Dozens of questions bubbled up, but I forced them back, keeping my expression stern and my mouth set in a hard line. For weeks I had yearned to escape the city, to be free of my cage of stone and fear, and now at last I was on my way to the gates.
The road began to slope gently downward as we approached the city perimeter. Our pace quickened; I suppressed the urge to break into a jog. Ahead, the gates hung open. For some reason I had expected to find them closed and barricaded, yet there was no reason for that. The only danger our city faced came from within.
A man emerged from the guardhouse at the base of the tower when we approached, but did not confront us.
“We’re on a several-day scouting mission for King Leoth,” Quendon said. “We’ve got to inventory our food supply chain in case trade from Larkhaven doesn’t arrive in the coming quarters.”
The gate guard saluted, a fist to his opposite shoulder, and let us pass without question.
As soon as we passed through the gates, my lungs seemed to ease. Though my throat was still sore, I could breathe easily, and I sucked in lungfuls of the fresh air. Overhead, a layer of high, steely clouds still hid the sun, though they no longer felt oppressive.
We walked in silence for several hundred paces, and then, when we could see no one in any direction, we finally allowed our formation to disintegrate.
“How the plagues did you get me out of there?” I asked at last, brushing a gentle hand over the place where my cheek felt as though it had been singed. “Leoth was out for my blood. How did you set that up without him noticing?”
“No, he wasn’t,” Baridya said. “That’s the oddest thing about this whole plan. He was the one who arranged it.”
I stumbled. No. It couldn’t be. Leoth had saved me?
“How—”
“Leoth ordered carpenters to construct that platform yesterday after your trial,” Mellicante said. “He set it up so the pole stretched straight to the base, which would let you fall through the trapdoor even if you were bound in place. The guards were ordered not to tie you too tightly. Baridya hid underneath before the platform was carted into the square, and she was waiting until Cal’s flames went up before unlatching the trapdoor.”
“Cal was in on it too!” I said.
“Of course,” Baridya said with a sly smile. “He was waiting in the audience, and he put up that ring of fire around the platform so no one could see when you disappeared.”
“I don’t know anyone would have noticed either way. That smoke was everywhere.” At the thought, I coughed once more.
“Yeah, that was a bit more effective than we expected,” Mellicante said wryly.
“Who else knows?” I asked. “Does my mother think I’m dead? And Deance too?”
Baridya grimaced. “They do. It was just the three of us, Leoth, and Cal.”
“And what about you?” I turned to Quendon. “This stretches the bounds of your duty to me a bit far. I no longer have authority over you—you’re free to return to the city if you wish.”
“No, Your Majesty,” Quendon said. “This has become more than simple duty. It’s now obvious the Truthbringers will destroy Baylore, and you’ve tried all along to stop them. You’re taking the right path, Your Majesty, even if no one else sees it. You have my support and my loyalty. I’ll guard you to the end.”
His words warmed me. “Thank you,” I said softly, though the words were inadequate.
We walked for a few more minutes. Nearly an hour had passed—I should be staying ten paces from my friends so my powers did not drain their energy too far—but I lingered nearby, selfishly taking comfort in their closeness.
“What now?” Baridya asked eventually. “Where do we go from here? I think Valleywall is supposed to be a haven for the forbidden races. They’re very tolerant and open-minded, and the population is wealthy, so they’d be able to arrange quarters fit for a queen—well, a traveling queen, anyway.”
“No,” I said quietly. Even now, a plan had begun to form in my mind. “My work isn’t done yet. We need to head for Larkhaven and see what’s happening there. My father is still there, and he might be in trouble. If the Larkhaven government accepts my authority, maybe we can use the port city to pressure Baylore into moderating its treatment of the magic races. Thousands of people are going to die if we don’t do anything, Baridya, and that includes Cal and Deance. I won’t stand for it.”
Mellicante was nodding slowly. “You’re right. I think you could make a difference from Larkhaven.”
“We need to learn who the Truthbringers are and why they have risen to power, so we can stop them. War is coming, and I won’t leave my people to face it alone.”
They were grand promises, spoken to an empty horizon and a ragged band of fugitives. A gust of wind buffeted us from behind, urging us onward, toward the rolling plains and the Wandering Woods and beyond that, Larkhaven.
I had nothing. My throne and my home were gone, snatched away by a man who had ushered the Truthbringers into power while at the same time sparing my life. I could not understand it.
Yet my path forward shone as clearly as the undulating road underfoot. As long as I lived, I would not abandon my people.
Don’t miss Renegade Queen, the continuation of Kalleah’s story.
She’s lost everything—her throne, her home, and nearly her life. But her people still need her.
When Kalleah flees for her life, leaving the throne to her enemy, she’s not about to go into hiding.
Her country is in trouble.
Itrea’s oldest enemy is back, poised to conquer the country that long defied them, and no one else realizes it. Unless Kalleah can raise an army of her own, her country will be taken without a fight.
Larkhaven is where she will bide her time and gather support—but the coastal city is not the safe retreat she expects. Enemies have overrun Larkhaven, and they are silencing all who speak out against them.
If Kalleah is to save her country, she must start with reclaiming Larkhaven.
But her time is running out.
Enemy reinforcements are on their way, and as soon as they arrive, the city is lost.
War is coming, and Itrea is poised to fall. The chances of success are too slim—Kalleah’s people are badly outnumbered and untrained.
But Kalleah will not give up without a fight.
Order Renegade Queen now
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed Innocent Queen!
If you did, I would be eternally grateful if you took a moment to leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Reviews are one of the most important ways my future readers decide whether to give my books a try; a few minutes of your time can genuinely change my career.
If you want to explore behind-the-scenes content from the world of Itrea and the Kinship Thrones, click here for exclusive access to maps, illustrations, worldbuilding notes, and more.
It’s been great having you along for the ride.
All the best,
Rebecca
Acknowledgments
This series began during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November 2018, and writing continued throughout the next year while we traveled the world, from Madagascar to Mongolia, Namibia to Nepal.
My thanks first go to those who hosted us during our travels, allowing us to feel as though we had a home again, however temporary. We stayed with my sister, Melinda, in Zambia; with Kayla Tawa in Shanghai; with Nicholas Morris in South Korea; with Kimie Bando in Tokyo; and with Kate Thomson in England.
Bringing a novel to life takes a huge team. My thanks to the beta readers and proofreaders who improved this book immensely with their feedback: Deb Barringer, Nancy Billica, Brian Vickers, Melinda Vickers, and of course my husband, Daniel.
My cover was brought to life by the very talented team at Deranged Doctor Design, and I am once again making use of the two gorgeous maps of Itrea and the Kinship Thrones created by Cornelia Yoder.
; R.J. Vickers, Innocent Queen: A Court Intrigue Fantasy (The Forbidden Queen Series Book 2)
Innocent Queen: A Court Intrigue Fantasy (The Forbidden Queen Series Book 2) Page 24
