The Gods Below by Andrea Stewart

Author:Andrea Stewart [STEWART, ANDREA]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orbit
Published: 2024-09-04T00:00:00+00:00

29

Sheuan

10 years after the restoration of Kashan and 571 years after the Shattering

Kashan – Bataar-Un, the Queen’s seat

While the godkillers travel from realm to realm, they are never there right before restoration. For those who know where to look, this can serve as a warning.

There was something terrible about being caught in a lie, about being trapped in that inflection point between confessing and doubling down on it. Sheuan hovered in that space for a moment, her gaze locked with the Queen’s, her heartbeat pounding at her throat, a flash of heat at her chest. To her right, the altered were paying last respects to the den elder before filtering out.

She didn’t have enough information to go on, no indication as to whether she should confess to or smoothly squash the Queen’s assertion that she was not altered. No one had heard what the Queen had said. So Sheuan did her best to sidestep it completely. “I didn’t know the Queen of Kashan was so devoted.”

The Queen’s scars pulled as her mouth moved. “The Queens have always been devoted.”

Sheuan’s panicked gaze flicked to Rasha, who was the last in the line of altered. A line that was quickly diminishing. She focused, briefly, on the white shape the high priest fed into the mouth of the altered in front of him. But she wasn’t here for whatever was going on in the nave. “You haven’t always been devoted. The last Queen didn’t even have an altar. All the books say so. This place was recently built.”

“It was recently built because the last one fell during restoration.” The Queen’s gaze went somewhere over Sheuan’s shoulder.

There would have been a sign of a previous nave and altar had there been one. Rubble, at the very least. The Queen would have been young at the time she’d been instated, but not that young. She would have noticed. She should have noticed.

“Forgive me, your majesty, but how can you believe that?”

The Queen didn’t answer.

Sheuan had more questions – what terrible accident had befallen her to cause such scarring? Was she considering isolating Kashan from Langzu? Was it due to the churning in the barrier? Was there not a way their two realms could work together to overcome this? Or was it because the altered now distrusted their mortal brethren?

Two more altered in line in front of Rasha. Stall for me, Sheuan thought, wishing the girl could hear her. Hoping that she would understand she had to create a distraction. Sheuan might be able to divert the Queen from caring that she was not altered; she doubted she could do the same to the high priest.

She had to choose her words carefully. Mitoran’s voice spoke in her head. When you’re pressed for time, start with the assumption, work backward. “Why cut off trade with Langzu? Why not continue long past restoration? Our countries have often worked together.”

The Queen’s eyes focused on her for a moment before turning to the altar. “Kluehnn provides,” she murmured.

“Kluehnn certainly isn’t providing for Langzu at the moment.

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