Page 91 of A Queen’s Game (Aithyr Uprising #1)

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Valeriya

V aleriya bit her nail as she paced back and forth in her bedroom.

The longer she held onto the papers with Marietta’s findings, the more the war slipped in favor of her husband.

She couldn’t prove that the mage who followed her was from Wyltam, but she wasn’t going to discount it either.

How would he know to have her followed? How did he even have mages?

It would be the first she had heard of the Satiroan crown having mages.

Unless it wasn’t Wyltam.

Maybe she was crazy, or maybe Wyltam was just paranoid about Valeriya’s activity at court. She liked to scheme, and Wyltam realized that. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked her to look into Marietta, but following Valeriya was new—something she didn’t like.

Valeriya sighed, leaving her suite for the lavish halls of that forsaken palace.

In seven years, she still hadn’t grown comfortable in it, as if she were in someone else’s home.

Reyila’s castle stood atop the mountains with only the sky and wind.

Nestled into the rolling hills and city of Satiros, Valeriya felt like a sitting duck.

Whoever built the Satiroan palace was a fool, for it wouldn’t hold up long in a fight.

As she stepped out of the Royal’s Wing, she felt the hairs on her neck stand. How often did the mage follow her? For how long? Perhaps they knew of her plan. Perhaps they were onto Valeriya.

No, she sounded crazy. If Wyltam suspected her of something nefarious, he wouldn’t have hesitated to throw her in the dungeons for treason. The fact that she still walked freely and wore her crown was proof enough that he was unaware of her handing off information.

The intense summer sun burned as she wound her way through the garden.

Valeriya sighed as the warm breeze blew past, offering relief from the afternoon heat.

The bruise on her chest had faded enough that Valeriya covered it with makeup and wore appropriate dresses for the temperature.

The sooner it disappeared, the fewer questions Wyltam would ask.

Outside the palace section that held the Minister’s Chambers, Valeriya stood admiring the wisteria. If the mage still followed her, they would be talented without a doubt. To hold invisibility for that long was an impressive feat.

The doors to the building opened as Keyain came striding out in conversation to one of his captains, a blonde female with an impressive scowl.

Valeriya smiled. Keyain was so predictable.

He didn’t see her as he walked down the steps.

“Oh, Keyain! What are the chances of seeing you here?” she said in a honeyed voice, eyes wide and innocent as the minister walked into the courtyard.

Keyain stopped mid-sentence, turning to her.

“Ah, Queen Valeriya,” he said with a bow, “I would say the chances are high considering I work in this building.” Annoyance tinged his tone that made his captain flash an anxious expression.

Such insolence towards her, and in front of his own subordinate, too. Oh, she loved being under his skin.

“Of course, Keyain.” Valeriya slashed a smile at him. “Care to join me for a walk?”

As he ran his hand through his hair, it was clear he didn’t want to, but he wouldn’t turn her down. Keyain sighed. “Of course, my Queen.” He turned to his captain. “I’ll find you in a bit to finish this conversation. Go grab lunch in the meantime.”

The captain entered the building as Keyain offered his arm to Valeriya. “You’re quite busy these days, Keyain. I’m happy you found the time for a silly walk with me.” She smirked as Keyain’s annoyance rolled off him.

“I am quite busy, Queen Valeriya. Satiros is in a war that takes up most of my time.”

“What of your poor wife? Marietta has been here, what, four months now? Are you making time for her as well?” she asked, knowing which wounds to poke. With the war on top of his regular duties, Valeriya was aware he had little free time.

Keyain ground his jaw. “Marietta is doing well. We’re happy.”

“But you spend so much time away from her, so she must get lonely. I’ll make more of a point to invite her for tea.”

They followed the path over a bridge coated in thick, green vines with black and white flowers. Below the creek flowed by, the occasional frog croaked.

“Marietta is fine.” Keyain’s voice strained to remain polite. “I’m sure you didn’t want to pull me away from my duties to talk of just my wife.”

“Just your wife?” Valeriya playfully batted his chest, earning a scowl. “Marietta is your love! She has shared so in conversations with me. To think a noble in this day and age married for love!” She smirked, watching Keyain bristle. He almost made it too easy.

They approached the creek with its water gurgling down a shallow cliff face, crashing into the stream.

The noise covered their voices as she spoke.

“What I’m actually concerned about is the palace’s safety,” she said with her voice low.

If she were being followed by a mage, then the surrounding noise would mask her words.

Keyain glanced at Valeriya, then back at the path ahead of them. “I assure you that the guards are keeping a close watch on the palace, my Queen.”

“Oh, I don’t doubt that your guards are capable,” she said, patting his arm. “However, what if someone broke in through magical means?”

“There are systems in place to prevent that,” Keyain answered, his tone uninterested.

“But could magic be used to break in? For example, what if I were to say someone trails us as we speak?”

He glanced at her again, biting the inside of his cheek. “Magic can’t break through, and no one is following us. Perhaps you’re feeling paranoid.”

“That may be true, but what if someone were? I thought Enomenoans didn’t use magic.”

“They don’t.”

“So if the Enomenoans don’t use magic, and if someone was trailing me by magical means, they would be from Syllogi, correct?” she asked, pretending to pick fuzz off her dress. It was a trick she picked up from her husband, who has mastered the art of disinterest.

“Yes, all the Syllogi city-states have magic where Enomenos does not.”

“Of course, that includes Satiros as well? I would assume we possess ways to spy.”

“Valeriya, is there a reason you’re questioning me on this?” Keyain said with a sigh, dropping her title.

“Oh, just in case. One could never be too sure. I feel safer knowing that such defenses are in place. That means if I were being followed, it would be by you or Wyltam.” Keyain glanced at her again, realization setting in on his features.

“Of course, neither of you has a sound reason to treat a queen as such,” Valeriya said, smirking as Keyain looked away, nostrils flaring.

She could play this game with him all day.

The path they walked down led to the Glass Gardens, the lofty doors opening to the Glass Garden. Keyain stopped and turned to face Valeriya.

“You know Wyl. If he wanted information from you, he would ask directly,” Keyain said, dropping her arm from his and bowed. “But I apologize. I have somewhere to be, my Queen.”

Valeriya brought her hand to her chin as Keyain walked away. The confirmation had been obvious in his expression—Wyltam was on to her. She needed to hasten her plans.

Valeriya hadn’t met privately with Gyrsh in quite a few months, not since the Chorys Dasians arrived.

She had decided it was safer to distance themselves in order to draw less attention to their plans.

However, if Wyltam or Keyain were having her followed, then it was time to move. She only needed to give the word.

As Valeriya stepped into Gyrsh’s suite, the minister’s gaze took in the low cut of her dress and her neck elongated by her hair, neatly pulled back. “Hello, Gyrsh,” she murmured as the door closed behind her, offering him her hand.

He caught it, thumbs brushing over her knuckles. “Hello, my Queen,” he said, bringing her hand to his mouth for a kiss.

She ignored the disgust that rose in her stomach.

The male was as vile as Syllogian males come; yet, he was useful.

The more he believed there was a chance for him to hold Valeriya’s favor, the more compliant he would be.

The male foolishly thought an affair was a real possibility, that Valeriya would make him her secret lover and rise with her power after their plan was brought to fruition.

Perhaps he got the idea from Keyain. After all, it was his secret affair with Wyltam’s mother, late Queen Olytia, that got him his position.

When she had heard the rumor, she hadn’t waited a moment to share it with Gyrsh.

Gyrsh offered his arm, and she placed a hand on top for added effect. The golden tone in his brunette hair shone brighter against the navy of his shirt. Did he purposely choose Reyila’s colors? She bit back a laugh. Gyrsh was trying too hard.

In the living room, he opened his liquor cabinet, turning to her. “What would you prefer, my Queen?”

“Just Valeriya,” she said, leaning back into the couch, “for tonight at least.” A slow smile spread across his handsome face, the one so similar to Elyse’s that it was unnerving. If someone had told her they were siblings, Valeriya would have believed them. “And a whiskey, please.”

His brows rose in surprise. “Of course, though I have a rare bottle of wine set aside if you’d prefer that.”

Which meant he had planned to drink it. Valeriya could have laughed, knowing the male hated his whiskey. “Kind of you to offer, but I’m looking forward to the bite .” A smirk came to her face, pulling Gyrsh deeper into her web.

With a grin tugging at his lips, he poured the drinks and sat down across from Valeriya, his honey eyes locked onto her. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company this evening? It’s unlike you to make such last-minute visits.”