What I have gone through…
I turn to Lachlan, pulling my axe from the straps on his back. Odin’s axe. My telltale blessing from the god himself that proves that I am his chosen heir. That I was worthy. The carvings of ravens in flight feel smooth in my grip as I hold it higher, directly into a shaft of sunlight that spears between the buildings and into the square. The ray of golden light glimmers down the pristine sharpened blade.
A hush settles over the crowd. Mouths drop open as I turn slightly, directing the light into the center of the crowd. I lift my chin up, holding my head high. A soft breeze winds through the crowd, ruffling my unbound hair and twisting the skirt around my legs. It smells lovely, bringing the scents of cinnamon, cardamom, and dried lavender from the nearby market tents.
Lachlan shifts on his feet and throws a wary smile my way. “Good thinking,” he whispers from the side of his mouth. The uncomfortable pressure of being an outsider lessens, emboldening me to forge on.
“I know you all know what this means. So please listen to me. I would never do anything to offend Ishtar. But that very moonstone is an offense to her. The asphidra, pretending to be Odessa, corrupted the moonstone with evil. The very asphidra that is now rotting in my throne room.” I point with my axe to the moonstone that is now glowing in the early afternoon light. The green of the venom radiates all around us.
“That green is not typical of a moonstone. Because it is NOT a moonstone. It is quartz imbued with asphidra venom.” Horrified gasps ring out, but I keep going. “Asphidra venom blocks magic. To restore it, we have to remove the venom. It is extremely dangerous and we have to work carefully. I need everyone except those that are removing the venom to leave the square.” No one moves. “I promise the goddess will not be upset and that no harm will befall your island. I will do my best to ensure your moonstone stays. But for now, please leave the square.”
Slowly, the gathered crowd trickles out of the square and back into the streets. A sigh works its way out of my chest. Well, it didn’t go perfectly, but it wasn’t a riot, so that’s good at least. Ashur aims a carefully crafted smile my way, and I can’t tell if he’s relieved or not.
“Those two chains suspend the moonstone.” He points to the chains that hoist the stone between the pillars. “They’re on a pulley system because we lower it occasionally to clean it.”
That explains the polished shine.
I dip my chin as I study the chains linked through the moonstone. “Very good. That’ll make our job easier.”
Ashur follows my line of sight, his shoulders dropping a fraction. “Do you have to destroy it? It means so much to the people here.”
I bite my lip as the men lower the chains, and I pull my necklace out from underneath my leathers. A thought forms in mymind as I rub the golden chain between my fingertips. “We’ll see.” Even after everything, they still believe it is a blessing.
Lachlan leans in close to whisper in my ear, “What do ye mean?”
I let go of my necklace to toy with the pouch tied to my waist. “I might have an idea.”
His eyes lower to my fingers, and his brows raise towards his hairline. “What’re ye planning?”
“I don’t know until I can see the crystal closer,” I breathe. Praying my idea will pan out. Lachlan grazes his fingers over my hand and I flex my fingers, needing to feel more of him.
The men grunt as they pull the chain on the pulley system. It squeaks with each inch it lowers. The stone descends at a painstakingly slow pace and my anxiety ramps up with each passing second.
Please work. Please work. Please work.
When the stone is lowered to my eye-line, I walk around it, analyzing the enormous disk-shaped stone with carvings on either side. Crouching down, I run my finger along the bottom to the top, checking. But when I get to the top, my nail catches on a tiny bump protruding from the surface of the disk.
A stopper.
The exact thing I had desperately searched for on the throne.
I inhale sharply, trying not to get my hopes up too high. The stopper is about as big as my fist and is practically invisible against the surface of the disk. Leaving my finger on the bump, I reach for the dagger strapped to my thigh and pull it out between the layers of chiffon, wedging the tip between the lip of the stopper and the surface of the crystal. I pry it up ever so carefully.
“Easy, lass,” Lach whispers from behind me. My eyes narrow on the cork of crystal, and I hold my breath as I slide the quartz stopper from its tomb.
With a final plunk, the stopper comes free and plinks to the ground.
Ashur’s eyes widen in amazement or fear. “It is true.” He clutches his chest as he takes a step back.
I want to snarl at him, but Lachlan beats me to it. “Of course it is. Ye think your queen would lie to ye?”
Ashur shakes his head as he holds his braided beard in a fist. “No, but I had hoped she’d been mistaken.”
I peer through the hole on top of the disk and at the eerie stillness of the green venom inside. The stench of Tane’s burning flesh streaks across my mind, and I take a quick step back.
“Key—”
“I’m alright.” I shake my head and my unbound hair waves with the motion. Taking a deep breath and holding it for four seconds, I go through two rounds of mindfulness before I feel steady enough to continue. When my pulse slows, I confidently approach the quartz again. Pulling open the pouch, I take a tiny pinch of the onyx dust, sprinkle it into the opening, and peek inside. A small fizzle sounds when the first specks of dust touch the venom.
