Page 35 of Untamed

After several long minutes, Queen Cottia said, “These trails lead into the palace as a safe escape for the royal family should we need it. They go far into Giddel and contain parts of our history of which most have no knowledge.”

“Like what?” I danced on my toes with excitement.

A slow smile crept onto Queen Cottia’s face. “My journals and something your mamá gave me, but I need you to promise me that you will tell me the full truth and hold nothing back.” Her dark brown eyes were like pools of knowledge. She’d surely tell the difference between my truths and half-truths.

“Yes, I promise.” I swallowed down every word I’d been holding back from Beatriz, Jaime, and even Cosme.

“Good. I believe you. Now, sit please, you’re making me nervous, and I need you to understand my story in order to understand your mamá’s.”

Upon me finally taking a seat, the queen rose, crossed the room, and extracted two smaller boxes about large enough to hold a well-folded dress.

“Are these my mamá’s?” My voice squeaked.

She nodded and returned to her spot. “This was all that we brought to the palace when we moved.”

“She came with you?”

“Remember, I wasn’t born a princess and even though my papá had a title, he died and left his family paupers. Having a powerful gift was my ruin.” She opened her box and pulled out a small portrait of a family: a refined man with a large mustache, a staunch woman, and two small girls. The elder girl came up to her mamá’s elbow and had the same burning eyes as the woman before me.

“This is your family.” Tears gathered in my throat at the emotion jerking in Queen Cottia’s face.

“Yes, right before Papá passed and Whyzer Patro arrived. Have I told you about him?”

“No.”

“I suppose I prefer to believe the whyzer dead.” The coldness in her statement sent chills dancing up my spine. “But he trained me to use my healing gift to kill, and I was good at it.”

My mouth fell open.

She swiped her cheek and inhaled sharply. “King Ezer, Cosme, and Beatriz know about my past, but only King Ezer knows about my connection to Whyzer Patro. The whyzer used to hear from the Ancient One until he sought power from other sources. You see, he didn’t just want to give others their gifts and use his abilities to create illusion. He sought to control every power to eventually make a better world. That’s at least what he told himself, so he didn’t have to look at the man he had become.”

“Is he still alive?”

“Yes, my dear, he is very much alive and has set himself against us.”

Fear struck my heart, and I shifted. “You said you’d tell me about Mamá.”

“She also was his slave. Anyone who served him was branded, but she wasn’t because of her ability. Instead, he used people against her.” Queen Cottia tugged at her collar near her shoulderand slipped the neck of her dress down. She twisted around to reveal a marking on her upper arm. The skin-colored marking was raised and shimmered upon closer inspection. “To this day, I can’t be near the whyzer, or he could still take control of me if I stop seeking the Ancient One. King Ezer maintains the wards that keep the whyzer out.”

“Did he do something to Mamá? Was she also powerful?”

“She could turn her entire body into a flame, but she rarely had occasion to do such a thing.” She chuckled to herself. “We spent many days together, and I was able to steal her away when I met Prince Ezer.”

“Why do I think there’s more to the story than what you’re saying?” I propped my elbow on the table and set my chin in my palm. Oh, how I couldn’t get enough of a good love story, and Queen Cottia and King Ezer’s danced in my dreams.

“Laude, we don’t have all day and night, and you have yet to share what happened to make Princess Monserrat rush out of the palace. Don’t think I didn’t notice.” One of her eyebrows arched with suspicion.

“Ehhh…about that.” I panted, trying to spill every detail. But my lungs had no more breath in them at my attempt to share anything related to the letters. My throat constricted as if a snake had wrapped itself around my neck, suffocating me.

“Stop. I’ve seen this before.” Queen Cottia touched my hand and warmth seeped from her skin and loosened the hold on my throat. “It’s as I thought; Whyzer Patro put a curse on the words.”

I gasped for air. “The last re—” My tongue swelled in my mouth, making breathing impossible.

“Stop.” Again, she released a healing warmth through her touch, loosening my tongue. “He finally has the relic he sought. I understand. It also means that the King of Himzo is compromised. Is there a new keeper?”

“What do you mean?”

“A keeper of the relics? It was the King of Himzo, but he’s bedridden. Someone is always bestowed charge over the relics, and they’re meant to protect them to their death. We have a war on our hands that is bigger than the strife between Giddel and Himzo.”

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