The Sanguine Queen by Genevieve L. James

Author:Genevieve L. James [Genevieve L. James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Genevieve L. James
Published: 2023-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Devyn’s feet carried her back to her suite without her even realizing it. She went straight to her study and collapsed into her desk chair. Her mostly uneaten breakfast had been cleared away, and her dinner tray was sitting on the corner of the desk. She could smell the aroma of roast lamb coming from beneath the heavy silver cloche that covered it and her mouth watered.

Dinner would have to wait. She was too intent on reading the rest of what her mother had left for her. She hoped that Aristea had included more about Emmerich’s manifesto; Devyn was intensely curious about the reasoning behind his crimes. She plucked a goblet full of wine from the dinner tray, sipping at the dark liquid as she picked up where she’d left off the night before.

The writings did not include anything more about the manifesto, much to Devyn’s disappointment. After the incident with the Wolf, Valda became even more willing to squash her enemies by any means necessary. She wanted power and was willing to lie, kill, and steal to get it. She began sending campaigns into smaller territories bordering Malvan, annexing them into the kingdom and conscripting the able-bodied into her army.

The kingdom of Gashein, which had been conquered under Falko’s leadership, was turned into a vassal state, and heavily taxed to fund the war effort. Its ruling family was rounded up and executed, and a puppet king was installed on the throne.

Axel had finished his preparations for their escape and informed Aristea late one night as she was rocking Devyn to sleep that it was time to go. At dawn the next day they would leave the palace under the pretense of going to visit his home territory. As he spoke Devyn woke out of her drowsy, half-asleep state and began screaming.

After trying to nurse her, change her, and checking her body for some phantom injury, Aristea had an idea. She sat the girl up and promised that they wouldn’t leave the palace the next day. The promise immediately soothed her, and Devyn nestled herself back into place in her mother’s arms.

The parents stared at their child; all at once her outbursts made sense to them. Her power was beginning to manifest within her. Even at just a year old, she had a supernatural sense of danger and could only scream and cry to communicate that.

Aristea decided to use her Sight on her daughter to confirm the theory. She gave the girl to Axel and placed her hands on either side of her little face. Closing her eyes, she willed her power to flow through her. Flashes of the future materialized in her mind’s eye; the outcome of trying to escape would be disaster. If they fled, Valda would catch them. Axel and Devyn would die in the chase, leaving Aristea alone at the mercy of her mother’s wrath.

A tear slipped down her cheek, and she let go of Devyn. Suddenly, another vision overtook her, one showing that Axel would meet his end by the queen’s hand if he remained at the palace.

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