Page 55 of A Queen's Game
Marietta
Time crept on, moments blending together until Marietta forgot which day it was. After exploring every possible edge of the suite, frustration and boredom left her pacing the living room.
To escape Satiros, she needed to make a plan, but that seemed an impossible task when she couldn’t leave the suite. The palace’s layout was unknown to her, as was Satiros itself, meaning she had to rely on someone’s help. There had to be at least one person in the entire gods damned city that would aid her return to Olkia. Marietta needed to believe that she could break free.
Deep longing filled her as she thought of returning home. Olkia would never feel the same without Tilan, but it was her home and she missed its familiarity. Maybe if she escaped Satiros, she could give the information she learned to the Olkian Guard to hurt Keyain.
His words from the other day echoed in her mind.For what it’s worth, I’m trying to be better.She would believe it if she saw it, which was unlikely. If Keyain couldn’t change before, there was little hope for him now.
“Are you going to keep pacing in the living room like a trapped animal?” Amryth asked, glaring over the edge of her book. She sat in her usual spot on the couch, never slouching, never truly relaxing.
The handmaid pulled Marietta out of her thoughts. “If I spend one more day in this gods damned suite, I will lose my mind. Keyain can’t expect me to stay here like this.”
“Well, try harder, I guess. Keyain’s orders were for you to remain here,” Amryth replied, turning back to her book. At times, Marietta wondered if the handmaid was trustworthy. Planning an escape would be a lot easier with someone who knew the palace. However, she seemed too familiar with Keyain, leaving Marietta to wonderhowclose they were. Perhaps the reason Amryth was so high-strung with her was that she was Keyain’s lover.
“Will you at least talk to me then so I don’t keep annoying myself with my thoughts?” Marietta grumbled.
Amryth looked up from her book again, sighing. “What would you like to talk about?”
“Anything. Tell me anything,” Marietta pleaded, still pacing the room. “What is it like living in Satiros?”
“It’s fine.”
Marietta gaped at her. “Just fine? That’s it?”
Amryth blinked, her stare as cold as an Avato winter. “Yeah, it’s fine.”
“Oh, my gods.” Marietta pinched the bridge of her nose, clamping her eyes shut. “Am I being punished? Is this Keyain’s punishment for leaving him?”
With a tilt of her head, Amryth snapped her book shut. “What do you mean by leaving him?”
Marietta swore. “When the humans captured me,” she lied. “I left his side, and that’s when they abducted me.”
Amryth stared, her dark eyes seeing through Marietta as silence encased them. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“I’m also terrible at being stuck in a tiny room all day with nothing to do but read boring books or play cards games,” she yelled, exasperated. “Do you understand I lived a full life, every minute of my day accounted for? I cleaned, I baked, I ran my business—I did everything myself. Never did I sit around, reading and playing games all day. I need to be doing something, always. My life was chaotic, messy. And so incredibly busy. And guess what, Amryth?” Marietta squared her shoulders to the handmaid. “I loved every gods damned second of it.”
Amryth rolled her eyes. “Calm down, will you?” The book she held thumped onto the coffee table as she stood up from the couch. Shaking her head, the handmaid left the living room, Marietta trailing behind.
“What are you doing?” she asked, peeking into the dining room.
Amryth stepped into the entryway, cracking the door. Marietta heard the low voices of the guards outside, saw Amryth laugh as she talked. Then she gestured for Marietta to come to her. “Good news. I now owe the guards a favor. We’re going on a walk.”
Marietta’s heart skipped a beat. “Seriously?”
“Unless you’d rather stay here.”
“Say no more.” Marietta pranced to the door, her body jittering with energy. Half tempted to hug the handmaid, she resisted, not wanting to sully the opportunity.
The pair departed from the suite, winding through the Noble’s Section with its marbled everything, velvet this and that. Marietta paid little regard to those details. Freedom occupied every bit of attention she had.
The sun’s warmth on her skin was glorious. After being trapped for what felt like an eternity, she was grateful toexperience any weather, including the day’s heat. It consumed her, too, like her freedom, soaking in every drop of sunshine that touched her. She didn’t even care about the staggering silence of the elven nobles inside, all watching her wide-eyed as she left the building with Amryth.
Outside the Noble’s Section was a courtyard shrouded by trees. At its center was a three-tiered fountain, each layer an unfolded flower chiseled out of stone. Upon the petals were dancing sprites with leaves for dresses and thinly carved wings. Marietta paused to examine the details, still so impressed with the craftsmanship. If only Tilan could see.
“Come on,” Amryth murmured. “I forgot the nobles would gawk at you without Keyain around.”
Sure enough, when Marietta looked at the building, pressed against the glass were their faces, watching. She turned her back and followed the cobblestone path into the Central Garden.
