Page 69 of Black Salt Queen

An eternity later, Imeria complied. The pain finally ebbed to a dull ache. Laya opened her eyes to find herself plastered across the floor of the throne room. Fresh blood trickled from her mouth and splattered against the tiled floor. She must have bitten her tongue, helpless against the pain that wracked her body. Salty tears ran down her cheeks. Sweat soaked through her dress. When she tried to push herself off the ground, her arms shuddered beneath her weight.

With tremendous effort, she lifted her head. Several of the palace guests were on their feet. They stared at Laya in worry and terror. Not even Luntok dared rush to her side. They were too afraid?—ofher.

Imeria laid a hand against her cheek. Laya blanched, but no pain came. “You know, when Luntok told me a Gatdula girl had caught his eye, I prayed to the gods he didn’t mean you,” she said in a quiet voice. “Couldn’t he have gone after the little one? She’s just as pretty and twice as weak. But no, Laya. He had to haveyou.”

A faint spark of pride swelled within her heart?—the one place the pain didn’t reach. Steadily, she met Imeria’s gaze. “You would not crown me if I were weak.”

“No, I wouldn’t.” Something twinkled in Imeria’s eyes?—something akin to respect. Her mouth hardened. “Youwillmarry Luntok,” she told her. “Or whatever pain I inflict on you, Bulan and Eti will receive tenfold.”

Laya’s eyes widened with the threat to her sisters. “No, Imeria, please. Leave them out of it.”

“So complicated, just like your mother,” Imeria said. “I’m giving you what you’ve always desired, Laya. I merely ask for your cooperation in return.”

How dare she act as if she were doing Laya any favors. Fury slashed lines of red down either side of her face, clouding her vision. With her last ounce of strength, Laya lunged for Imeria. But Imeria was too fast. She sidestepped the attack easily. Instead of digging her fingers into Laya’s mind, she struck her hard across the cheek.

Shocked gasps ripped through the room. Too drained to right herself, Laya plunged to the ground. Her ribs collided against the cold tiles. No one rushed to her defense. She howled in pain, helpless. She wanted to charge at Imeria Kulaw again. Wanted to claw the eyeballs from her sockets and tear her limb from limb. But Laya’s fall had jolted the fight out of her; she needed all the energy she had left to keep from bursting into sobs.

Imeria clicked her tongue at her. “Oh, Laya. I could beat you within an inch of your life, and still, you’d refuse to surrender. Your resistance is admirable. I wonder, Are your sisters cut from the same cloth?”

Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest. She imagined Bulan’s tortured screams in place of her own. She pictured Eti writhing on the floor, her hair streaked with blood. They were not strong the way Laya was strong. Whatever pain Imeria inflicted on them, they would not endure. Laya herself could barely survive it.

The truth came as a crushing blow. Fighting the Kulaws would only put her family in further danger. No one was coming to save them. For the first time in her life, Laya found herself cornered from all sides.

“Please, Imeria. Don’t hurt them,” she said, lowering her head in defeat. “I promise, I will cooperate.”

Imeria stared down at her. She raised her hand, and Laya flinched. Instead of striking her again, Imeria offered her hand to Laya and helped her to her feet. “Wise girl,” she said with a cold grin. “I hope you won’t give me a reason to regret making you a part of my family.”

Twenty-Six

Laya

Laya’s mind was still reeling when the Kulaws’ guards deposited her back in her chambers. She was unable to overcome the dual sting of betrayal. First, Luntok. Then, her mother. Ariel had come to Maynara to produce a power-enhancing substance for the queen, and Laya had learned about it from Imeria, of all people. How could Hara Duja keep such a secret from her?

The pain from the discovery was almost strong enough to make Laya forget her new fate. She was to be Luntok’s wife. If Imeria had told her that days earlier, Laya’s heart would have sung in happiness. But once Laya knew the truth, the prospect of marrying Luntok filled her mouth with the taste of bile.

She had been standing at the balcony, wondering whether she ought to throw herself off the ledge, when someone knocked at the door. She ignored it. She knew who was waiting on the other side.

When she didn’t reply, the door creaked open.

“Laya,” Luntok murmured.

She didn’t turn around to greet him. He felt more like an intruder standing in her doorway than he ever had climbing over the balustrade.

“Why have you come, Luntok?” she asked in a broken voice. “Did you wish to humiliate me further?”

“I came to see how you were doing,” he said.

“I have been imprisoned. Tortured in my own home. And a few hours ago, I learned that to spare my family from Imeria Kulaw’s wrath, I must marry the man who engineered our destruction.” Laya let out a bitter, high-pitched laugh. When she opened her mouth again, her voice shook, on the verge of tears. “I truly did fall in love with you, you know. You played your part admirably. Your mother must be very proud.”

Luntok joined her on the balcony. “But I do love you, Laya. I never lied about that,” he said hoarsely. He reached for her arm out of instinct. The moment he touched her, she shrank back. He could not hurt her the way his mother had hurt her, but his touch burned.

“You’ve locked me up in chains, Luntok. Is that what love is to you? By the gods.” Laya sagged against the balustrade. Her shoulders shook, and she finally broke down in sobs. She could fight them no longer. This time, when he reached for her, she folded into his embrace. “I should despise you after everything you did. I should want to claw your eyes out and curse your name,” she gasped between shuddering cries. “I loved you once, Luntok, gods help me. But you betrayed me. Betrayed my family. How can I ever forgive you?”

His arms tightened around her. He held her until her breathing calmed. When her sobs quieted at last, he drew back and pressed his forehead against hers. “I can’t take back the pain I’ve caused, Laya, but I can promise to keep your family safe. To keep her from hurting you ever again.”

Laya met his gaze. Her muscles still quivered in the aftermath of Imeria’s torture. “Even if you wanted to protect me, how would you stop her?” she asked. “No one can match Imeria’s power.”

“I swear no one will touch you,” he said, an impassioned growl creeping into his voice. “Not when you are my queen.”

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