Page 16 of The Witch Queen

I work to keep my face neutral. If the mist is the result of blood magic, I expected that Queen Laurel would need to be present with blood to cast spellwork to part the mist. We were briefed by my father’s aethermasters that she may even require samples of our own blood to allow us to pass. I glance at Silene, wondering if she’s thinking the same thing as me. Her face is thoughtful, brows furrowed, and lips pursed.

“Of course,” I say with a wide and charming smile. “She must be very busy. Thank you for greeting us in her stead.” Nemesia’s gaze only hardens, and she squares her shoulders as she crosses her arms.

“Please do follow us through the mist barrier,” the male says, his voice a bit kinder. “It’s thick for about twenty paces, but once you’re through you’ll find visibility is rather normal the farther you travel from the coast.” With that, the group of Thayarians turn and begin to walk back through the mist. I hesitate for only a moment, then push forward through my trepidation. Silene and especially Fionn need to see my confidence in order to take those steps themselves into the thick haze.

As soon as I cross the misty barrier, visibility is completely gone. I feel Fionn place his hand on my shoulder and hope Silene has done the same behind him. The mist has anenergyto it I did not expect, almost like it’s sentient. It laps at my face and hands, stroking gentle caresses across my skin. As it slides down my back, I relax,certainit’s safe and won’t harm me or my friends. When I reach the edge of the barrier and take my first steps into Thayarian territory, it lingers at my side for just a moment, like the tendrils don’t want to let me go, before it snaps back into the barrier that is more wall than mist.

Fionn and Silene return to my side as we gaze at the small town in front of us. It looks just like any port town in Velmara, though with much more vibrant and lush foliage growing around it and the lingering mist that gives it a sleepy feeling. Rather than multiple slips, there’s one long pier that extends beyond the mist for ships to dock at while Thayarians quickly unload the goods. Beyond the pier, stone buildings line a single thoroughfare through the center of the town.

Nemesia and the other advisors lead us down this road, several Thayarians carting our trunks on wheeled dollies or levitating them with practiced ease while staring at us with wary looks. We stop in front of a tavern named The Emerald Shell, covered in moss with horses tethered outside. The moss seems to shift towards Nemesia, as if she’s the sun and it must turn toward her light. I find myself shrinking back from her imposing presence while she tracks every step with her fastidious gaze.

Nemesia finally introduces the male next to her. “This is Admon. In my absence, he’ll serve as the Acting Chair of the Council of Advisors. He’s your primary contact during yourshorttime in Thayaria.” Silene narrows her eyes at the gruff advisor, clear dislike written across her features.

“It’s excellent to meet you, Admon,” I say with a respectful nod of my head and a vibrant smile in an attempt to break the tension building. He returns the gesture while Nemesia bares her teeth, every inch the warrior whispered about. She looks like she wants to devour us.

“We have horses waiting to begin your journey to Arberly. Since it’s still early morning, we’ll sleep one night on the road, and should be to the capital by tomorrow evening,” Admon informs us.

“We won’t be aerstepped by Her Majesty or another air channeler?” Silene asks.

Admon smiles apologetically, the perfect picture of a courtier, while Nemesia sneers. Silene rolls her eyes dramatically in the direction of the General, and I have to smother my laugh. Only Silene would have the balls to roll her eyes at Nemesia Nestern.

“I’m afraid not,” Admon soothes. “Our air channelers are all occupied elsewhere, many stationed at port towns like Echosa to make unloading ships easier. I assure you we will endeavor to make your journey as comfortable and swift as possible.” He doesn’t answer why the Queen is not available.

“Are you too delicate to travel by horse, Velmaran?” Nemesia gruffly asks Silene, eyes stormy with hatred. Silene stares the tall female down, not afraid of her bluster. Neither breaks their gaze, so I step in.

“We’ll be glad of the opportunity to see more of this beautiful kingdom,” I offer with all the princely charm I can muster. Nemesia turns her attention my way, while Silene keeps her eyes glued on the General, like she can’t look away. But for what reason, I’m not sure.

“You would do well to attempt toseevery little,” Nemesia hisses, the threat clear, before turning on her heel and stalking away from us.

Hawthorne

There is no word to describe the Witch Queen other thanmonster.The Queen of Thayaria feels nothing, too lost in the bloodrage that comes when one starts practicing blood magic. Despite the Golden King’s unending attempts to reason with her or appeal to her emotions, she remains unphased. She lusts for more power and is too far gone to see that she has completely destroyed her kingdom. The once picturesque landscape of Thayaria now decays with rot.

The Witch Queen and Her Treachery

The journey is swift and comfortable, if a bit unnerving. We stay on well-traveled roads lined with trees that feel like they’re watching us, the eyes of the Witch Queen trained on the unwelcome guests. Even Silene is affected by the haunting environment, staying quiet and close to either Fionn or me. Every so often, one of us jumps, sure we’ve seen something move in the forest around us. At one point, Fionn swears the plants are trailing after us. Admon only smiles, neither confirming nor denying Fionn’s allegations. Toward the end of the second day, my horse pants with the strain of traveling uphill. We must be making the ascent to the capital city nestled amongst rolling hills and mountain peaks.

When we crest the final peak, the view takes my breath away. At the highest point of the city stands the palace, much smaller than the Velmaran castle. It’s difficult to tell the material the residence is made from, as almost every inch is covered in creeping vines and dark blooming flowers. Part of the structure appears to be built into the side of the rounded mountain, with windows peeking out from grassy cliff sides. There are several moss-covered towers, and in the right light I imagine the architecture would simply appear to be part of the rolling landscape. The whole effect is frightening.

We continue to ride along the ridge, and the capital city of Thayaria appears, at odds with the eldritch palace. Arberly is a sprawling city with colorful buildings dotted across the knolls and valleys, surrounded on all sides by larger mountain ranges that look almost navy in the mist, the silver fog adding intrigue to the layers of tree-lined ridges. All manner of plants cover the buildings and roads. The whole city looks like one overgrown garden that effortlessly appears both wild and manicured all at once. Next to me, Fionn and Silene are as awed as I am, their mouths open and eyes wide. This is certainly not the dark and decaying landscape children are warned of when their parents threaten to send them here if they misbehave.

Admon walks to us, and his eyes twinkle with delight. “It truly is a magnificent view. Even I never tire of entering the city from this direction.” We’re led down a steep, winding road, then up and down several more slopes. The road we travel seems to skirt the city, a direct route to the palace. When we reach tall mossy gates, several guards come out and look through our trunks before grunting to signal us to move forward. “Your quarters will be on one of the lower levels of the palace, so that you may easily enter the city without needing to trek down, and then up, the many flights of stairs this palace is known for,” Admon informs us. “You’re free to enter the city at your leisure, but you should know the Thayarian people will be extremely wary of you. Very few have left this kingdom or even this city their entire lives, and as you know, we have had no foreigners here for a very long time. Even Queen Laurel herself rarely leaves the kingdom.”

With that warning, Admon turns to lead us farther into the palace. We follow him along overgrown garden paths and through a door built into a hill. Inside, the palace walls are a dark gray, the lights dim and flickering. My skin prickles at the steep temperature drop as we trek farther into the heart of the castle. The place has an ominous feel, and I shudder to think what our rooms might look like. After several turns, we stop at two large double doors carved with various flora. Admon opens them, and we walk into a spacious and gloriously warm apartment.

“There are three bedrooms in this apartment,” Admon tells us, “all connecting to a sitting room. Each bedroom has a private bathing chamber, and water in the bathing chamber is provided by a system of pipes connected to a hot spring a few miles away. Meals will be served in your sitting room every day, though you’re free to find meals elsewhere in the city. The Council of Advisors has scheduled a formal introduction meeting tomorrow afternoon. Until then, I’ll leave you to get settled, as I’m sure you’re tired from two days of travel.” Admon pauses for a moment to see if we have any questions. When we stay silent, he bows and leaves.

“It feels very… cozy,” Silene says. The sitting room has a large bay of windows that appear to slide open onto a ground floor patio. In one corner is a fireplace, already roaring. Comfortable chairs are interspersed throughout, with a large table in another corner. Like everything in Thayaria, the space is also lined with plants that trail along the walls, adding to the pleasant ambiance.

Nothing this comfortable exists in the Velmaran palace. It is all gilded chairs that are cold and hard, formal spaces with lifeless decor—even in the private suites. I did my best to make my own suite comfortable, but even after centuries of seeking perfectly worn leather sofas, it’s nothing compared to this sitting room.

“Do you think the plants can listen in on our conversation?” Fionn whispers, eyes wide in fear. Silene giggles, and I shake my head no, though I’m not actually confident in the answer.

“Let’s get settled. I’m exhausted,” I tell them.

Fionn peaks his head in each bedroom, then walks into the one closest to the external doors, ever the protective warrior. “This one’s mine,” he grunts. I give Silene a look that says she’s free to choose her bedroom next.

She looks into the remaining two, then gives me a maniacal grin. “One of these is clearly meant for the Crown Prince of Velmara. Too bad he was stupid enough to give his courtier first pick.” She stalks into what appears to be the larger bedroom as I follow. The room is painted gold, as if the Thayarians assumed I would want to keep the color of my country even in my sleeping chambers. The bed is massive, with a gold comforter and lush pillows. It has its own private patio, a table and chairs set there to admire the picturesque view.

---