Page 17 of Their Queen

“Look.” Arryn grabbed the pen from Callum and began circling three churches or abbeys. “These are the only three churches that are near enough to the wooded areas. What do you know about these villages?” he asked, directing that last question to Callum.

Callum’s brow furrowed. “This one is too close to the capital. It’s doubtful that she’d be there.” His eyes scanned the areas around the final two locations. “Honestly, she could be in either of these last two areas.”

One of them was located toward the south of the territory, while the other was to the north. “Although, if I was a betting man, I’d go with this one.” He stabbed a thick finger down onto the northern location.

“Why?” I asked him, puzzled by his certainty.

He shrugged. “It’s older, and if Avalonia wants her to learn something from this area, I’m betting that it’s to be found up north. This is An Bandia Abbey, known for its altars dedicated to worshiping Avalonia. I’ve been there once, when I was little. It was wholly dedicated to serving the people, not an ounce of grandeur or flaunting of wealth like in this church.” His finger indicated the other option.

Brannoc’s eyes widened at that statement. “I think you’re right. I vaguely remember the feeling of rough blankets and a thin mattress.”

“Why would you know what her bed feels like?” I questioned him, now certain that the reason he’d been blushing earlier and skipping over details was because he and Princess had done more than just talk.

When he didn’t answer me, just gawking at me guiltily, I laughed. “Damn, now I wish I could talk to her in my mind too.”

“So, we’re agreed?” Callum asked, redirecting us back onto the topic at hand. “We’ll leave first thing for An Bandia Abbey?”

“Seems as good of a direction as any. Sure beats sitting around here with our thumbs up our assess and moping,” I said with a shrug, more than ready to find our girl. The others nodded in agreement, although Baer just stared off vacantly, not really reacting to what was going on.

“Good, then it’s settled. Get your things together, and we’ll leave at first light,” Arryn said, ending the discussion, dismissing us all to pack and get some rest. Tomorrow, we’d be getting our girl back.

Chapter Thirteen: Rhowyn

My body hummed, vibrating with energy and righteous anger as I exited the pub. I strode down the street to meet the guard who had held the woman, the only sound her cries of pain and fear. No one else stirred or made a noise. Everyone, including the other guards, was watching the showdown between us.

I paid them no mind as I approached, the dust stirring in my wake as I walked calmly toward the coward, only stopping when I was about ten feet away. He grinned maliciously. “Well, well, well. Look who we have here.” I kept my face blank and didn’t say a word, letting him think he had the upper hand.

He turned to his buddies triumphantly. “I told you this would be easy. She’d cower in fear, shaking in her boots, as she turned herself over without a fight.”

“Let the girl go,” I said, my voice sounding like it came from multiple sources, echoing off the stone walls of the buildings on both sides of the street.

He laughed. “So, she speaks.” He turned back to me, eyeing me up and down. “And what if I don’t?”

“Let. The. Girl. Go,” I told him, my voice booming out with force, still holding myself still with my arms down by my sides. “I will not tell you another time. This is your last chance to do as you were bid.”

He sneered at me before releasing the woman and tossing her to the ground, where she curled into a ball as quickly as she could. “And just what do you think you can do against us?” He gestured with both hands and turned as if searching for something. “You, without an army? All alone and powerless? Wounded and weak?”

I remained in place, letting him believe I was harmless even if I was challenging him quietly in front of his men until he did something stupid. “Oh, you didn’t think I’d know about that? A little birdy told me that you were wounded and without enough power to heal yourself.” He laughed again, drawing his sword and spinning until he was holding the blade above the woman, who was still shaking and sobbing on the ground.

“Just how do you think you’re going to stop me?” he challenged me, baiting me into having to act. Slowly, I unwrapped my rope. He laughed at me, turning to his buddies, who remained on their horses as they joined him in his amusement. “Just what are you going to do with that?”

“Your life is forfeit for breaking the laws of Avalon.” My voice sounded out again. I directed my attention briefly to his men. “You may surrender now. Leave and be gone, or you too will face death for your crimes against the people of Avalon.”

Two men looked visibly shaken at the intensity in my gaze, and whatever they saw there had them turning around, spurring their horses away. The leader cursed at them. “Where the fuck do you think you’re going? You’ll be executed for your crimes against the Queen!” he called after them, but they didn’t listen, instead disappearing into the distance, leaving only six men, including the bastard who dared to challenge me.

“Avalonia has judged your souls and found you wanting,” I told them as I looped the rope in one hand and took the slack in the other, loosening my limbs as I prepared to strike.

“Fuck you, bitch!” he called out and reared back, preparing to strike the woman in the heart. Time seemed to slow as my own magic rushed through the cracks of the box that had kept it locked away for too long. I pushed it through, demanding it give me everything that was mine. It burst through in a rush, like a dam breaking, pouring down my limbs to crackle like lightning.

I could feel my hair start to float, the static from my magic lifting it until it danced around my head, weightless. It ran down into the rope I had first selected in the trials, the weapon I had been called to. The one I couldn’t explain but knew was meant to be mine. The rope glowed white in the darkness, so bright that the street looked like the middle of the day even though it was well into the night. Time sped up, and I threw the rope after letting it circle over my head once, landing it exactly where I’d wanted it to.

It floated through the air, falling over his head and shoulders until his bent sword arm stopped its descent. I jerked the rope back quickly, pinning his arms at his sides. His screams pierced through the silent night as my magic burned him until there was nothing left but ash.

My rope fell to the ground, and I pulled it back to me. Looking at the woman, I said, “Run.” She didn’t waste another second, scrambling to her feet in shock while the remaining guards sprang into action. Four of them rushed me at once, and I pulled my daggers, spinning and slicing. Everywhere my blades touched lit up from the electricity that poured from me. Instinct had me ducking and dodging like I was in the matrix, flowing around their attacks like water flows around a boulder in its way. It didn’t take me long to drop them to the ground, their lives and magic bleeding into the ground, feeding Avalonia and the land as it was absorbed into the dirt.

The last man tried to run, but I didn't let him. He’d had his chance earlier but had chosen to be a coward. A bully who hid behind his friends. I threw a hand out, lightning shooting from my fingertips straight into his heart, stopping him instantly.

I hung my head, panting from the exertion, my skin crackling as I mourned the loss of their lives. They were Avalonia’s children, after all, and she wept for all of them, knowing they’d been led astray by the venom of the Queen currently on the throne.

---