Page 241 of A Queen's Game
“Fuck, this is Elyse?”
Elyse turned to find a half-elven female with short black hair.
Wynn drew her gaze back to him. “Tell us what happened.”
“The Chorys Dasians—Brynden. His name is Azarys—he’s the prince.” Elyse grew dizzy, Wynn holding her up.
“Valeriya shared as much,” said the half elf’s husky voice.
“My father’s working with them,” she choked out, black edging her vision.
Wynn spoke, his voice muffled through his chest as she leaned against him.
Control. Elyse had actual control. That was the beauty of aithyr, the key to her future.
As her mind drifted off, Elyse watched the swirls of energy around her, though the aithyr wouldn’t approach her body as if she was deterring it. A humanoid form stood at her side, all aithyr and beautiful. It caressed her face, Elyse trying to feel it with her hand.
Nothing had ever felt so right.
Nothing had ever felt so wonderful.
Her hands grasped at the air as she passed out in Wynn’s arms.
Chapter Ninety-Five
Marietta
The darkness held her vision as the needle pricked along her side. The stinging, unbearable at first, gave way to peace. Though it was excruciating, the pain would fade, but only if she learned to accept it.
So Marietta did; the needle stabbed into her flesh, and she would take a deep breath, over and over until the pricking ceased.
Marietta woke as Nosokyma spoke again. “Hear us, Therypon, she who heals the world, she who brings pain onto us. Deity of Duality, she of healing and pain. Hear your chosen and most faithful, the Iros. Together, we complete the cycle. Therypon brought her pain onto us, her guardians, and now through us bestows her healing.” Her voice cried out, arms splayed, head tilted back.
The other attendants stood, approaching the altar with their glazed eyes, reaching their hands over Marietta’s naked body. Their hands hovered over her, and they chanted, “Through Therypon, all pain can be healed.”
A flash of white extended from their hands, bathing her body in the bright light. Her pain ebbed away. Familiar warmth brought her comfort. Even the skin she bit through on her liphealed. The attendants backed away as Nosokyma yelled, “Rise, Marietta, guardian of Therypon, member of her Iros!”
Marietta lifted herself, coming to a seated position. The tattoo on her side extended from her hip, around her breast, and up onto her neck. Inked onto her were two intertwined snakes through a lattice of Xs. Despite the freshness of the tattoo, the skin healed enough that there was no pain; Marietta ran her fingers over it.
An elven woman brought over a blue robe to place over her. Marietta looked to Coryn, who averted his eyes as she covered herself.
Marietta held out her hands, noticing the warmth in her chest that crackled with energy under her skin. She called it forth, reaching towards the warmth like she would when she prayed, and bright light extended from her fingertips.
“Peculiar,” Nosokyma said, her lined face smiling. “You’re already attuned to the goddess’s powers. I recommend not using them until you have proper training. Coryn has already volunteered to be your mentor.” She nodded at Coryn, who approached.
His warm smile greeted her. “How do you feel?”
“Strange. The same, but different. Like there’s energy right under my skin,” Marietta held out her hands again as she spoke.
“That’s the power she bestows on us. When we reach Enomenos, we can start your training,” he said with a frown. “We’ll grab attendant’s clothes for you to wear on our way downstairs.”
Her stomach dropped. “I thought if I became an Iros, we would flee to Enomenos.”
“That was before Keyain followed you here, before he had every exit watched with more than a dozen soldiers each.” He placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her out of theroom. “The King’s summons came with an arrest for treason against Satiros.”
“But the temple still has me claimed, right? So they can’t hurt me?” Marietta flexed her hands, not used to the energy crackling under her skin.
“Not without starting a riot in the street, more so than what’s already out there. Many in Satiros follow the gods, and King Wyltam wouldn’t dare cross that line. At least not when he’s warring with Enomenos. He’ll need to keep the peace at home.”
