Page 15 of Threaded

Mariah could only turn and gape at her father in bewilderment, wondering if he’d finally softened up to the idea of actually using her spoils from Lord Donnet. He’d chuckled at her softly, gathering her up into a great bear hug and placing a kiss on her forehead, before shooing her gently into the cabbie and directing the driver to take her to the palace.

She inhaled deeply through her nose, holding the air in her lungs for several heartbeats before expelling it through her mouth. Her gaze drifted to the open window of the cabbie. The winding streets continued steadily uphill, taking them right up to the base of where the Attlehon Mountains roared into the sky, the golden palace gleaming at their feet.

People began to fill the streets, and her carriage wasn’t the only one. They’d joined a procession: a march of young women, all headed to the palace to learn which one of their lives was about to alter forever. For some, Mariah imagined it felt like a parade of hope, towards some new beginning or unfulfilled destiny.

For her, it only felt like a funeral procession.

That great, eerie pit deep in her stomach stirred suddenly, like a big cat opening an eye before stretching out its claws, curious about the gathering energy in the air.

Mariah drew another deep breath, shutting down as hard as she could on whateverthatwas. Nothing would get in the way of her impending freedom.

Nothing.

Soon, far too soon, the great gates of the palace rose up in front of them, gilded and gleaming, a bastion of the strength of the ancient kingdom. The walls surrounding the palace were even more impenetrable than the city gates, made of thick blocks of mortared white stone. However, the gates themselves were open, and the guards simply glanced at the queen’s letter Mariah handed to them before waving her cabbie through.

Inside the gates was a massive courtyard, the road arcing in a great circle around its entire perimeter. At the center of the courtyard was a fountain, a towering statue in its center in the shape of a woman, her skin made of white stone, her flowing hair and robes gilded, the golden bucket she held pouring water down into the pool beneath her feet.

Qhohena, the Golden Goddess, the giver of life and the mother of their world. The great patroness of Onita, her favored people, and the benefactor of the queen and her magic.

Mariah allowed herself a single, fleeting moment to marvel at the statue before she pulled her attention back to the buzzing courtyard around her. The carriage was still moving, gliding smoothly over the road beneath, until it came to a stop beside a row of other carriages and cabbies. Glancing behind her, Mariah noticed they were now to the left of the statue and the grand staircase leading to the true palace entrance; they must’ve passed by the steps while she’d been enraptured by the statue of Qhohena.

Okay … maybe she’d stared for more than a fleeting moment.

Mariah felt the cabbie tip slightly to the right as the driver stepped down from his perch. A soft knock sounded on her door a few seconds later.

“My lady? We have arrived. Do you require assistance?”

Mariah couldn’t help but choke down a laugh; never in her life had she resembled anything close to a “lady.” She certainly had never been called one.

However, the driver saved her from worrying about ruining her incredible ensemble, so she swallowed her retort and instead pushed the door open, meeting the middle-aged cabbie’s brown gaze as she smiled at him.

“No, thank you. I can get down on my own.” He gave her a warm smile and nodded once before stepping back, moving away from the carriage to the horse who pulled it.

Mariah felt her own smile grow further, touching her eyes, when she heard his soft, crooning words to the beast filter back over the din of the crowd.

With a deep, steely breath, Mariah shrugged out of her gray cloak, folding it on the leather bench of the cabbie, running her hands quickly through her long, dark tresses one last time.

This is nothing,she instructed herself.Plus, you look fucking fabulous.

Her grin turned savage as she swung her body out of the carriage, her feet gracefully hitting the ground as she stepped from the cabbie and closed the door behind her with a softclick.She inhaled deeply, tossing her hair over her shoulder, and began to turn to face the crowd at her back when a voice froze her in place.

“Holyshit, you look incredible.”

The voice was bright, bubbly, and feminine, like tinkling coins. Mariah whirled and found herself facing a young woman who could only be described as gold: golden hair, golden-tanned skin, even her eyes were the color of warm amber. She wore a heavy lavender gown, the skirts full of tulle and the corset bodice detailed with lace, and her face carried an expression of both envy and awe. Mariah allowed herself a quick glance down at herself because, well, the girl had a point.

Shedidlook incredible.

The gown her mother had designed for her was unlike anything worn by the other women swarming the palace courtyard, and she could already feel more gazes being drawn to her the longer she stood there. It appeared to be made of molten, liquid gold, poured over her form and hugging her athletic curves like it was painted on. The straps over her shoulders were thin and delicate, and the neckline plunged to the center of her chest, highlighting her collarbones and the swell of her breasts. The back rose to just below her shoulder blades, the tanned skin and toned muscles of her back highlighted and accentuated.

Her skirts dripped down around her legs like melted sunlight, pooling in a short train around her feet. Two high slits were cut up both sides of the dress, the lean expanse of her legs on full display. On her feet she wore simple, strappy heels; it had been quite some time since she'd worn something other than boots, but Mariah had learned a long time ago that clothes were just as much a weapon as her grandfather’s dagger she’d strapped high on her thigh, hidden from view.

And thankfully, she’d learned how to use both.

“Thank you. I was worried it might be unseasonably warm today. Didn’t want to get bogged down by so many layers.” Mariah’s eyes glimmered with humor as she leveled a pointed look at the full, heavy skirts of the girl’s gown.

The girl’s eyes widened slightly before her face twisted into a friendly smirk. “Youbitch. I knew I’d like you the second I saw you.” She lifted the heavy tulle of her skirt, huffing a laugh. “I’m already sweating my fucking face off in this Goddess-damned monstrosity.”

Mariah twisted her gaze into one of mock scrutiny. “I mean, it’s not terrible. If you’re not Chosen and want to find a new role in the palace, I’m sure they’ll be able to put you to work as a cake-topper.”

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