Page 98 of A Queen's Game
At some point, Marietta became aware of the nothingness, the sudden burst of thought startling her. Her eyes opened to the dimmed interior of the chapel, devoid of any person.
The lightness of her body surprised her. The tension she’s held for weeks loosened as she rolled her neck. Even the stone bench didn’t make her ass hurt, nor her legs stiff. Gods, she felt alive. Not the over-the-top jumping for joy alive. But functional. Each breath wasn’t a fight, each thought not racing.
Only then did Marietta realize the extent of her grief, of that suffocating emotion the robbed her of her senses. She took a deep breath and turned to look for Amryth.
“Welcome back!” A chipper voice startled her. Marietta clutched her chest as she found a tiny brown-skinned half-elven woman next to her, staring with large eyes. A thick black braid of smooth strands fell over her tunic in the cerulean blue of the temple.
“Who—” Marietta stopped herself as she heard yelling from down the hall towards the entrance.
“I’m Deania, a cleric to Therypon! I was making sure you’d finish praying to the goddess on your own,” she said, her voice high-pitched and sweet, almost childlike. “And look, you did it!”
Marietta furrowed her brows, a question resting at the tip of her tongue.
“LET ME IN NOW.” The bellowing of a voice carried down the hallway. Gods, was that Keyain?
“That why I’m sitting here!” Deania laughed. “I’m your last line of defense in case they couldn’t stop him from barging in.”
Gods, oh gods. Marietta jumped up from the bench, hurrying towards his yelling. She knew this could happen, that Keyain would find out she went to the temple. He’d be furious and take it out on whoever was near him.
“DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?”
Keyain stood in the antechamber’s doorway, red-faced with bulging veins in his neck as the half-elven man she saw earlier held him back with one hand. “You know the rules, lord. This is a holy place; we stand separate from the law,” the half-elf said with a modulated voice, even with Keyain snarling in his face.
The half-elven man stood as high as Keyain but didn’t possess the same bulk. Curly black hair hung from the top of his head, the sides a faded shave, and his skin a dark brown.
“Then you know that’s my wife in there, wrongfully taken from the palace,” he said with a growl, glancing over his shoulder at Amryth. She leaned against the far wall of the antechamber with her arms crossed, her face unamused.
“As I said,” the half-elf answered, “just let her finish. It shouldn’t be much longer now.”
“Do you understand how late it is?” Keyain yelled again, pushing him.
His effort had no effect as the half-elf stood his ground. At his hip was a sword, one he didn’t reach for even as Keyain fought him. “Look, I get it. You’re worried, it’s late, and your wife wasmissing. But you have to see it from our point of view. Marietta was a mess when she came in, and she chose to come here. As an attendant to the goddess Therypon, I have a duty to ensure she gets the help—”
“Marietta had all the help she needs at the palace,” Keyain hissed, cutting him off before he could finish.
“That’s funny because Amryth said you allowed your wife to become a shell of a person in just a few months.” The half-elf gave a speculative look. Keyain swung at him, but the man stopped Keyain’s fist with his hand. “If you are getting any more violent tonight, we will remove you from the premise.”
“I dare you to try,” Keyain growled back.
Deania came to Marietta’s side. “No need. Look, Marietta finished!” She took Marietta’s hand and shook in the air like they were celebrating.
“Mar!” Keyain tried to push past the half-elf.
“Keyain, what’re you doing here?” Marietta said in a taut voice.
“Come on, let’s go. I told you that you didn’t need a cult’s help.” The word cult was spat from his mouth as he glared at the half-elven male.
“Buddy, look at her. Marietta is much better now than when she came in.” The half-elven man faced her, his jaw square and stubbled with scruff lining his full lips and wide nose. A tattoo curled up the side of his neck that Marietta couldn’t make out from that distance.
“She wanted to come. King Wyltam even gave his permission.” Amryth stepped forward, placing her hand on his shoulder.
He ground his jaw in frustration. “Mar, please.” Keyain made to shove past the half-elf again. “Move. I’m taking her home.”
“Marietta decides if she’s ready, lord.” The half-elf held him back, earning another snarl from Keyain.
“Is that another rule of your cult worshiping?” Keyain yelled in his face.
“No. That’s me making sure Marietta feels safe leaving with you. We’ve seen domestic disputes like this before.” He gave Marietta a concerned glance.
