Page 243 of A Queen's Game
She walked straight past him, not sparing him a glance even as he spoke. “Marietta Vallynte, on behalf of his majesty, KingWyltam, I take you into custody for conspiracy of treason, acts of treason, and failure to follow legal protocol.”
“We’ll see you soon, Marietta,” Coryn called out behind her.
Marietta smiled at his words. Coryn would help her—Deania would help her. They wouldn’t let them execute Marietta. The goddess would intervene.
Or, at least, she would intervene long enough for Marietta to reach Tilan, to free him. The energy crackled under her skin. Such power felt natural, as if it belonged within her, and with it she could give Tilan a chance to escape.
Marietta stepped onto the temple’s front steps, gasping at the sight before her. Therypon’s hoplite soldiers lined the front, spears held out with their shields raised, forming a barrier. Two stepped aside as she walked through, emerging to the chaos below them.
The citizens of Satiros packed the square, people standing shoulder to shoulder, yelling and shaking their fists. Some wore the colors of the temples, but many dressed in standard garb. A few groups were pushing against the guards who blocked the bottom of the temple stairs.
Dressed in similar armor to Keyain, the soldiers at the top of the stairs surrounded Marietta as she made her descent. Helmeted with heavy swords in their grasps, they were menacing. Gone was the leather armor suitable for everyday wear. Instead, they were equipped for battle. Keyain joined her, his hand gripping just above her elbow.
At the bottom, the crowd parted for their group as they entered the chaos. No carriage awaited for them, the masses too dense for vehicles.
Many called out Marietta’s name. Others sent their prayers to Therypon. Marietta turned to them and offered a genuine smile, locking eyes with a young half-elven girl who pushed herway to the front, eyes watering as she looked up at Marietta with an enormous smile on her face.
Keyain noted the attention and whispered, “Don’t. You’ll incite a riot.”
“Stop, Keyain.” Marietta tried to pull her arm from his grasp.
“Let her go!” someone yelled, causing a murmur to ripple across.
Keyain gripped her tighter, his breath quickening as he looked out over the masses. Lines bracketed his mouth as the crowd pressed closer. “For once, please listen to me.”
Marietta pulled away again. “I did nothing but protect myself from you,” she yelled, letting her voice carry. For all he did, Marietta would never go willingly.
A few men from the crowd pushed against the guards. “Let her go, you bastards!” one cried.
A guard hit the man on top of his head with his sword’s pommel, dropping him to the ground.
“Stop,” Keyain ordered. “We do not hit civilians.”
The crowd pressed in around them, voices yelling, swallowing Keyain’s commands. “It’s either us or them, Keyain,” a guard called back.
“I said, we do not—”
The crowd erupted around them, surging into the circle, pressing the guards close to Marietta and Keyain at the center.
“Form a barrier. Protect Marietta!” Keyain ordered his soldiers, who exchanged nervous glances before swinging at the civilians. Keyain swore as the horror unfolded around them. Their swords cut through men and women alike, slicing through them like a hot knife through butter, clothing being the civilians’ only protection.
A man charged forward, screaming her name, only for a sword to connect with his neck. Hot beads of blood splatteredacross Marietta’s face. More guards joined the circle, moving them through the mob of people.
“Stop!” Marietta screamed. They were dying because of her. “Please, stop!” She jerked away from Keyain to pull a soldier off a young half-elven man.
“Marietta, don’t,” Keyain pleaded, pulling her back as the sword connected with the man’s neck, severing his head from his body. Frozen in his lips was her name, his head dropping to the cobblestone.
She shrieked as tears flowed down her cheeks. “Please, stop!”
Keyain grabbed Marietta, throwing her over his shoulder as a pile of bodies and a stream of blood trailed behind them. Her voice turned hoarse, but she continued to yell as Keyain carried her away.
Through the noise of the crowd, Keyain screamed at his soldiers to deal non-lethal blows. Blood continued to spill; the bodies kept falling.
For a moment, the crowd parted, and Marietta saw a tall, broad man of olive skin, a beard thick on his face as dark hair fell into his eyes as he slid a sword from a guard’s body. His gaze locked with Marietta, and her heart stopped—Pelok.
“Tilan’s alive!” she screamed, clawing at Keyain’s back.
“Marietta!” Keyain yelled, holding her tighter. “Stay still, for the love of fuck.” Panic gripped his voice as the guards pushed in closer around them.
