Chapter Twenty-Three
Tyrael guided them up along the tunnels below the city, emerging into the palace grounds through the cellar of a library that Donan wished he had more time to explore.
Their party startled the librarian at his work as they came up through a trapdoor in the floor, but Tyrael seemed to be on friendly, even conspiratorial terms with the man.
He said little as they made their way from the library and across a small cloister where the warm midday sun looked directly down on them.
Tyrael paused at a doorway on the other side of the enclosure. “We may encounter opposition in the courtyard beyond.”
Adreona offered to go first, and a moment later, she motioned for them to hurry through. They skirted the edge of the broad courtyard until they reached an archway, and after passing beneath it, they entered a garden.
Donan had no time to admire the lushness of the greenery; he followed Tyrael as he led the way along a gravel path through trees and hedges until they arrived at a fountain of leaping dolphins.
Queen Etara sat at a small table near the splashing water, and she stood at the sight of Tyrael’s retinue, seeming startled.
“Faysal,” she said. “I did not expect—Captain Adreona, why are you here? Shouldn’t you and Lorath be on Athulua?”
That settled the question of the queen’s involvement in their arrest, at least to Donan’s satisfaction.
It also seemed to put the others at ease.
The Askarra Guard who stood nearby guarding the queen did not look at all pleased to see the Horadrim in the garden.
They closed in from their positions, weapons and shields raised.
Tyrael stepped forward, eyeing the enemy. “May we speak in private, your majesty?”
“Of course,” the queen said. She turned toward the advancing warriors. “Leave us.”
The nearest of the silks balked. “But my queen, you mustn’t—”
“Captain Adreona may remain,” Tyrael offered. “Surely Queen Etara will be safe in her presence.”
It seemed the Askarra Guard could think of no argument to counter that, nor justification for disobeying their queen, so they removed themselves.
Their backward glances suggested that they would rush straight to Myrina to warn her of what was happening, which meant the Horadrim now had little time to accomplish their purpose.
“Now we are alone.” The queen gestured Tyrael toward the chair opposite hers at the table, and they both sat.
Donan and the rest of those present took up positions a few paces away, listening to the conversation but ready for the arrival of Myrina and her Askarra Guard.
“Your message said you wanted to share some truths with me,” Etara said.
“And so I do,” Tyrael said. “I fear we are short on time, so I hope you will forgive the lack of preamble as I come right to the point: we are Horadrim, Lorath, Donan, and myself.”
The queen merely nodded. “I suspected you might be something of the sort.”
“You did?”
“I am no fool, Faysal. I have seldom encountered scholars who dress and conduct themselves as you do. Why did you not declare yourselves from the beginning?”
“These are perilous times, as you well know,” Tyrael said. “We feared we would not be welcome.”
“Some may have objected to your presence,” the queen acknowledged.
“That is not all, your majesty.” Tyrael lifted his head a little as he spoke, looking directly into Etara’s eyes. “My name is not Faysal. It is Tyrael.”
The queen’s eyes widened in recognition of the name, and her mouth opened slightly with a subtle gasp. “Tyrael? But—You can’t be…?”
“Yes,” he said. “I am he. I wear this armor and carry this sword because I was once an archangel. Some time ago, I renounced my nature and sacrificed much of my power to become a mortal man.”
Next to Donan, Alenia inhaled sharply. Adreona turned to Lorath, who gave her a nod of confirmation. None of them interrupted Tyrael’s audience with Etara by speaking.
The queen closed her mouth and straightened her back. “Why would an archangel do such a thing, if I may ask?”
“I have long made it my life’s purpose to defend humanity against the tyranny of the Burning Hells. There were times when this put me at odds with others in the High Heavens, those who do not always share my regard for humanity. I had to make a choice, and I chose to align myself with you.”
The queen said nothing for a moment, perhaps too stunned to speak. She took a deep breath and recovered. “Why are you here?”
“We came to learn what happened to an expedition of Horadrim that I sent to Skovos some years past, before the Reaping.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know anything about that.” The queen touched her lips, frowning, and once again, it seemed to Donan that she spoke the truth. “Have you been able to find them?”
“We have, your majesty. Sadly, they all perished.”
“I’m very sorry to hear it, but…why do you tell me all of this?”
Tyrael leaned toward her. “Because I want you to know that I am being completely honest in what else I am about to say.”
The queen almost laughed. “You mean there’s more?”
“There is,” Tyrael said. “And I am afraid this news will be less welcome to you.” He then explained all they had witnessed and learned, with help from Adreona, Lorath, and Donan, including the smuggling activity, the loosing of the titan, and the destruction of the watchfire.
The queen listened throughout, growing more agitated with each revelation, more restless in her chair, and at the conclusion of it all, she stood, looking much smaller and more frail than she had when Donan first saw her upon her driftwood throne.
“This is unwelcome news, indeed,” she said, pacing away from Tyrael. “If what you say is true, then why have I not heard of it before now? Have you informed Myrina?”
It was Adreona who stepped forward to answer her. “My queen, it gives me no pleasure to say this, but I swear to you on my life as an Amazon that Myrina knows all that we have just told you.”
The queen shot her a glare. “That is not possible.”
“It is true, your majesty,” Tyrael said. “Not only is Myrina aware of these events, but we believe she has been instrumental in bringing them about.”
“Now you go too far,” she said. “I don’t care who you are. You expect me to believe that my own daughter has betrayed our people? That she has betrayed me ?”
“I wish we were wrong,” Adreona said. “But everything we have told you is true. Each of the warriors with me will swear to the destruction of the watchfire and the existence of the titan. Many more will testify to the Drowned incursion that we defeated only with Lorath’s aid.”
“I do not doubt the truth of those things,” the queen said. “It is your accusation against Myrina that I cannot abide—”
“My queen?” Alenia said, surprising Donan as she stepped forward from her place at his side. “May I speak?”
Etara seemed to regard her with some annoyance. “Who are you?”
“I am Alenia, elder sister to Queen Amira.”
“Amira?” Etara’s demeanor changed from anger to guarded curiosity. “You are her sister, you say?”
“I am.”
“And how are you involved in this affair? Did my sister queen send you?”
“In a manner of speaking, she did. She foretold that I would help Donan, which I have done. I stand before you now because I accompanied him.”
“I see.” Alenia’s connection to the Oracle Queen and the mention of prophecy seemed to have broken through some of the queen’s opposition. “And what do you wish to say, Alenia?”
“Only that everyone standing before you in this garden is here to protect and preserve Skovos. These Horadrim have demonstrated that they are willing to die for these isles, but that did not stop Captain Myrina from imprisoning them—”
“Imprisoning them?” The queen looked back and forth between Donan and Lorath. “Is this true?”
Adreona answered, “I’m afraid it is, my queen. And it was done, supposedly, on your authority.”
“But I gave no such order—”
In that moment, a large force of Askarra Guards streamed into the garden from multiple directions.
Dozens of warriors armed with bows and spears surrounded the Horadrim, outnumbering Adreona’s Amazons three to one.
Captain Myrina led them, rushing to her mother’s side as if preparing to defend her from an attack.
“My queen!” she said. “You are not safe with these traitors!”
“ Traitors? ” the queen said. Donan could see by the shock and sadness in Etara’s eyes that with a one-word accusation, Myrina had just broken some of her mother’s faith in her.
“That is a serious charge, Captain, and I have seen no evidence of it. Tell me, how has Adreona betrayed our people? I am informed that only days ago, she destroyed a Drowned incursion with the help of this man.”
Myrina’s eyes narrowed, darting as if surveying a shifting terrain, but she stood her ground. “These mainlanders have lied to you, my queen. They are not who they pretend to be. They are Horadrim. ”
“Yes, I am aware,” the queen said. “They have just told me as much themselves. But I wonder, Captain, if you already knew that, why had you not informed me?”
Myrina paled. “Your majesty, I did not want to trouble you with—”
“That is not for you to decide,” the queen replied. “I have many questions for you, Captain Myrina. It seems you have been taking a great number of…liberties and done much in my name. I fear you have forgotten your place.”
“My place?” Myrina’s voice cracked with anger.
She relaxed her stance, turning from the Horadrim toward her mother.
“My place has been at your side for all these years. Through all manner of turmoil. I have defended you when others claimed you were no longer fit to rule. I have supported your crown, even when you weren’t aware of it.
And now you speak to me about my place?”