Page 51 of Daughter of No Worlds

Max offered no response. I watched the stiff line of his back, shoulders square with his hands clasped in front of him.

“Do you know who this is, Lord Savoi?” the Queen asked.

“I— I do not, my Queen.” The man peered over his shoulder. “I am familiar with the Farlione name, but—”

“Maxantarius Farlione is nearly solely responsible for the end of the Great Ryvenai War. Specifically, our victory at the city of Sarlazai.”

No one made a sound, but the emotional response that tore through the air was so explosive that for one moment I forgot to breathe — as if I was being ripped in two, torn between stunned admiration and acidicrevulsion. I clenched every muscle to keep myself upright.

I could have sworn I saw Max’s shoulders shudder.

The Queen gazed down at him admiringly for a moment, and I recognized the look on her face, that adoring doe-eyed smile that I had practiced in the mirror many times at her age. Then, it soured. “You were invited to the Palace to be honored after the end of the war. But you didn’t come.”

“You were only six years old then, my Queen. I thought it would likely be past your bedtime.”

A collective gasp. Mine joined it.

Stupid.Stupid. In Threll, such blatant disrespect could cost a man his life.

The remnants of the smile withered at the corners of the Queen’s mouth.

“You will address our Queen with respect,” one of the eyeless guards barked, her fingers tightening around that spear.

I vividly remembered the sound of Serel’s blade piercing Esmaris’s chest and my blood turned to ice, imagining that same wet crunch as the spear impaled Max —

I desperately, so desperately, wanted to grab him and yank him back into the crowd.

Max’s face turned just slightly, only enough for me to see the edge of his profile over his shoulder.

“I was merely providing an explanation,” he said to the Queen, who frowned. The she looked at the Valtain, who, in turn, stared at Max with a wrinkle between his brows.

“Don’t even think about it, Tare,” Max hissed. But the wrinkle on the Valtain’s forehead only deepened, and Max’s fingers curled at his temple.

When the Valtain glanced at the Queen and nodded, she let out a visible breath.

“You only have lenience,” she said, voice wavering, “because of all you sacrificed for my father.” Then, to Lord Savoi, who still kneeled on the steps, “Do you wish to look into the eyes of such sacrifice and lie to him, too, Lord Savoi? I’m sure you heard the fate of the Farlione family. After everything he did for this country, he lost his kin to traitors like you, just as I did.”

It took me a moment to fully translate the words. When I did, my heart clenched.

Lord Savoi looked down at Max. “I do not lie,” he said, pleadingly.

Queen Sesri turned again the Valtain, who shook his head, his expression stone.

Her delicate hand curled into a fist. “Youdolie.Why?After what such lies took from me? From heroes like Captain Farlione—”

“Firstly, I’m not Captain anything anymore.” Max’s furious voice sliced through hers. “I am no longer a member of the military. And secondly—”

The girl’s face went blank, stunned. “You will not—”

“Secondly,myQueen,” he spat, “what happened to my family was a tragedy, not a political statement. Andthisis not what they or your father died for. He would be ashamed to see you using his death to justify this circus.”

For one split moment, I was certain I was about to witness Max’s death.

That is, until Nura darted from her designated place in the sidelines, sliding in front of Max and dropping into a kneel. “Please, forgive him, my Queen. The things he witnessed and lost during the war still linger, and his mind has never been the same. He does not know what he says.”

I could only imagine the face he was making atthatimplication.

“I know exactly what I say,” Max snarled.

---