Page 50 of Daughter of No Worlds

“That she is,” Max muttered.

Queen Sesri could not have been older than thirteen, at most. Her round cheeks were completely still, enormous eyes unblinking, giving her the appearance of a porcelain doll. Her dress overwhelmed her tiny frame, swaddling her in layers upon layers of chiffon and gossamer. Beside her stood a Valtain man dressed in a fine but simple white suit. He stopped just behind her, flicking a plat of neat silver hair over his shoulder and regarding the crowd with flat stoicism.

The eight hooded soldiers parted and a finely dressed, portly man was forced to his knees on the steps.

“Shit,” Max muttered, under his breath, “she’s doing this publicly now?”

The tension in the crowd intensified, and for one terrible moment I forgot who I was, swept away by the overwhelming emotions of others. I nearly doubled over, then snapped back into my own head so quickly that I felt like I had walked into a wall.

Focus, Tisaanah. Focus.

The queen opened her mouth, and silence fell over the crowd like a suffocating blanket. “Lord Savoi. You are here to testify before your people. Do you look into the eyes of those you betray and continue to insist your innocence?”

“I have no traitorous intentions, my Queen,” the man said. The slight waver at the end of his sentence was the only sign that he was afraid. But I could taste his fear, feel it seeping into my own skin and melding with the trembling tension of the crowd.

The Queen turned to look at the Valtain who stood beside her. He shook his head in one small movement.

“You are lying,” she said to her prisoner. “You keep lying.”

“I do not lie, my Queen. I do not.”

I will die I will die I will die.

My fingers shot to my temples, a rough exhale escaping between my teeth.

“Are you alright?” Max’s breath on my ear beckoned me back to my own head. I nodded, even though I knew I was leaning against him more heavily.

“Youdolie,” the Queen barked. “You’re lying to all of us. Such traitorous intentions killed many more people than just my father. I’m sure your kin remember.”

She gestured to the crowd. And I felt the memories ripple through them, and through me — flashes of blood and steel, the iron tang of panic.

The hooded, eyeless guard’s face turned toward us again.

Max’s other hand gently gripped my shoulder. “Let’s get out of here.”

The guard leaned over at the waist and whispered into the Queen’s ear.

I nodded, turning away with Max to push our way back through the crowd—

But then the Queen’s voice rang out. “Maxantarius Farlione.”

Max froze. “Fuck.”

Chapter Sixteen

My stunned gaze snapped to Max. Why would the Queen—?

“Step forward, Maxantarius.”

He muttered a string of curse words beneath his breath. Then he released my shoulder and turned, pushing through the front of the crowd. I watched him with my heart lingering at the base of my throat, unable to shake the feeling that a dangerous shadow loomed over us.

It was only as I watched him approach the steps that I noticed Nura standing near the bottom of the stairs, hands behind her back. Beside her stood several other members of the Orders, each bearing the insignias of the Orders of Midnight or Daybreak.

I saw only the smallest hint of surprise glimmer across Nura’s face.

The Queen smiled at Max. “I remember you. I have very good memory, you know.”

Gods, she was such achild.

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