Odalis pressed her lips into a thin line as she crumpled the paper. “My magic could have pinpointed the right location. Her protector might be smarter than we think.” She threw the paper at her brother. “Start back where Camila saw the two riders.” “Odalis,” Leandro started, but she had turned away and was waving … Continue reading The Queens: Part 12

Well, that and trying to figure out how not to be so naive in the future. She imagined that wouldn’t do her any good once she reached Meridian. She knew the Southern Queen was the oldest, and the other two were much younger, which would put An Lan as the second oldest. She also knew … Continue reading The Queens: Part 11

An Lan was miserable. Even after spending three nights sleeping out under the stars, she still hadn’t slept well. Li Feng had thoughtfully packed a couple of extra blankets, knowing the servant had never slept on small rocks and twigs before, but turning over right into the boulder he’d set her next to had been … Continue reading The Queens: Part 10

Li Feng chuckled softly. “You’ll get used to it, My Queen. Meridian is surrounded by a forest. The late Eastern Queen loved to wander it, and perhaps you will, too.” An Lan squeezed her eyes shut. “Please stop calling me Queen.” The fire crackled into the silence, but An Lan didn’t dare open her eyes, … Continue reading The Queens: Part 9

An Lan wrapped her cloak tighter around herself, but still shivered as she sat on a log and watched Li Feng build a fire. She had been a servant in the Warlord’s palace since childhood; living out in the wilderness was a foreign thing to her, yet the commander and the princess, and the Warlord, … Continue reading The Queens: Part 8

Adina pressed her lips together, her eyes narrowing slightly as the girl bowed. She quickly smoothed her face out as Malin rose and offered a shadow of a smile and a nod of respect. Then she spread her arms wide, letting the flowing sleeves of the robe she wore over her simple dress fly out … Continue reading The Queens: Part 8

Adina shivered as she approached the arched doorway leading to the Northern Wing. The wood was carved with snowflakes and winter flowers she had never actually seen or heard of. The Northern Queen had always kept to herself, whether it was Malin or her predecessor, so Adina knew very little of the Northern Kingdom beyond … Continue reading The Queens: Part 7

The snow was beginning to melt on the mountains just north of Meridian. It would be some time before the snow on the other side, in the Northern Kingdom, likewise melted. Or perhaps never this year, if the long winter was any indication. Malin smiled to herself as she gazed out the window. Unlike the … Continue reading The Queens: Part 6

She scowled up at it. Her family, as large and expansive as it was, stretching to essentially rule over the Solana Region of the Western Kingdom, had enjoyed almost unrestricted growth for the past three years. They’d always been wealthy and influential, but, after the last Eastern Queen died, they’d really taken advantage. All of … Continue reading The Queens: Part 5

Odalis paced the courtyard in the Western Wing. Spring was struggling to arrive this year, so very little was in bloom. But she wasn’t there to admire the flowers and trees that had been planted generations ago to offer a piece of home to the Western Queen. The heavy white cape around her shoulders swirled … Continue reading The Queens: Part 4