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Chapter 2
The Queen
Present
Iwatch him from the shadows. Sweat drips down his well-defined chest like morning dew on a leaf, tracing every ridge. His physique is the result of years of extensive training with the royal guards.
The sun shines high in the cloudless sky over Lux—the thick heat forcing the men to remove their shirts to cool themselves. We all must be in Astra’s good graces, for now.
The clashing of swords and grunts of the men below drown out the birds chirping in the woods. Body odor and pine mix heavily in the air.
I’ve watched them going through various stances and positions all morning. My shaded forest overlooks the open training ring, hiding me from sight. The hillside provides the perfect vantage point for me to keep a close eye on him. I must be leaving soon, but I can’t seem to pull myself away. His sun-kissed skin beckons me to stay a little longer. The muscles of his back flex as his sword collides with another from one of his guards. He looks like a god preparing for battle. It’s a delicious image I will dream about for years to come.
I marvel at how different we are. His body hardened through dedication and skill. His role as captain requires him to be sharp mentally and physically. The years have been far less kind to me. My once smooth, pale skin is now marred with scars, too deep to be healed by any elixir. A constant reminder of how my training was never a choice, but something forced upon me regardless of how much I fought back.
Pushing off the ground, I kneel and pick up my canteen from beside me. The water I gathered this morning from the brook is still crisp and provides a brief relief from the increasing heat. I wipe a bead of sweat from my warm brow before standing and dusting dirt from my trousers.
I allow myself a few more moments of watching him, needing to soak up every minute I can. Scanning his perfectly chiseled body, I commit every line to memory. The way his brown hair shimmers with streaks of gold when the sun hits it at a certain angle. The way the corner of his mouth curls up slowly as he taunts his guards into another round of sparring.
My heart and skin hum as I stare at him. It did the same when I found him two years ago. The threads wrapped tightly around my heart, pulling me toward him. Ten years of being trapped in the dark and bound to the shadow king only made me want to seek him out more.
Memories claw at my mind, yanking me back into the dark.
“You stupid girl. They don’t even know who you are,” Leopold said with a haughty smile. “You made a deal for people who barely remember you even existed.”
Ash fills my mouth as I gasp for air. My nails bite into my palms as I tighten my fists.
I am alive. I am safe. I am not in that damned cell.
I swallow hard and take several deep breaths. Relaxing my hands, I shake off the last of the memory. I’m not that young, weak girl anymore. King Oren made sure of that. He methodically removed all of my softness with each slice of his dagger, every crack of his whip, and all the victims left in my wake.
“Goodbye, my Amari,” I say into the wind.
This will be my last time checking in on him. I can’t keep coming here and torturing myself as just a spectator of what he’s doing ... whom he’s doing. I have to believe Leopold will hold up his end of the deal and keep him safe within his kingdom. My soul was a small price to pay for his life. I may be bound eternally to a monster, but at least he’ll live.
I turn and slip into the thick coverage of trees I’ve been using to hide. Generations-old evergreens and aspens fill the forest along the foothills. Their woodsy and fresh aroma fills the air. The chirping birds grow louder as I move further into the thick of the woods, and their song combines with the trickling of a babbling brook as I wind my way down the hillside.
In the distance, the rough, gray stone of the snow-capped mountains that trail the outskirts of Lux peek through the various shades of green. Powerful, icy rivers dance along the rocky edge of the kingdom before appearing to fall off. The rest of the range remains below in Fati. The two halves were ripped apart by angry gods millennia ago.
As I step through the shaded tree line into the grassy meadow, I shield my eyes from the harsh sunlight. Delicate and soft-blue poppies dot the field, and I step lightly around them to leave no trace of my path.
I roll my shoulders, trying to ease the stiffness that’s settled from crouching too long on the ground. Pausing at the edge of the meadow, I briefly stretch my aching muscles, groaning as I bend.
Standing tall, I set off in a jog, which quickly turns into a full-on sprint, back toward the village. My body protests at the exertion, but my mind sharpens.
The gravel path clicks under my boots as I run beside the towering boundary wall surrounding the Lux kingdom. The massive, gray stone structure looms above, seeming to kiss the clouds. Rounding the last bend before the entry gate that leads into the village, I slow to a stop. I steady my breath and check my appearance. Under the disguise of a Fati viator who wanders the realm, I must look fragile and submissive. While those traits were beaten out of me, I have mastered the art of deception. It’s an easy trick when you barely know your true self anymore. A mask simply slipped on and used to become whoever you need to be.
I tuck a loose curl back into the cream cloth wrapped around my head. Red hair is a rarity in Omnia, and it is easier to conceal all of mine to prevent questions or unwanted touching.
I draw my attention across the realm to the dark shadows of Umbra. My kingdom. My home. Thick tendrils of shadows twist and twirl along the stone column tethering Umbra to the land below. The black mist weaves into the white clouds skirting the sky-bound land. The thick tendrils swirl in response to my attention.
Satisfied with my unassuming look, I continue along the walkway, eyes trained on the gravel. The path narrows as it nears the entry gate, and I look up to find a predatory stare locked on me. The gate guard licks his bottom lip as his eyes roam all over my body, and I suppress a gag.
I give him a polite smile before dropping my gaze back to the ground and walking through the gate. His large hand grabs my wrist, pulling me to a stop. The darkness inside me swirls in agitation, itching to be released. I take a deep breath, ash settling on my tongue.
“When are you going to do what’s good for you and let me take you out? You know I can offer you more than the measly scraps you’re used to,” he says in a stern tone, demanding my compliance.
