Page 112 of Queen’s Gambit

Chapter 32

Roksana

Why did he do this? Why? A dark hole opened in my soul, threatening to suck me in. I shouldn’t have enchanted the keys. I was going to break his stubborn neck for messing with the Gate alone. I was going to… gods, was he even alive?

The Tangrian soldiers who used the keys on the pillar perished. What if Tova…

I choked out a broken sob as the bies bellowed and galloped through the castle gates. The city had surrendered, Tivala’s flag replaced by a white sheet taken from someone’s bed. I’d vaguely caught Rey saying something about the duke being unaccounted for, but I didn’t care. I had more important concerns.

I’ll destroy this place for you, Cin whispered in my mind, landing beside me.

And bury the Lumivitae Fae under smoking rubble? I snapped. ‘No! I need them.’

We stopped on the stone bridge to the inner keep, watching for an attack. As soon as my feet touched the bridge’s surface, Cinared turned his head, narrowing his crimson eyes, and he flattened himself on the ground.

Tell me what to do, my heart. The pain in your soul is tearing me apart.

My throat bobbed, the dragon’s submission adding to my guilt. An arrow fired from the turret bounced off the dragon’s hide when he moved to shield me. A well-aimed torrent of fire shot from his muzzle, knocking the shooter to the ground, burnt to a crisp.

‘Cinared!’ I growled.

‘It was just a little spittle,’ Cin hissed, his head drifting lower as we stopped by the gate. ‘He was shooting at you.’

The hurt in his voice made me close my eyes to centre myself.

‘I’m sorry,’ I whispered, and the tip of the dragon’s tongue slid over my cheek, collecting a stray tear.

‘Your tears are worse than fighting a war, Sanika. War, I can win for you. This I can’t even fight.’ His voice rumbled near my ear, and from the other side, Reynard wrapped an arm around my waist in silent comfort.

Their compassion threatened to unmake me. I shook my head and stepped away from them, hardening my resolve.

‘Surrender or die!’ I shouted. ‘Open the gates!’

A few heads peeked from behind the stone walls. The murmur of voices reached us, carrying fragments of an argument. I waited, clenching my fists.

‘You take us for fools, woman?’ A man in black armour with a captain’s insignia shouted back.

‘Open the fucking gates!’ Power raged inside me, so volatile even Reynard flinched. ‘If you’re afraid, get Ernesto to beg for my mercy.’

‘You’ll have to find him first! He’s been missing since the shadow came,’ he shouted back, and I frowned. Still, I wasn’t here for Tivala. Not yet.

‘Fine, send me the Lumivitae Fae…’

‘You want me to sell out our only ally so the king can slaughter us all? Envoy first. Then we’ll talk,’ the captain shouted back, just as a white-haired man bent to his ear, whispering something.

‘There will be no envoy, no diplomacy. I’ll take your unconditional surrender, or I’ll burn this place to the ground with you still in it,’ Rey offered, with such deadly calm it was as though he wanted an excuse.

I clenched my teeth, nostrils flaring as minutes trickled by, each adding to my fear. Tova’s life was at stake, so I would see this through, no matter what.

The murmur behind me grew louder as our army gathered, some soldiers challenging the defenders of the castle. My patience was wearing thin, and when another arrow flew towards us, I snapped.

‘What are you doing?’ Rey’s voice brimmed with concern as I knelt on the stone bridge, placing my hands on its surface.

‘I’m done with them,’ I grunted, digging my fingers into the cracks between the cobbles.

I was going to warp every Tivalaran soldier until all they knew was obedience to my will. My magic spread over the ground, passing the ornate portcullis, the oaken gates reinforced with iron, and when it touched the granite wall, I paused.

There was another way.