Queen's Shadow || Kingdom at the End of the World - Book II

[2] An Empty Throne

There was something rotten in the Queen's Court.

Kayla Starr pressed her lips over a bitter smile. Her head was bowed. The lords who stood above her could not possibly see her face or any expression it bore, but it was not for their sake that she sought to hide her ill mirth. Kayla breathed slow and deep, shifting her focus inward. A trick taught to every Amith Capil trainee – one among many meant to patch them up in a pinch, get them moving, keep them pushing on until they reached safety.

All hoaxes, in the end. There was no safety for the likes of them.

The floor was cold and hard under her knees. Kayla shifted minutely to relieve the pressure. Some time had passed since she was summoned. A quarter hour at least. Kayla had kept still much longer for the sake of a mission, a chance to catch a target off-guard. But not like this. Not with her forehead pressed against cold stone, body tense with the effort of balancing much of her weight against one hand.

A movement at her periphery had Kayla's head snapping to the side. The Council did not notice the breach of etiquette. Their attention was similarly caught by the monster rising to its feet some steps away. The sudden silence in the room left Kayla's neck prickling with cold sweat.

Kayla took a breath, and raised her head.

The monster stood at the very back of the hall. A black veil covered its body. The fabric was thick, with no slits to allow the monster sight or others a glimpse of its face. If the veil's purpose was to mask the creature's presence, then it fell woefully short of its goal. Kayla had been aware of the shadow sitting at the foot of the Queen's throne from the moment she stepped into the Court. Her hand itched for a blade. The monster did not belong in a place of honor. It belonged to a hole in the ground, like all of its kind.

The monster considered the throne for long seconds. Kayla ground her teeth. If it dared stain the Queen's seat with its presence, she would cut it down, whatever it took.

A gust of cold wind rolled over the room and set the large chandeliers swinging. Crystal shards rang ominously and the light flickered, growing dimmer as several dozen candles lost their flames. Kayla got up on her knees. The pain and stiffness were gone, her body numb with a sudden surge of adrenaline.

The monster walked around the throne. A large mirror hung on the wall behind it, almost completely hidden by the throne itself. The monster stepped up to the mirror – then stepped through it, and disappeared.

Kayla stared. Her eyes darted around the room, seeking other mirrored surfaces. There were none.

"Soldier."

Kayla dropped back into a low bow. The Council had graced her with their attention at last.

"Your Lordships. I was called," Kayla began.

"We are quite aware of the reason you're here, Ms. Starr," Lord Greoff interrupted.

Kayla bit her tongue. Three weeks under the Council's direct supervision has made her familiar the particularities of its members. Greoff's rudeness was yet to lose its sting.

"We wish to speak with you regarding your current task," Lady Kiku said.

Kayla nodded once. Lady Kiku's soft voice grated worse than Greoff's entitled drawl. Kayla was not some wild, stupid thing that needed to be prodded and coaxed in turns.

"Stand," Lady Kiku bid.

Kayla staggered up. The right side of her torso burned. The muscles there were still weak due to weeks of bedrest and her injury, and the prolonged strain of keeping still had stiffened them into tight knots. The most minute of movements pulled on her flesh, threatening a painful cramp. It hurt to breathe.