Page 27 of Threaded

Her mother hadknown. Her thoughts drifted for a moment to the book she’d given Mariah on her last night in Andburgh, about the words she’d told Mariah. “If—when— you ever feel lost, truly lost, when you need a reminder of who you are and what you are capable of … that book will tell you everything you need to know.”

Had that been a warning from her mother? That she would soon be faced with an insurmountable obstacle, a course that would change her life forever?

Before she could formulate her response, Mariah felt the approach of her companions at her back. Her father, also noticing the nearing group, hesitatingly released Mariah, breaking his gaze away at the last second to dart a glance over her shoulder. In a smooth, practiced movement, he dropped to his knee, his head bowing in respect just as Queen Ryenne appeared by Mariah’s side.

“My Queen,” said Wex. “I am honored to be graced by your presence and for the invitation to your home.”

Ryenne smiled lightly at Mariah’s father. “Rise, soldier. I am warmed to see that none of the habits have been lost during your years of retirement.”

Wex lifted his head, smiling broadly at Ryenne, and rose to stand once again. “A soldier never forgets his training, Your Majesty.”

Ryenne nodded her head once to him, her expression thoughtful. “I thank you for coming to the palace on such short notice. Your presence is most welcome. I’m sure you are, by now, well-aware of what has transpired here with your daughter. You must be very proud and honored.”

Wex hesitated for a moment, his brilliant smile fading slightly as he glanced quickly at his daughter. “I’m not sureprideis the best way to describe what I’m feeling, Your Majesty. I mean this with all the respect in the world, but … I feel no pride at having raised a future queen. In fact, I care very little about what titles she now carries.” He paused for a moment, a blend of several unidentifiable emotions on his face. “I would say that I now feel excitement, joy … and, if I may be honest, a healthy dose of fear. Power may be extraordinary, but always carries burdens with it as well.”

Ksee chose that moment to step forward, her cold expression taking in the patriarch of the Salis family, her lips tightening before she spoke. “That is a fascinating way to describe it, soldier. Do you not feel surprised, then?”

“No. I feel no surprise at all. I always knew she was meant for something greater in life than what we had for her in Andburgh,” Wex answered, his tone neutral and controlled as he addressed the priestess. “She was always far too wild and strong to be happy there. Independence courses through her veins, and now that the Goddess has lifted the curtain, I’m no longer surprised as to why.”

“It is curious that you describe her independence with such positivity,” Ksee responded. “It has long been the way of Qhohena that her queen be dependent on the advice of those that surround her at court. Of course, I have no doubt your daughter will be able to learn the proper restraint, with time. As the daughter of a soldier, I expect obedience will come to her naturally.” Her smile turned sickly sweet, her gaze still piercing.

This fucking bitch.

Mariah knew she should hold her tongue, that making an enemy of this priestess so early was a terrible idea. However, she had no interest in befriending those who chose to treat the people closest to her with such disdain.

Mariah turned her attention directly to Ksee, her own sweet sneer on her face.

“Well, I guess we’ll just have to see what the Goddess has planned, won’t we?

Ksee’s answering glare was burning ice.

CHAPTER13

Mariah’s reunion with her father was short-lived.

She didn’t even get the chance to pull her father away, to ask him what in Enfara’s depths he’d meant when he said her motherknew. Too quickly, too soon, Ryenne was there, telling her it was time to move on, that they had many other things to do that day.

Mariah turned back to her father, let him wrap her once more in a fierce hug, even as her heart still stung with her mother’s deception. Releasing her too quickly, her father picked up three saddle bags from the ground, pushing them into Mariah’s hands. Then, without another word, he turned and strode to his warhorse, mounting the stallion in a single, practiced movement. Her father gave her one last, lingering stare, a look filled with pride and sadness and all the words they hadn’t had a chance to say before spurring his mount away and out the palace gates.

Shoving down all the anger and confusion and heartache burning through her, Mariah turned on her heel, following Ryenne out of the courtyard. The bags her father had handed her, the bags containing the last remnants of her quiet life at the crossroads, were handed to a member of the palace staff with instructions to deposit them in her rooms. As the servant scurried off, Mariah and Ryenne continued their walk back up the steps to the palace and through the massive doors, Ksee, Ciana, and Kalen trailing just a few steps behind. Ryenne wordlessly led them into the throne room, then hooked a left into one of the many hallways spindling off the massive, central, glass-ceilinged space. This path led deeper into the palace, the floor sloping up gradually as they walked, and eventually they found themselves pushing through yet another set of double doors into a great, open space carved directly into the side of the mountains.

The floors of this new room were smooth and flat, and three of the four walls were non-existent, a simple guard rail the only thing to serve as a barrier to a drop-off that had Mariah’s stomach twisting into knots. The cliff was sheer, and far below was a great, forested valley, a hidden vale sitting between the palace and the rest of the Attlehon foothills. Despite the harrowing drop, Mariah inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent of the mountain breeze tinged with early autumn, and shifted to look at Ryenne.

“What is this place?”

Ryenne continued further into the room—if it could even be called that—to sit in one of two chairs placed in the center. “It is a place for us to exercise our gifts—the magic from the Goddess flowing in our veins—without fear of leveling another part of the palace.” She smiled back at Mariah. “It is not much of a concern for us with the Goddess’s light in our veins, as our magic is more … symbolic in nature. And serves more purposes beyond just its physical manifestation.” Ryenne then looked to Ksee, who’d chosen to linger in the shadows by the entrance. Kalen had remained outside the room, ever watchful by the double doors, and Ciana found another chair along the wall, far from the priestess, where she’d promptly sat with curiosity dancing in her amber gaze.

“But for the priestesses, this is a place for them to connect with their gifts safely. Our high priestess, for example, has the gift of fire, and she and her acolytes frequent this place.” Mariah followed Ryenne’s gaze to Ksee, only to find the priestess studiously ignoring them, inspecting the engravings within the double doors instead.

Mariah turned back to look at Ryenne. Sheknewthat Ksee had fire magic. Her brother had it, too, after all. She knew she’d seen that spark in her tarnished gold eyes.

But where her brother’s fire was all playful life, Ksee’s only seemed to be low, flat smoldering of coals.

Ryenne gestured to the chair across from her, long, blonde hair shifting as she nodded. “Sit, Mariah.”

Mariah did as she was commanded. Now, seated in the center of the circle, she couldn’t help comparing this space to a landing, almost like a roost for some great beast of the past. The stone beneath their feet was scored with ancient scratches, worn and faded with age. Mariah had never heard of someone in Onita with the ability to wield earth, but she supposed the gift was possible, and that those marks could’ve been caused by a young wielder still learning the depths of her strength.

Or they could’ve been made by something far larger and wilder than a mortal priestess.

---