Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles Book 1) (31 page)

“Where are we going?” she asked, darting a glance behind her at the frowning generals.

“I have no idea. Somewhere without all these blasted people.” He quickened his pace.

They were nearly at a run when they reached the outer buildings of the base. Jack led them into a structure she quickly recognized as the storage room they’d slept in on her first visit. It was only days ago but it felt like another life.

He pulled the door closed then turned to rest his forehead on hers and brought their joined hands between them. A single overhead bulb barely illuminated the space, but his face was so familiar to her it did not matter.

"I'm sorry I put you in the dungeon," he whispered, his breath warming her mouth.

"I'm sorry I tried to run away. So there, we're even. No more apologies." She could not keep the smile off her face, even as the exhaustion of the past hours took hold.

He captured her lips with his, and her fatigue melted away. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him close, feeling energized by this stolen moment.

Beyond the walls of the storage space, voices called out searching for Jack.

"You have much to do now, Prince Jaqros. Or should I call you king?"

"Only if I may call you queen.” He took a step back and bent to one knee. “Jasminda ul-Sarifor, will you marry me?”

Her heart stuttered at the sight of him before her. He brought her hands to his lips. “Will you love me? Honor and protect me? Rule with me? Be my queen? Repair the damage of the two lands with me? Grow old with me? Have children with me? Make this world a better place with me?”

Tears pricked her eyes and her whole body trembled. Her answer stuck in her throat, but she pushed it out.

“Of course, Jack. Of course.”

She fell against him, and they both toppled to the ground.

The generals had to wait quite a while before their prince returned.

The Queen Has Arisen

“Week-long Celebration Scheduled Across the Land”

“Elsira Enters New Age of Hope”

The shortest Breach War in history ended only hours after its commencement, and the faith of thousands of Elsirans was renewed when our beloved Queen awakened from her five centuries of slumber. Details are still coming in at this time, and we still do not know what prompted this miraculous resurrection, but a source from within the Sisterhood stated that magic was almost certainly involved. . .

Queen of Deception?

“Reactions To Her Appearance Shock Many”

[Continued from page A1]

One witness to the awakening, speaking on the grounds of anonymity, shared his displeasure with the revelation of the Queen’s physical appearance. “To think, we’d been praying to a
grol
this whole time. I just can’t believe it.” Others call such statements blasphemy. Syllenne Nidos, High Priestess of the Sisterhood, decried the “false believers,” saying, “Those whose faith was built on any assumption of the Queen’s appearance must search their hearts and remember all of the blessings She has provided to so many. We must work together to heal the years of false thinking, both about magic and those who bear it.”

Temple attendance has surged in the days following the Queen’s awakening, though so has defection from the religion that many are now calling a cult. Attendance is rising at gatherings of Dominionists, a tradition which originated in Yaly and boasts a growing membership worldwide.

Jack and Jas: The Peoples’ Wedding

"Union Blessed by Queen Oola"

The girl walking
down the aisle toward him looked like a mirage. Jack blinked rapidly, not sure if the joy flowing through his body was making him see things. He’d never witnessed anything more beautiful than Jasminda, radiant in traditional Lagrimari green, drawing closer to him to promise her love for all time.

Usher stood beside him, the sentimental old man sniveling like an infant. Perhaps Jack shouldn’t be so hard on him since tears were flowing freely down his own face, as well. On Jack’s other side stood Queen Oola, who was presiding over the ceremony. Her presence officially passed on the duties of leadership to her chosen successors.

The ceremony took place on the site of the old refugee camp. In the crowd, a mix of Elsiran and Lagrimari faces observed the union. A peaceful gathering of former enemies
—
merely a herald of things to come.

The True Father sat in the dungeon; Lizvette was under house arrest in her rooms, facing the possibility of exile; and her father, Nirall, had not been seen since the day of the breach. An arrest warrant had been issued for several counts of treason, but Jack did not expect the man to turn up anytime soon.

Without a doubt, the days ahead would be difficult; the collective wounds on both sides were deep. But, with Jasminda by his side as queen, Jack was certain no task was too daunting.

In moments, she would be his bride. And after the wedding, they would travel back to her valley to allow her to once again see her family’s land. When they arrived, he hoped she’d be surprised by the house he’d had built for her over the ruins of her cabin. Perhaps that would be their vacation home, where she could spend time closer to the memories of those she’d lost. The goats had already been rounded up and safely transported back to the palace, where they would be well taken care of.

She stepped up to the raised stage and grasped hold of his hands. His heart swelled to near bursting. She cast a nervous glance back at the people in the audience for the nuptials. Jack lightly squeezed her fingers. Jasminda straightened, throwing her shoulders back and lifting her chin. There she was, his warrior bride. He wondered if she had a blade strapped to her even now.

He couldn’t wait to find out.

The new king
and queen embrace before me, the love between them a living, breathing entity. I numb the sliver of jealousy slicing my heart. I cannot begrudge these children their happiness.

Every head in the gathered crowd turns to follow Jaqros and Jasminda as they retreat down the aisle. Every head but one. Dark eyes glare at me, not in awe or reverence like the others, but in accusation. I nod in acknowledgement.

Darvyn. Are you ready to accept my offer?

His eyes bore into me coldly. He clenches his jaw so hard I think he may break a tooth.
What exactly is your offer . . . Your Majesty?
He adds my title as an afterthought. His impertinence is actually refreshing.

You may be of service to our new queen. I still owe her a debt, one even she does not know of but that you can help me to repay.

He scowls.
I am nothing if not your pawn. What would I need to do this time?

Her father and brothers. You can retrieve them for me.

And why should I do you this favor?

I smile, baring all my teeth.
Kyara.

I only have to say her name and his whole demeanor changes. All bravado falls away, and raw pain flashes across his features.

Do this for me and her life will be spared.

I call the wind to me and rise into the air, already certain of his decision.

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I am truly fortunate to have such a supportive family, both here and in the other room. I can't thank my parents enough for their consistent encouragement and Paul for the story triage.

I owe a great debt to the writers and teachers at The Muse Writers Center in Norfolk, VA, the Hurston/Wright Fiction Workshop, and my VONA/Voices family: Junot Díaz, the Kwisatz Haderach and the Fiction Vixens.

Endless thanks to Danielle Rose Poiesz for bringing order to the chaos and to Marjorie Liu for helping me figure out where to begin.

Without the generosity of my critique partners and beta readers, this book would be significantly less coherent. Thanks to Lauren Dee, for her eagle eyes, and to James T. Egan for creating a cover that still makes my jaw drop.

To my sistren, Nakeesha Seneb and Kara Stevens, we did it!

And to Jared, thank you for believing in me and for your gentle, daily
harassment
encouragement.

Leslye Penelope has been writing since she could hold a pen and loves getting lost in the worlds in her head. She's a romance junkie who self-medicates with happily-ever-afters and steaming mugs of green tea. She lives in Maryland with her husband, an eighty-pound lap dog, and an attack cat. Visit her online at
http://www.lpenelope.com
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