Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)

Chapter Ten: The Quest

Rose's Point of View

Rose Lisell, leader of the valkyrie rebels alongside Kestra Isidore, she who was the Wolf, watched over the mountains.

From her hidden position amongst the cliffs, she looked over at Zerena, the City of Fireworks. In this place she had spent the first nine years of her childhood, like her mother before her. Then, like her mother, she had gone to the Hawk Mountains to train as a valkyrie warrior. Once, there had been fifty thousand of them. Now there were less than a score still on this earth.

Rose, the trainers, and Myra Isidore, chained deep within the Empress' favourite dungeons. None of the trainees were officially warriors, though the eldest were around twenty-two.

Rose had taken all of the novices with her when she deserted the army. There had been nine years' worth at the time, from nine to seventeen and in the five years since, they had all begun to fight.

Of course, in the first year of the Empress' rule, everything had been too chaotic to get new novices. But in the past four years they had liberated them from their enslaved cities in the night, one hundred over the course of each year. The very eldest and best of those had begun to fight, but it would be years before their investment in the new batches began to pay off.

Of course, with valkyries beginning to fight at fourteen, rather than eighteen, Rose supposed that none of them would fight as well as the old warriors of legend. And none of them could be initiated like them either, with the last living War Queen captured.

She knew that if she really wanted to, she might get herself named War Queen. She had enough support to do it. But for Rose that meant giving up-on the Dragon, and any hope of getting her out of Dorgon. If Myra died, she might install herself as the valkyries' leader, but until the legendary warrior heaved her last breath, Rose would not take up the War Queen's crown. It would be sacrilege, just as heinous as the mining in their holy mountains.

"You are planning something, my lady?" One of the eldest asked her. Twenty-two years old and by the name of Lilith, she had received more training and experience than almost everyone in the camp-save Rose, and the elders.

"I have an idea," she said slowly. "All the gryphons and wyverns were slaughtered during the war, weren't they?"

"Yes, my lady. Even Myra's noble steed was felled."

"Where are their eggs, then?"

"Pardon?"

"There were nests, correct? Hidden deep within the mountain-land, the secret of their location known only to the War Queen and her Heir."

"Of course. But...we have no idea where they might be."

"If we could find the gryphon chicks and wyvernlings, they would be invaluable."

"We have no forces to spare for such a mission."

"Oh, that's fine. I'll go alone."

"Rose, you are needed here. Not deep within the mountains, chasing after rumours and myths!"

"I lead the valkyrie forces. If I deem it necessary to go, I will."

"You are not our War Queen," one of the elders hissed from behind her. "You are needed here, Rose. And by the three goddesses, you shall not leave. Not when you are required most."

"You think you can stop me?"

"I think that the rebellion is more than simply the valkyries. Assemble a meeting of the three factions. We'll see what they have to say. The official leaders of our army. Kestra Isidore, Maia, Vivienne Silverian-or Zara, acting in her place-and Nala Merson."

The four people who would never let Rose go to find the nests.

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Kestra

She dreamt. The dream was vivid and lucid, sharp and clear as broken glass. It was no mere dream. It was a mark of the future.

Deep within the rugged mountains, she heard the caws of gryphons and the roars of wyverns. Alone amongst the hollow land, a single figure-a wolf. Rose, in her animal form. She climbed through the steep passes, unafraid.

Over what seemed like hours, Kestra followed the wolf until she reached the source of the caws and roars.

Rose raised her head in the air triumphantly. Around her, bones lay scattered at the feet of the mountain passes.

A plaque stood tall amongst the mountains:

The Wolf must go, or all is lost

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Her dreams were rarely so blatant, so Kestra knew this one was meant to be obeyed.

At first, she had been outraged at the idea of Rose going deep within the mountains for months or longer. She was all but the War Queen, and vital to the valkyries. But the dream...she had had too many over the years to ignore it, and the truth it told.

Kestra walked through the flaps of the war tent, and Rose averted her eyes. The Wolf expected no support from her, then. How surprised would she be when she took her side?

Zara frowned at Rose as she caught her eye.

"This mission is no doubt vital," she said, considering her words carefully. "However, Rose is highly valuable as well, and should not be risked on such a venture. I motion to send another valkyrie."

"I disagree," Kestra said sharply. "Rose is our best. And only our best could survive the journey. For years, my mother and Queen Viktoria marched into battle with their people, on the front lines. Some argued it was too great a risk for our leaders. But to that they-and generations of Queens and their Heirs-answered that they would not be queens at all if they did not march with their people. Let Rose do this."

It was a faulty argument, and Nala frowned at Kestra. But she held the rebel's glare and tried to convey something with her eyes. Trust me, she willed her eyes to say. I have a plan. The Chancellor caught her gaze and nodded-ever so slightly-in understanding. Nala had been the only one she trusted to tell about her dreams; Nala alone understand what her gaze had meant.

"I agree with Queen Kestra." Maia nodded along with Nala. She likely disagreed with the plan, but if both the Chancellor and the Keeper Queen supported it...

Rose gave them all a confused look; this was against their natures.

"Then it is passed. Rose Lisell will go in search of the lost gryphon and wyvern young." Kestra smiled. "Who will look after your duties when you leave?"

"Lilith," she answered. "I will depart tomorrow at dawn."