Warrior Queen (Skeleton Key) (4 page)

K
eleti flew inland
, and north, looking for the army her cousin was rallying. The last message had said they were only a ten day march away. She should be able to see them by now. They should be about four days away, maybe five. But there was nothing on the horizon.

She stayed high and wheeled south. It didn’t take long before she saw the camp fires of the invaders glittering in the dark. There were so many. Beyond them, further to the south, she knew that farms had been burned after they’d stolen whatever food they could. They ate any animal they could get their hands on.

Further south again were their boats. She had made that discovery early on when the first refugees from her cities to the south had arrived. Runners and messenger birds had delivered more news.

She had, of course, ceased all trade immediately.

The invaders had been surprised that she knew of the army. They had thought to come into her city under the banner of trade and negotiations. They had wanted to make her think they came with peaceful intent. They had talked, but they had refused to negotiate. They wanted her daughter since she had refused to give up being Queen.

They wanted war.

Sickened by the sight of the invading army, she flew home.

She flew into her chamber and dressed. The magic falling away like water off feathers. She was hungry. Flying always made her hungry. Even though it was late, well past the time for any midnight rituals, she called for a meal and also messengers.

She was going to risk sending a runner, as well as birds.

Had her cousin been injured or captured? Keleti closed her eyes as her heart tightened. No, the invaders would be asking for a ransom had that happened. Was she dead? No they would’ve announced that too. What had gone wrong? Why would Nadri send messages about the army she’d raised when there wasn’t one?

She had a distant cousin three days’ flying to the north. She’d send a message there. They would rally fast and gather an army on the way. She’d also send hawks to the closer cities, warning them again, but calling for aid to repel those that were trying to take over their lands and destroy their way of life.

By the time all of that was done, she knew that she’d manage only a few hours of sleep before she’d have to start all over again.

She was tired. She shouldn’t be so tired. She was only thirty five. While she had people who happily served her, she needed more than that. She needed more than serving the people too. If she asked, the cities would send willing candidates to be her consort.

She could have her pick of men or women.

Right now she couldn’t face making an extra choice.

Her cousin should be back, she should be here to help with scouting duties. Keliti was the only person capable of flight in the city and she didn’t like it.

No one had brought forward a young woman who was showing the signs of having Heavenly blood for a generation. Sometimes they appeared; royal blood in their veins when their maternal lineage was traced. It was an honor to be gifted flight.

It was a burden.

Perhaps no one wanted to take on the responsibility, and she wouldn’t force anyone either, but that wouldn’t stop her from asking. Maybe it was as simple as her people had forgotten they could step forward. Well, she would remind them.

She closed her eyes and tried to force sleep. The air trembled with the thudding of the waves on the cliff. High tide.

What was her prisoner doing? Plotting his escape? She’d pay him a visit tomorrow.

Tomorrow would be another long day.

K
eleti still had
the general running of the city to attend to. While matters of marriage and divorce and the dividing of property were left to the priests, the greater disputes she had to deal with.

Today one man was resenting that his wife was leaving, and that because she had three children she got a four fifths of their joint wealth. As was typical there was an equal share for each person in the family, the woman looking after the children’s portion. Listening to him argue, Keleti could see why his wife had had enough of their two year union. She read the documented wealth, including two children that the woman had brought to their union, and what he had brought. Then she spoke to the woman, who was more than happy to leave with what she had started with if that would be the end of it.

While it wasn’t the norm, Keleti was happy to sign off on the agreement.

The now ex-husband still wasn’t thrilled. He’d been hoping that he’d get some of his wife’s wealth even though he had no children to look after. This would be a mark against his name. He would find it hard to marry up again. The woman probably wouldn’t risk such a hasty union again.

Keleti didn’t want to make that mistake either. While her consort would only be entitled to a small stipend should they split, she still didn’t want that hassle or the breach of trust. She pressed her lips together and listened to a few more grievances, many related to the additional citizens within the walls after they had fled their destroyed villages. Extended family was testing people’s good will.

Again Keleti knew how they felt. All her people were her family and some days she was tired of their arguing. This was a job that her consort could do.

As much as she wanted the help, she wanted more than a political marriage, especially after her experience with the Southerners. While the idea had been sensible, in her heart she hadn’t wanted it. She should have listened to her gut and refused from the start.

The war would have started sooner. She doubted anything could have prevented it. If she’d have married a Southerner, the enemy would’ve been within the walls and taking them over from the inside.

At least the failed negotiations had brought them some time to get most of the harvest in and start to make ready. They still weren’t ready and she had the stranger from another world in the caves beneath her city.

She called a break. For the most part people didn’t grumble too loud.

Her daughter had stood behind her for the whole thing. It was part of her training. She had to learn the laws of the land and the meanings of the rituals as well as how to apply them to day to day life.

“Do you want me to take over?” Driska was frowning. She didn’t look as though she was sure that she could.

As much as Keleti wanted to say yes, she shook her head. Driska had to look as though she knew what she was doing before she sat in that chair. Keleti remembered how terrifying that was the first time and the weight of responsibility. “Not today.”

She looked at her daughter. Her eyes were the same blue as the priest’s. There was no hint of gold. Had she imagined it? They would have to talk soon, before Driska started to feel the urge to stand on the edge of the cliff with the wind on her skin.

Keleti laid her hand on her daughter’s arm. “We should eat together tonight.”

Her daughter nodded. “I think so.”

They walked out arm in arm. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much.”

“I understand. I know we are in trouble.” Driska’s face tightened. “How much trouble?”

Keleti couldn’t bring herself to tell her daughter that there was no army coming to help them and that her cousin was missing. While she’d checked with the messengers this morning there was no word on Nadri. The whole situation felt wrong. The longer it continued the more worried Keleti was becoming.

She’d have to get the priests to see if they could divine a way forward that didn’t end in capitulation to the Southerners.

“We will be fine.” Did they have enough food and water put away? How long would they be able to last? If the invaders dammed the river, then they would run out of water fast. She doubted that they would poison it.

Keleti smiled even she didn’t feel at all cheerful.

“Is it true you caught a spy?” Driska’s eyes were bright with curiosity.

Keleti stopped and faced her daughter. They were the same height; maybe Driska was a little taller. “We caught a man, but I don’t think he is a spy.”

Once she’d spoken the words aloud, they felt right. He didn’t look like a Southerner. From his rat ears to his odd clothing to his magic key…he was other and like no one she’d ever met before.

“Who is he?”

“I don’t know.” But he had arrived when her city needed a miracle. Perhaps she should find a way to make the most of him. It was unwise to spurn any gift from the gods, even if it did seem strange. However, all magic was strange and best left to the priests to contemplate.

She hadn’t even asked the rat-eared man his name. That was something she planned on rectifying. Perhaps there was a way to use his appearance to her advantage.

B
ryce hadn’t slept well
. The ocean was loud and unsettlingly close. It wasn’t just the ocean, though. It was everything. He’d managed to get his hands free, and had contemplated escaping, but there was nowhere to go—assuming that he didn’t kill himself on the climb down. He doubted he would be able to manage the climb up and the priest still had the key that was his only way home.

However, he had no intention of dying in a cave either.

This morning he decided to turn on his phone, there was still no signal so he’d looked through his photos. He had no idea if he’d see any of the people in them again. Had he already been reported missing?

But who was expecting him and who would be missing him? He had no job to turn up to. It would be a few days before his neighbors noticed the mail stacking up.

No one would notice that he was gone yet.

That wasn’t comforting.

He sat on the edge and dangled his legs out the cave. Below him was a beautiful beach that he knew would be swallowed up by nightfall. Somewhere there was a waterfall, he could hear it when the waves weren’t so violent. He’d been rationing the water he’d been left with, not sure when, or if he was going to get more. Further out in the ocean he saw great green creatures with long graceful necks dive and surface.

His first thought had been dinosaurs, but really they could be anything. However they still made him smile as he watched them. It was a pretty view if he chose to forget why he was here. When his phone eventually died he would watch it fall into the ocean and see how long it took. If he tried to free climb out of here, he knew that with one slip he’d make that fall.

He wasn’t that desperate, yet.

A shadow swept over the cave. He blinked then saw the great hawk, Keleti. That still hurt his head. He’d seen it happen and there was still a disconnect. The bird turned and he realized with a start that she was coming toward him.

He swore and scrambled back.

The hawk was only seconds behind him, her talons skidded on the chalky floor and tore up pebbles.

His heart was about to tear free of his chest as the great golden eyes watched him. Then she shook and there was a shimmer like sunlight on water and then the bird was gone. Keleti picked up what she’d been carrying and shook out a simple cloth that she wrapped around herself to form a dress.

Bryce lowered his gaze. He shouldn’t have been watching her dress even though she didn’t seem worried about being naked.

When she was done she picked up the rest of the things she’d carried in the cloth she was now wearing and sat on the floor near where he had scrambled to. “I saw you sitting there. I would have done a second sweep to give you a chance to move.”

“I didn’t know.” And he wasn’t game to look up. His cheeks were burning at the memory of her legs and ass and the feather tattoo running the length of her spine.

“What is your name?”

“Bryce Allard.” Not that it made any difference here. He could’ve called himself Cucumber.

“I am Keleti the Heavenly. Queen of Telsila.” She paused. “Do you hide your face out of deceit or is it your custom not to look people in the eye when speaking to them?”

Bryce lifted his chin and met her gaze. “You are a Queen and I am a commoner and your prisoner.”

She frowned for a moment. “Here you had best learn to look a person in the eye lest they think you a liar.”

“Understood.” It still didn’t feel quite right to look at her. Her face was partly in shadow, but there was a golden glint in her eyes. “How do you…um…become a hawk?”

The words sounded silly when spoken. People couldn’t turn into animals. Not where he came from anyway. Here, well there were plesiosaurs in the ocean so what he thought he knew didn’t really apply.

“Those with royal blood have the magic. How many of your people have keys?”

“Magic keys? None that I know of. I have no idea why I ended up with that one. This is all some kind of horrible mistake.” But why had the key been by his letter box? Had it been dropped or left for him? If it had been left, why not put it somewhere more obvious? Then there was the question of why was the key magic. and where had it come from in the first place? He had absolutely no answers.

What if other people, missing persons, had found keys and gone to other worlds? Was it something that happened on a regular basis? He thought of all the unsolved disappearances and couldn’t suppress the shiver.

She considered him for a moment, then unwrapped food. She picked up what looked like a palm sized bun. She ate and considered him, her gaze was calm and unflinching. He’d never had anyone stare so openly—except the occasional druggie looking to start a fight.

Looking away would be considered rude so he made himself hold her gaze even though he was squirming with discomfort on the inside.

“I do not believe it was a horrible mistake. I think you are here for a reason Bryce Allard.”

“Just Bryce will be fine. What reason could that be? I am not a military strategist, or a soldier. I’m an ex-cop.” Seeing her lifted eyebrow he clarified. “Policeman.”

“What is an excop policeman?”

“I used to be a policeman. Um.” He wasn’t explaining his job very well. “I arrested criminals and upheld the law. That kind of stuff.” They had to have something similar here.

She nodded and kept on eating. He was hungry. He’d eaten most of the food this morning. “The reason you are here will become clear.”