Page 30 of Throne of the Wolf Queen

I swallowed. I suppose she had a point.

‘So, Matthias’ – she tutted, tucking in the corner of my shirt that never seemed to stay put – ‘pardon me for accepting a bit of help. And you haven’t even thanked them yet?’

My eyes widened. ‘Thank… the rebels?’

She nodded, her dark hair swooping down. ‘You were not dragged up, Matthias.’

I glanced around the camp, the pathetic fire had already died down and one of the black-clad rebels was working, rather ably, to reignite it. These people, these rebels. They’d not only led to the downfall of my father, but The Alliance had been clear about any evidence of us working with them. The empress may have announced The Alliance had crumbled, but I had to hope that the moment this nightmare was over, we’d sit once again in those panelled halls. The slightest thread connecting any Elmswoods with the Insurgence would lead to them stripping us of Asmar’s throne. It could cause the downfall of my line… if I ever got my throne back that was.

Fire flushed across my cheeks. ‘What are you thinking? We can’t be seen with them. You know what this could mean to our rule? We could lose everything⁠—’

‘You have lost everything.’ The familiar sting of shame crashed into my chest. She was right. I’d lost everything I tried so hard to cling onto. She took my hand and squeezed. ‘This isn’t your fault. Not all of it. But they can help us. They’re the only ones we can trust.’

I closed my eyes and shook my head. Although I’d been rescued by Mother, I was in a worse situation than ever. Even as she held me, my body pulled away, seeking the horse, any horse. The empress’s dominance still squeezed against my free will. My heart shattered as I took in my mother. A soft smile tugged up the corner of her mouth and she reached up, pushing the hair from my eyes.

‘These curls are still as unruly as your heart.’ She smiled, little lines appearing at the corners of her eyes as my feet dragged me away. She narrowed her gaze.

‘A tattoo?’ She clicked her tongue. ‘Oh, Matthias. You didn’t?’

I swallowed, finally freeing my hand and moving towards where the dead guards had tethered their horses. I couldn’t muster the tiniest of smiles as Mother muttered a swear word under her breath. In my twenty-three years, I’d never once heard her curse. But I was compelled to leave her, to find my wife and hand her over to a woman more evil than Vyrus. I opened my mouth, hoping I could explain. Persuade Mother to tie me to a tree, but the binding was complete. I couldn’t even kiss her goodbye.

I strode across the ground, confused rebels moving out of my way. My hand gripped the pommel, tears shattering against my eyes as I raised myself up.

‘Stop.’

I paused, my head burrowing into the horse’s mane at the pleading note in Mother’s voice. ‘Move away from the horse, Matthias.’

I let go and faced her. ‘Mum.’ Gods how my voice cracked. ‘It’s no good. She controls me. The bitch is making me…’

I trailed off. Mother arched her brow, a wide, satisfied smirk on her face, and I cocked my head. I’d walked away from the horse. I glanced over my shoulder to the mare and laughed.

‘Now.’ I turned back to Mother, laughing with relief as her fingers played with a necklace. Not just a necklace, my knees almost buckled as the crimson shone in the crackling firelight, revealing a ruby ring she’d chained around her throat. ‘Give your old mother a kiss.’

I lifted her up, smothering her still-smooth cheeks, loving the sound of her laughter. As I placed her down, I swiped away the tears coursing down my face.

‘But… how…’ I laughed again. ‘How did you know about the ruby?’

She linked her arm with mine and led me to the log where the rebels sat, the fabric removed from their faces, and a large hare sizzled over the flames.

‘I was on my way back to Asmar long before I heard about your wedding.’ She grabbed my chin and narrowed her gaze. ‘I’m assuming I must have missed your letter on my travels?’

I opened and closed my mouth. I’d had every intention of writing. Of course I had. But there had been so much to deal with. Romero, the mines, The Alliance, fucking Danté and then there was Sorrow herself. I shivered at the memory of her bleeding eyes. At the thought of losing her when I’d only just found her. A letter to Mother had always been on my list. I’d even got a piece of parchment ready and prepared some ink, but…

She let go of my chin, rolling her eyes. ‘I thought so. We heard the empress had her armada aimed at Asmar. You knew I was staying with Roshan, my cousin?’ I nodded, accepting some meat with a curt thanks. ‘He’s always had a fascination with the old Gods and over the years, he’s made some wonderful connections with other academics all across the world. A year ago, he received a worrying letter from a professor of ancient theology in Yepana.’

‘She’s got Musa too. We were imprisoned together.’

Mother shook her head. She looked across the flames to where another rebel sat. Their pale lips curled as they glanced across to me, before turning away. My eyes bore into their face as a spark of familiarity twisted uncomfortably within.

‘Musa’s a good man. He and your father…’ She glanced over to the red-haired rebel who’d just sneered before turning her attention back to me. I fought to concentrate on Mother as an image flashed through my mind. Too quick, too fleeting to fully grasp. ‘This professor was concerned about the empress. She’s destroyed libraries, torn down statues, raided universities and museums. Even the sacred temples aren’t beyond her touch.’

‘She’s doing it here.’ I thought of the destruction in the palace, my chest constricting at the thought of telling Mother what she’d done. ‘It’s as though she’s trying to eradicate every last trace of us.’

‘That’s what she wants you to think?’

My brows furrowed.

‘The professor was brought before her, threatened with one of those tattoos unless she spilled everything she knew about Vyrus and Evella. This professor had a particular interest in the myths surrounding Vyrus and the Gods’ hearts. She always maintained the Heart of Vyrus wasn’t a myth. She’d analysed a ruby shard in the Grand Gallery of Yepana, the ruby the empress now has.’ Mother shook her head, twisting her own ring. ‘Had it examined by the finest gemologists on Eusis. They all concurred that it wasn’t an ordinary ruby. That it… reacted when placed next to a shard of Vyrium.