Page 21 of Threaded

Ryenne continued, “And your parents? What do they do?”

Mariah’s voice again came out icy and flat, but at least the questions looping through her brain about the queen, about what she was thinking, kept her grounded enough to push the words from her mouth. “My mother is one of the town healers. My father used to be a member of the Royal Infantry, but retired after the last war in the Everheim Mountains.”

Ryenne was still tense as she watched Mariah, her guarded expression holding her thoughts close. “So … you’re a commoner then, right? You’re not Royal?”

Thatquestion finally snapped something in Mariah, her intrigue with the queen breaking back down into her instinctive, coiled rage.

She was a cornered animal, after all. Forced into a situation she’d thought impossible, still refusing to believe it to be real. Still convinced she could fight her way out.

Just then, she felt something stir deep in her gut. A ball of silver, beginning to unknot and unwind through her veins. An orb of gold, unspooling and wrapping around her heart, her soul. She sat up straighter, and knew, somehow, that her eyes were blazing with more than just her fear and anger.

She gave herself no opportunity to think before she levied that glowing gaze at the queen. “Of course I’m not Royal. There are no Royals in Andburgh. And thank the gods for that.”

Just the thought of the group of near-nobility who held most of the wealth and nearly as much power in Onita had Mariah fighting back a snarl from her face. The Royals were families which, at some point, had a daughter who’d been Chosen as a Queen of Onita. Of the ten previous queens, Ryenne included, all but the first had come from one of the seven Royal families. Ryenne’s own family, House Shawth, was the most prevalent and powerful of the Royals: three queens were from House Shawth, and the family enjoyed considerable power from its seat in Khento, just north of Andburgh. The power of Royal blood was so revered in Onita that most believed it simply impossible for a queen to be Chosen outside of those who held the power.

Mariah nearly gagged on the thought. She’d known her escape was too easy. Of course, she should’ve known she would end up being a walking, breathing impossibility.

Her statement continued to echo through the office, and a look of shock—or maybe fear?—passed over Ryenne’s features. It vanished, though, and the mask of the most powerful woman in the kingdom once again took its place. Ryenne glanced quickly around her, scanning the office once before her eyes darted to the door. A light knock rapped against the heavy wood, and Mariah couldn’t suppress her flinch of surprise, the new feeling cooling the rage in her blood, just enough to inhale a shaky, whispery breath.

Ryenne glanced back at Mariah. “It’s just Kalen. The room is secure,” she said. Mariah furrowed her brow at the Queen.

Secure … from what?

A smile ghosted across the queen’s full lips, as if she read the words Mariah left unspoken.

“We have quite a bit to discuss, you and I.”

* * *

“To begin,” Ryenne said, “what do you know about an Onitan Queen’s Armature?”

Mariah cocked her head warily. “Only what we’re all taught in schooling: that they are warriors bonded to the queen.”

Just as she said those words, she felt a new feeling wash over her, melding with and chilling her anger, just a bit more. Something stronger than curiosity.

She was suddenlyintriguedby the queen’s intent to discuss the Armature. With everything that happened in the past few minutes, of all the upheaval that caused her world to spin, she hadn’t had a chance to think about everything this new situation could entail.

Ryenne nodded. “Yes, that is the basic premise of it. They receive a piece of their queen’s magic, an act which creates a permanent bridge between their souls. He is then granted the same near-immortal life of his queen, as well as the benefits of a mental connection to her. I can speak to them, in a way, mind to mind; not with words, but with emotions, with feelings.”

Ah. So that explained the soft knock on the door. The assurance Ryenne was able to give that it was only Kalen. More fascination prickled in Mariah’s mind, her anger receding back just an inch more.

“The bond of an Armature serves to strengthen a queen,” Ryenne continued. “Not until a Queen has bonded to all seven of her Armature may she ascend the throne and proceed with her coronation. Their strength becomes hers, and their unquestionable loyalty and protection guards her back better than any normal soldier ever could.”

Mariah could only stare at the queen as she spoke, her curiosity slipping and her anger rising once again. This … this wasn’t her life. This wasn’t what she wanted, what she’d riskedeverythingfor. She was meant to have walked back out of this palace today, to grab the sack of coin she’d left with her father at Beva’s inn and board a ship, to sail across the Mirrored Sea to the Kizar Islands. To whatever land lay beyond.

It was an impossibility that she’d been meant to be here. Sitting alone with the Queen of Onita, discussing bonds and Armatures and thrones and coronations.

“Mariah.”

The queen’s voice was sharp, as if she’d watched Mariah drift away and into herself, much the way Mariah’s mother often caught her doing. It cut through Mariah’s dark haze like a knife, yanking her back to Ryenne’s sharp stare of ocean blue. The Queen didn’t appear shocked by whatever she saw reflected back at her in Mariah’s own eyes, her expression instead softening with quiet understanding. Ryenne heaved a deep breath, even as Mariah remained tense, gripping the arms of her chair.

“I am sorry. I know this is likely unfathomable to you. I doubt it even feels real. I was raised from birth in anticipation of being Chosen as queen, and even still I remember the shock I felt at my Choosing like it was yesterday.” A shadow danced in her eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. Mariah didn’t respond, sitting frozen as the queen continued.

“But, Mariah, listen to me. Thisisreal. Whether you want to believe it yet or not.” Ryenne’s voice sharpened, deepened, and goosebumps rose on Mariah’s skin.Thiswas the 300-year-old ruler of an ancient and powerful kingdom. “I have only known you for a few minutes, but I know my Goddess. Therefore, I know you. Who you are, on the inside. You arestrong. You will be exactly what this kingdom needs, or else you would not have been Chosen. And believe me, this kingdomneedsa strong queen. One that Qhohena knows I could never be.”

Mariah blinked, those words again ripping through her silence. “What do you mean? Onita has been at peace for the entirety of your reign. 300 years is young for an Onitan queen. This never should have happened; not in my lifetime. So, why now? And, just … whyme?” Mariah recoiled as her voice broke on that last word, fear raising its twisted head and, for once, wrestling control from her anger.

Ryenne’s gaze softened again, her expression turning almost sad, something that could’ve been regret shining behind her eyes. “Onita has been at peace and I have succeeded as its queen because of my family, not because of me or anything I have done. And trust me, I am smart enough to recognize that as the weakness it is.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Which brings me back to you. A commoner from the Crossroads. Not a Royal with a wealthy, powerful family behind you.”

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