Warrior Queen (Skeleton Key) Read Free Page A

another? Some days it would be a relief to not do it all on her own.
    “This consort business started the problem.” The Southerners had suggested that she marry one of them to formalize trade and goodwill. But when she realized that she’d be expected to be with only one man for the rest of her life and never participate in the temple rituals, and that he expected to become king not consort, the whole proposal had fallen apart. “No person should have less standing than cattle.”
    There was a round of murmurs and nods from the men and women around her. They had come from all over the North. The Southerners’ army had arrived and moved faster than any of them had expected.
    “And yet we cannot talk sense into them,” another delegate said.
    “They are deaf to reason.” And common sense. It was obvious to all that a child was the mother’s, while the father was usually a mystery. Yet the Southern men thought they could own the child by binding a woman in marriage for life. “And marching steadily closer.”
    “If we give them the magic, would it work?” her favorite priest asked. He had the prettiest eyes, like aquamarine.
    “I don’t know. And I don’t want to find out.” That was why they wanted Driska, her eldest daughter. With Driska they were hoping to breed her like a cow and start their own line of Heavenly hawks, but Driska hadn’t taken her first flight yet. At fifteen she should be starting to show the signs of being a Heavenly…or not. Not every child born to a Heavenly mother had the ability. The gods handed out that gift sparingly.
    And even if Driska showed signs the ritual of first flight, it was not something to be rushed or to be forced into. It didn’t always work. Not everyone could absorb the magic. Not everyone wanted the responsibility that came with it either. Flight was a sign of the divine blood. The farsightedness needed to rule over a vast people, and a way to spread news.
    In this case the news wasn’t good. Her cousin had gone to call up an army and ask the other Queens for help. Messages would flow to the outer reaches of her kingdom, and to her sister, who had gone north to locate new copper mines. Her sister had never wanted to fly or rule. She loved the metal that came out of the earth. However, her cousin had been given the gift and had stepped in to assist—there were always two Heavenlys in a city, but only one Queen. It was always a worry when there was only one person capable of flight. Who would rule if something happened to her? The thought left a bitter taste.
    Her cousin would have to rule until Driska was old enough, assuming Driska wanted that responsibility.
    Keleti glanced around the room. If she had a consort, she’d be able to entrust some of the more basic duties to him while she concentrated on the coming war.
    Until her cousin came back with news, there was only one thing they could do. “We need to prepare for siege and hope that our army will arrive and stain our walls red with Southern blood.”
    They all nodded. They all knew this was coming. Some had wanted to leave, but the army was too close and they would be caught. It was safer here. The delegates waited on news from their Queens. They had come to discuss the growing problem, they hadn’t expected such a large army to land and start a war.
    One by one, they left the chamber. No one was happy. Aside from settling some disputes between cities over mining and farming rights, there had been little warfare in recent years. At first the arrival of the Southerners by boat and seeking to trade had been a novelty.
    They had known that the Southerners existed, but had never sought direct contact.
    Refugees from the fishing town told of how the invaders wanted to know about the gift of flight. It was never her they had actually wanted when offering one of theirs to be her consort, but access to the magic and the copper mines and the metal and gems that they traded for.
    The priest touched her arm.