Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns #4) - Kendare Blake Page 0,83
to rid herself of the dead queens who have inhabited her since the night of the Quickening Ceremony. When she fell into the Breccia Domain. The rumors are true, you see. ‘Undead’ is not just an honorary epithet.”
Dead queens. Katharine is possessed by dead queens. To the credit of those assembled beside the wood cart, no one cries out or falls over into the snow. They only go very quiet. The shock and disbelief are as plain on their faces as Pietyr’s enjoyment watching them.
“That is why she seems so strong,” Mathilde says. “And at times, so monstrous. That is how she survived.”
“Yes,” says Pietyr. “And I was trying to get them out. Using low magic taught to me by Madrigal Milone.”
“Is that why Katharine killed her?” Jules asks. “Because she was helping you?”
“No. Katharine did not know.”
“But it did not work, you said.” Emilia’s face is still as stone. “You could not get them out.”
“She did not want them out. She said she did—she thought she did—but in the end, she used them to . . . Well, you saw the state I was in. She was not trying to kill me, but—”
Jules snorts. “You don’t think she was trying to kill you?”
“If she was or they were, I would be dead. The boy murdered on the docks, your mother—those were not Katharine. It was them. They have taken her over more and more. I thought if they were gone she would go back to being my Katharine. I was a fool.”
Despite his effort to remain cold, he sounds miserable. And still in love. Even Emilia seems to soften, like she might reach out and give him a bracing punch in the shoulder. Their sympathy makes Arsinoe want to scream.
“Who cares about your romantic foibles? The Queen Crowned is full of the dead! That’s why the mist is rising! Why everything is going wrong! And Mirabella doesn’t know!”
“She does not know?” Pietyr smiles. “I thought perhaps that was why she went. Abandoning the weaker queen for the stronger.”
“How did you know she was even there?” Mathilde asks. “If you were asleep for all that time?”
“I have not been asleep for the last day. And no one in the Lermont house seems concerned about what I might overhear.”
Mathilde looks ashamed. But she is not responsible for the voices of every oracle. Nor can the oracles really be blamed, when they are unused to keeping prisoners.
“Could that be why she left?” asks Emilia. “She ran to the stronger queen?”
“No,” Arsinoe says. “She wouldn’t.”
“It doesn’t matter,” says Jules. “All that matters now is what do we do about it.” She looks around the circle. Not even Emilia has a ready answer. How do they attack a queen who is not only one but dozens?
“I’ve dealt with dead queens before,” Arsinoe mutters. “Believe me, they’re even more dangerous than live ones.”
“This is a fine Black Council you have assembled,” Pietyr says after watching their silence. “An oracle, a warrior, and an exiled queen, all in service to a legion-cursed naturalist.” He looks to each in turn, and even Arsinoe shivers beneath the weight of his ice-blue eyes. “But you are still missing something.” They raise their eyes, and he grins. “A poisoner.”
Arsinoe’s mouth drops open. “What? You?”
“I would make the perfect addition. Katharine would tell you I am an excellent adviser. She would have made me the head one day.”
“If she hadn’t nearly killed you.”
“Is that why you’ve given us this information so freely?” asks Jules. “Because you hope to trade it for a position within the rebellion?”
“No,” he says, and looks at her squarely. “I am telling you because I do not want to go back.”
“Don’t worry, then. We have no immediate plans to send you back.”
“What are you talking about?” Arsinoe tugs her sleeve. “We have to trade him. For Billy!”
Before Jules can respond, a hawk descends sharply through the tree canopy. It dives to Jules with a piercing cry, spooking the horses and Pietyr Renard. Jules winces as it lands on her bad side, putting weight on her bad leg. She quickly reads the message it carries, and her face goes pale.
“What?” Arsinoe asks. “What is it?”
“Bastian City has been attacked. The queensguard has marched upon them.”
Emilia leaps onto her horse’s back.
“Wait!” Jules takes the reins of Mathilde’s mount from her and jumps into the saddle. “I’m coming with you. We’ll need supplies.”
“We will get them along the way,” Emilia growls, and before