Page 117 of A Queen's Game
“Shocking, I know, but this,” she said, gesturing to the passage behind her, “ensures we’re alone.”
Marietta took a hesitant step forward. “How did you even know about this hidden door?”
“A queen’s secret, if you will.” A smirk came to her face, yet she offered no further explanation.
“And if I don’t come with you?”
“Then you’ll miss a great opportunity to inflict Keyain pain. Do you love Enomenos, Marietta? Do you wish to help?”
That caught her attention, her pulse quickening. “Yes.”
“Then come. I have much to tell you.”
Marietta hesitated, remembering Keyain’s warning about the Queen. But what did he know? Marietta had fewer reasons to trust him. Shaking off her nerves, she followed Queen Valeriya through the door, the wood-paneled wall clicking shut behind her.
A small light globe sat in the Queen’s palm, illuminating the narrow staircase that spiraled down. Marietta followed the Queen in silence.
Gods, this was a terrible idea. Why would the Queen want Marietta to help Enomenos? Beyond hating Keyain and the King, what reason did she have to aid the region? Perhaps it was a trap, yet curiosity drove her forward, eager to learn what waited at the end.
Queen Valeriya strode ahead of her, looking nothing like the conniving Queen in gowns during tea. Marietta’s stomach knotted as she realized that this was the real side of her.
The stairs ended deep beneath the palace. The light globe lit the dark passageway as they continued forward, taking off down the hall and turning onto a connecting walkway. After making a few more turns, they arrived at a hallway lined with wooden doors. They stopped at one of them, Queen Valeriya pulling out a key from her pocket and unlocking it. They stepped inside, locking the door behind them.
The room was small, with odds and ends along the walls. In the middle sat a table covered in papers. The Queen moved a box to block the bottom of the door frame and then lit a few more light globes around the room.
“What is this?” Marietta asked, awe mixed with nervousness.
The Queen walked around the table, stopping across from Marietta, splaying both hands flat on the surface, her weight leaning into them. Her red hair looked like fire in the golden glow. “Marietta, how much do you care about Enomenos?”
“Very much, you know this,” Marietta said, confused.
“I do, which is why I know you’ll keep what I’m about to say between just us.” Queen Valeriya lifted her chin, her eyes shining in the light. “For the past year now, I’ve been talking with the Exisotis.”
Marietta laughed but silenced herself at her serious expression. “No, you haven’t.”
“I worked with them to prevent the slaughter of Wyltam’s army at the hands of Keyain.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “But I was unable to prevent it with the information I had.”
“Slaughter? Keyain didn’t say it was a slaughter.” As much of an ass as he was, he wouldn’t lie about something like that, would he?
“Why would he tell you anything?” she asked. “And what he does tell you, how do you know it’s the truth?”
“I know about this.” Marietta held the Queen’s gaze. “Keyain wouldn’t lie to me about the city I love, the people I love.”
“Ah, yes,” the Queen drawled, rolling her eyes. “The male who took you from your home, forced you to marry, and kept you drugged would never lie to you.”
Her sarcastic tone hit a nerve in Marietta as she clenched her fist. “And why should I believe you, Queen of the city-state that attacked my home?”
“Because I was the one to help you when Keyain kept you drugged.”
Marietta bit back her retort. Queen Valeriya prevented her from being drugged further, told her the truth about Tilan. “Why are you calling it a slaughter?” Her voice was smaller than she had hoped.
“The Satiroan army moved through and killed everyone who didn’t surrender. It was a bloodbath.” The Queen swallowed, her gaze falling to the table. “My sources in the Exisotis said thousands of civilians died.”
Marietta leaned onto the table for support as the room spun. Keyain said they attacked a section of the city, but if it was a slaughtering—oh, gods. Her friends. Her community. It couldn’t be true. “Why are you telling me this?”
“I didn’t have the right information,” she said, her voice strained. “I couldn’t prevent it on my own. And you, Marietta,you are with Keyain every day. Only you can steal information from him.”
Her heart throbbed in her chest. “What kind of information? And how?”
