The Farren Queens

Amara

A/N: Sorry it's been a while since I updated! I've been busy lately, but I'm trying to get back on schedule. Thank you to everyone who's read, voted, and commented on my book!

When Amara awoke, she was alone in a dark room. The cellar filled her lungs with damp air that threatened to choke her. It felt as if all the world's mud had been built into a single room, and then put underwater. The vines that crept up the walls were damp with dew, and her dress was wet from the wooden chair she was tied to. Once her eyes adjusted to the low light, she could make out the outline of a small table.
   
Her hands were tied together behind her back. The rope was tight enough that her circulation was cut off. She struggled against the bindings, but it was no use. Her dagger sat on the table, just out of reach. Amara was about to slide over towards it, but the wall opened, and an old woman walked in. She was dressed in better clothes than she had been before, but she was the same woman who had healed them in Fanthe.
   
"Who are you?" Amara demanded.
   
"It is more important to know who you are, my dear."
   
"Where's Samir?"
    
"That is not your concern." the woman said in a level voice. "Tell me, what do you know?"
   
"Why should I tell you anything, when you won't do the same?"
   
The woman hesitated for a moment as she thought it over.  "You are correct, it is not fair of me to ask you questions I would not answer myself. However, knowing my name will not help you succeed."
   
"Just tell me." Amara replied. She wasn't in the mood for mind games today, she only wanted to get out of this moldy pit and find Samir. Amara didn't know what William Bates's magic water would do, but she didn't want to find out.
   
"Monian water."
   
Magic, Terra Mons, same thing.
   
"It's not magic" her conscience corrected. "It's called kouzlo."   
   
She shook the thoughts out of her head and focused on the old lady. She looked at Amara and sighed. "My name is Ka'kwet."
   
"You're Massaponaian? Why are you here? Is Bek trying to invade?" Amara's questions came tumbling out of her mouth, and she wondered if Ka'kwet could understand.
   
"All in time, child. For now, we need you to tell us what you know."
   
"I know that you aren't trustworthy." Amara snapped.
   
"Tell us what you know about the queen."
   
"You still haven't told me why."
   
Ka'kwet glared at her as if she expected Amara not to care. Amara shrugged and repeated herself.
   
"That is not for you to know, Amara."
   
Hearing her voice sent a shiver down Amara's back. She had never told the strange old woman her name, and it made her wonder what else Ka'kwet knew. Now that she thought about it, the woman had called her by her name in Fanthe as well. Amara's stomach roiled with unease.
    
"Why am I here, Ka'kwet?"
   
"I think you already know."
    
"I'm sorry if I'm a bit slow," Amara scoffed, "but I have no idea what you're talking about."
   
Ka'kwet looked at her the way others might look at old art; as if they knew it had meaning, but it just looked like ink on canvas, and nothing more.  "I believe your friend has told you enough. You are the end of Bates."
   
"So I've been told."
   
"Your kouzlo is more important than you know." she continued, "You are the only confirmed Veritas in the world. If we have any chance of saving our countries, we must keep you safe from the others."
   
"Who's 'we'? Who are the others?"
   
"All in time, child." she said in a calm voice. "All in time."
   
"I don't have time!" Amara cried. She thrashed against the chair. "We've been sitting here for hours, and we've gotten nowhere! If you want me to talk, you'll have to, too."

"Please calm yourself, my dear."

"Then tell me what's going on!" she screamed, still lashing out against the ropes tied around her. "You take the one ally I have away from me, ignore my requests, and then expect me to trust you!"
   
"I've told nothing but the truth."
   
It didn't matter that Ka'kwet told her the truth, because she hadn't yet said anything Amara didn't know. Ka'kwet left the room the same way she had come in. The wall opened to a dark tunnel, but Amara couldn't see anything more than a few feet beyond the door.
   
The silence was suffocating. It was quiet enough that she was able to listen to the steady beat of her heart. Amara sat there for what felt like hours, though she guessed it was no more than a few minutes. When she couldn't bear it any longer, Amara tried to move the  seat over to the table. She found she was only able to move several inches at a time before the chair began to tip over, and almost fell once or twice.
   
Eventually, she made it. Her dagger lay just out of reach, and Amara spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to reach it. She managed to get it into her hands, and cut through the ropes. Amara released her legs, and went to examine the wall.
   
She ran her hands across every inch of it, but nothing happened. She pressed every stone brick, and wondered if it required a specific combination to open it, but then remembered that Ka'kwet had opened it like any other door.
   
Not exactly secure. she thought to herself, but her conscience didn't answer.
   
When she pushed against the cold, wet wall, it moved back and revealed a narrow passage. Water dripped from the ceiling, and collected in puddles on the floor. Amara tightened the grip on her dagger and tiptoed in. It reminded her of the tunnel she had come through with Samir that night after her coronation. Compared to that, this was a rather pleasant walk.  The darkness welcomed her as an old friend, wrapping its arms around her like a blanket. Amara didn't mind, she was thankful that it hid her from anyone who might stumble through.
   
I guess if someone did come through, the darkness wouldn't matter. It's too narrow in here for multiple people.
   
After sitting for so long, Amara's legs were stiff. Her feet had fallen asleep, and felt as if an invisible ghost was poking her with needles. Amara stepped in multiple puddles as she walked and within moments her feet were soaked through. The tunnel twisted and turned, going up and down staircases, but there weren't any forks. It seemed to go on forever. After a while, she heard Ka'kwet's voice. A scream echoed through the hall, and Amara raced toward the sound. She slipped on a puddle and crashed to the ground. Disgusting water splashed into her mouth, and her teeth slammed into her lip. Amara stood up, and wiped her face. Her hand came back bloody, but Amara didn't have time to worry about the cut.  She knew that scream.
   
Samir was hurt.