Page 81 of Black Salt Queen

“It’s too late,” Duja said again. “If Imeria gets her way, Laya is already lost.” She could already see her daughter’s future mapped out before her, etched into copper like a Maynaran epic. Imeria would use Laya to solidify her family’s claim on the throne. If she couldn’t wear her down, she’d contain her by any means necessary. She’d wait for Laya to produce a new Gatdula heir?—one whom Imeria could mold as she pleased. Imeria had no problem biding her time. The second the rest of Maynara had their backs turned, she’d dispose of Laya. And she’d be clever about it too.

Duja swallowed a frustrated scream when she thought about her former lover. “I should have killed her,” she muttered to herself. “I should have killed her when I had the chance.”

“Imeria?” Pangil cocked an eyebrow at her. “But you loved her.”

Reluctantly, she nodded. It was true. “I did love Imeria. And she made me weak.”

In the shadows, her brother flashed her a sly grin. “No, Sister, she did not.”

His claim made Duja take pause. What had loving Imeria Kulaw gotten her, other than an adversary who threatened to destroy everything she held dear? Memories flooded back from their shared childhood. Imeria’s long, inky hair spilling down her shoulder. Her unguarded laughter echoing across the palace courtyard. Always urging Duja to speak louder, run faster. A lump formed in the queen’s throat when she remembered.

Imeria had been the first person to make her feel brave.

“Why are you here?” Duja cast her brother a wary glance.

Pangil leaned toward her. “I vowed to Aki that I would help you. This is a promise I intend to keep.”

She tore her gaze from him. “Help me,” she said bitterly. “How do you plan to do that?”

Pangil’s ghost sighed. He laid a hand atop her head. “First, you will take care of Imeria. Then, when you both are gone, I shall handle the rest.”

When I am gone.What did he mean by that?

Duja’s head jerked up. Her brother had disappeared. The cell before her was empty. She opened her mouth to scream.

Pangil. Pangil, come back!

“Duja... Duja, wake up!” Another man’s voice called her back to her cell. Her husband.

Aki.

Duja’s eyes flung open. She shot up in the cot with a strangled gasp.

She wasn’t alone in her prison cell, but Pangil’s ghost no longer accompanied her. The king was hovering over her in the cot, his brow furrowed in concern.

“Duja, are you all right?” he asked.

She sat up and tried to speak, but the inside of her throat had gone as dry as sandpaper. “Water,” she croaked, and a cup was thrust into her hand.

“Here, Mother. Drink.” It was Bulan. She was staring at Duja, a broad smile on her face.

Duja blinked. Was this another hallucination? When she reached out and touched Bulan’s shoulder, she wanted to sob in relief. “Darling! I don’t understand. How did you?—”

“Mother! You’re alive!” A serving boy barreled through the open door of the prison cell, straight into Duja’s arms.

The queen looked down in surprise. It wasn’t a serving boy at all, but Eti, her black hair cropped above her chin. Duja would recognize her daughter’s round cheeks anywhere.

“Oh, darling,” Duja said, cupping Eti’s face in her hands.

“We’ve come to rescue you,” Eti said as she gazed up at Duja happily.

“Eti snuck back into the palace disguised as a servant. Clever little thing?—she’s the one who broke the locks on all these doors. In fact, General Ojas and the others are waiting for you just out there,” Bulan said, nodding toward the corridor that cut across the prison hold.

Duja felt as though her heart couldn’t be any fuller as she stared at her daughters. After Imeria had locked them down there, she feared she would never hold them in her arms again. But one was missing. She turned to Aki as a cool wave of dread trickled down her spine.

“Where is Laya?” she asked.

Aki’s lips tightened into a thin line. “She’s heading to the Black Salt Cliffs with Imeria,” he said gravely. “They plan to marry her to Luntok at sundown.”

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