished. To think that death would be so known to her that Therypon called it her friend was nauseating.

The goddess was clear. Marietta was only her Iros for the person she was yet to be, for decisions she had not yet made, and to know that any choice she’d make would end in death paralyzed her.

Devote yourself to me and you will earn the strength to deflect your enemies.

Was it possible that becoming an Iros would save her? Impossible when the obvious tattoo would lead to Keyain and the King finding out. They would kill her. Her breath hitched as she steadied herself on the carriage wall, the cab suddenly too small and suffocating.

“It is incredible,” Amryth said, breaking the silence. “This is just my opinion, but it isn’t the worst idea, becoming Therypon’s Iros.” She paused, offering a smile. “If you claimed immunity from the temples, you could leave Keyain and the palace. You could go home to Enomenos.”

Marietta closed her eyes, mustering a deep breath. Home.

Her home was Olkia, with Tilan. Returning without him, without retribution, would be unsatisfying. As long as Satiros occupied Olkia, what home did she really have?

“If King Wyltam keeps approaching you—”

“The King is fine,” Marietta said, cutting her off. “He’s kind to me.” As kind as a foreign king who attacked her home and maybe slaughtered its population could be. Gods, she shouldn’t defend him, yet he understood Keyain. You can’t chase after him every time he’s angry .

How many times had the King done as such? If he loved Keyain, then he knew the temper. Chasing after him only enabled his behavior, and she was aware of that.

She ran after him for the same reason she didn’t want immunity from the temple—the Queen’s plan. Her proximity to Keyain gave her the perfect opportunity to widen the rift between Keyain and Wyltam, to damage and tear down their court from the inside.

“Did you catch what they said about the war?” Amryth asked, stirring her from her thoughts.

Marietta frowned, looking out the window. In the afternoon’s bright light, the reflection from the buildings was near blinding. “The temple of Therypon is moving against Satiros,” she said. “I thought the temples stayed out of political matters.”

“They do. If the temple of Therypon chose a side, I wonder if the others have, too.” Amryth paused, following Marietta’s gaze. “The temples have pilinos attendants who tried to flee Syllogi for Enomenos. Satiros attacking Olkia would upset many of them.”

Marietta turned to her. “Yet they said Therypon gave the instructions. She has temples in the Enomenos, right?”

Amryth nodded. “I wonder if the army touched the temples. Some of my fellow soldiers are religious, but most hold the same beliefs as the court. Many are taught to, at least.”

“Would Therypon enter the war as a retaliation? What would happen to the temple here?”

Amryth shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Nothing like this has ever happened. Nothing like you has ever happened, either. Gods, if Keyain finds out, he’ll lock you up again. I won’t be able to get you out a second time.”

“Then I’ll have to keep it a secret,” Marietta said, knowing it was just one more she’d keep from Keyain.