Page 54 of Of Sockets Of Stitches
I had touched each of my stitches in turn, or connected with those stitches that shackled kings.Forty-nine.
Each stitch correlated to a broken vein or artery of the world, a sickness to be healed. Not a stitch—a mother.
My mothers would heal the world.
I had hoped there would not be forty-nine. I had hoped there would at least be one less. I rested a hand on the olden rock, drawing fearful gasps from Take and Bring. I supposed they had once done the same with dire results.
I rested upon the olden rock. “Some nights, there is great weight in what I do.”
Steeling myself, I walked out to my rooftop garden to better peer down at my queendom. My grayscale mothers were superimposed below, and I scanned their circle until I found Danya. My exhale shuddered out of me, and I closed my eyes against the sight of her.
Her eyes were set wide. Her mouth pressed shut. Danya was unmoving—a statue.
The mothers either side of her remained stitched in place. They continued to chant, only occasionally glancing at their daughter and mother.
Without warning, I had stolen one from their midst. I would steal more of them.Allof them. Healing the sickness of the world would take my own mother. Or should I dare to hope that I could find a way to spare her? She had given up her vibrancy in death to provide for me in death. I had thought that meant she would be with me forever.
I turned from the statue of Danya, staggering back to the conservatory.
For there was another problem.
If every stitch was needed, then they could not be used to shackle kings.
I strode into the conservatory and stood before kings. I looked at each of them in turn. “I saw a saved world last night. I saw how it could be.”
King Bring said on a breath, “What was it like?”
I smiled. “Much like your kingdom, sir. Your vision should be commended.”
He dipped his head. “And yours, Great Queen. We have always agreed on that vision.”
That was true. “Lush growth. Soil bursting with life. A miracle awaits us, such vibrancy.”
“What must we do?” asked King Take.
They must do naught, except conquer themselves to heal their unions. But time. We had so little time.
Ihad so little time.
I did not face King See as I released his shackles and called back the stitch welding the shackles closed. “You are free. This is the next step.”
King See kneeled, but I did not turn to look because great misgiving and vulnerability sought to clamor in me.
“Perantiqua, you will never regret this,” he said. “I am yours for eternity.”
That was what I feared. Would he be my eternal happiness or my eternal pain?
He did not stand. “What would you have me do?”
King Bring said, “You could keep him close to easier forgive him.”
I wrinkled my nose, though I could see the sense in that too.
King Take snorted. “You could banish him to his kingdom, or chain him to your bed.”
I rolled my eyes.
King Change chuckled darkly. “He killed any destiny you might have shared with him. You know it is pointless to try.”
