CHAPTER ONE #3
Countess Donya read the scroll with shaking fingers and an increasingly grim expression.
Then she read it again, as if unable to believe it.
“This appears to be genuine, Lady Regent.” Her pug nose twitched.
Though she was trying to hide her shock, her voice faltered.
“I hope you’ll at least allow me to guide you as a new ruler of an unfamiliar land.
As my first bit of advice, you should immediately release this woman.
” She inclined her head at me. “Her name is Bora, the beloved younger sister of Holy Maiden Ysabel.”
How did she know that? On second thought, who cared? I attempted to grunt in confirmation.
For the first time, Duchess Hedri’s face lost its confidence. She probably didn’t fear Ysabel, but rather my sister’s husband, Dark Lord Kaine. Although he’d had his dark lord stigma erased in the last World Games, he still featured in the worst nightmares of every kingdom around the world.
“It would be a shame to have your new kingdom burned to ashes so soon after obtaining it,” Donya said, a soft, unmistakable threat.
I didn’t know if Ysabel would burn kingdoms for me.
We’d been separated as young children, and ever since then, there had been a distance between us.
She’d always been kind to me in the frequent letters she wrote but rarely talked about anything deep and personal.
I’d found out about her engagement from the public town crier. But I hoped the duchess believed Donya.
Duchess Hedri’s eyes flickered over me, really looking at me, as she hadn’t bothered to when ordering my execution.
“I’ve never heard of the Holy Maiden having a family.
I won’t let you bluff me for the sake of some powerless peasant.
I’ll put her in the dungeons until I can investigate.
If you’re right, she’ll be the perfect hostage to keep Conollia in check.
If you’re wrong, then I’ll drain her blood while she still lives.
” She bared her teeth. “She’s not pretty enough for my blood bath, but I’ll make an exception. ”
The blood bath was true after all. My apologies to the little old ladies in my village.
As the guards stepped forward, Donya moved to cut them off. Both parties hesitated—the common guards didn’t want to be the first to attack a noblewoman, and Donya didn’t want to start a fight she couldn’t win.
The crowd murmured. “You’re going to kill our Ysabel’s sister?” a Conollian woman near the front demanded. Her accented voice wasn’t the loudest, but the words cut through the air like a knife.
“She looks just like Holy Maiden Ysabel, except fatter,” an elderly man called.
The dig about my looks was unnecessary, but thank you, random citizen.
“You’ll bring the wrath of the Sun God down on this city!” a young woman shrieked.
“More like the damn Blood Duchess will bring down the wrath of Dark Lord Kaine,” the older woman next to her muttered. “We only just finished repairing our walls. I worked so hard replanting the flowers.”
“Holy Maiden Ysabel saved my life,” another man shouted. Many more chimed in with the same sentiment. My sister had served as a healer in this city for so long, probably almost everyone had a friend or relative whose life she’d saved.
Someone picked up a stone and threw it at a guard. The sound when it struck his helmet cracked in the winter air like thunder. The murmurs of the crowd turned into growls.
The Blood Duchess surveyed the people around her with a cold, assessing look.
The lines around her mouth were hard, but her eyes darted around nervously.
A scroll granting her legal authority wouldn’t save her from being torn to bits by an angry mob, and she knew it.
The great thing about being a peasant? We weren’t important enough to swear life-oaths.
No magic forced us to play by the rules of the Conclave of Kings.
We could rip to pieces any noble we could get our dirt-stained hands on.
“I have more important business to take care of,” Duchess Hedri said. Pretending not to run away, she got into her carriage. The guards followed her lead. As soon as the coachman stopped looking at me, I could move again. I exhaled sharply.
Donya sagged down, gripping the fountain with one hand. “Sweet Sun God, save us all,” she whispered.
I bent over to offer her a hand up. “Thank you for saving my life, my lady.”
Looking up, she tried and failed to smile. “I finally get to meet the real Bora,” she said cryptically, accepting my hand.
“How did you recognize me?”
“Your older sister wrote to me and said you’d be coming.
You look just like her! She asked me to keep an eye on you while you’re in the city.
Unfortunately, I think that means getting you out of here as fast as possible.
I wouldn’t put it past Duchess Hedri to send assassins after you.
She has a reputation for holding grudges for decades. ”
“I could turn around and leave right now,” I suggested, more than willing.
“You wouldn’t be safe on the road alone, and you’ll be faster on a horse. Allow me to arrange an escort.” Donya stood up. “Ysabel is a dear friend of mine. I swear I’ll do everything in my power to protect you.”
I nodded, fully aware I could use all the help I could get. “Thank you, my lady.”
Five female guards in armor ran forward, pushing through the crowd. “Donya! You should have waited for us—what happened?”
“The fall of the kingdom of Arahasnor just happened,” Donya said grimly.
Someone laughed nervously. Both Donya and I knew it was no joke.