Page 16 of Of Brides Of Queens
Three stairways exploded through the white stone floor, sending debris hurtling in every direction along with thick slashes of blood. None stained my white mesh outfit, for which I was happy.
“My floor!” said Take, pouting. “You said you liked it.”
I grimaced. “My sincere apologies. The mess was unintentional.”
A scoff. “She cannot even control her power.”
“Youspeak of control, Change?” Bring mocked. “How amusing.”
Sign and Deliver helped Seal to stand, and the stairways disappeared, though the destruction and disrepair of the ballroom did not. They brushed dust off their waxy skin, and blew the dust out of some of the rips in their skin. At least they had no hair, but their copper livery was very dirty.
“My queen,” Seal bowed, followed by Sign and Deliver.
“And what of your king?” Raise hissed.
The trio whirled, then blanched at the sight of their liege. Glancing at me first, they then partly bowed to Raise.
Deliver turned halfway back, so he was on his side to me. A bark of nervous laughter escaped him. “You called, Lady Queen?”
“I did.” I held my head high. My crown was slipping, but I refused to push the bothersome thing up. There was something very telling and annoying about the ill fit of the thing. “I would like to be sure of where I stand in regard to the contract forged between the first of my ancestors after The End. Kindly report.”
Deliver’s eyes bulged, and I grew afraid they might pop. “My queen?”
“You will inform me in this matter.” A threat entered my voice, and I wouldn’t have thought myself capable of such a sinister intention nor noise, yet there it was for all to hear. I would have preferred that Deliver help me without threat, but such was queendom. “All of you will do this.”
I pushed my will into them.
Sign cracked first. “The contract pertains to those ancestors who opted to wither. You did not. You do not meet the definition of ‘witheree’.”
Seal was next. “Our liege was new to his purpose. There are errors in the document that could provide you with a strong defense; however, the spirit of the contract was such that all withered mothers would be able to leave their daughters one powerful body part. That was upheld by our king and has been upheld by each willing mother. I agree with Prince, uh, pawn Sign, you are not a willful withering mother. The contract is fulfilled unless you were to change your mind.”
“I did not deliver a copy of the contract to the first mother,” said Deliver next.
All kings, a queen, and two princely pawns stared at him.
Deliver hung his head. “I found the copy centuries later at the bottom of the pile. As my liege was new to his purpose, so was I new to upholding his purpose. My liege, I am very, very sorry.”
“Give the copy to me now,” I ordered.
The princely pawn didn’t seem to have much say in the way he flipped his palm up. A contract appeared.
“If you accept that from him, then you admit you are subject to it,” Raise said in a chilling voice.
“I do no such thing.” I beckoned Deliver to me.
Deliver set the contract into my palm, and I gripped it tightly, and though Raise’s magic sliced at me and tried to overcome me like when I’d tried to escape his kingdom, I pulsed my own power and loosened his desperate attempt to imprison me.
“Shall I read the contract first?” asked Bring. There was a deep admiration in his tone, and I wondered what life the king imagined for us in the vibrant and thriving future he battled for.
I glanced at him. “No, I thank you, King Bring. There is no need for a tribunal tonight.”
I walked around Raise’s power toward the entrance.
“You were summoned to a kingly tribunal,” Change roared.
A silent scream fell from my lips at the power of his outburst, but I was stunned when his roar didn’t force me into fresh slumber.
I had strengthenedindeed.
