BooksBarbecue
Back Black Salt Queen Save as PDF
Chapters (50)
  1. Praise for
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. City of Mariit: Capital of Maynara Map
  5. One
  6. One
  7. Two
  8. Three
  9. Four
  10. Five
  11. Six
  12. Seven
  13. Eight
  14. Nine
  15. Two
  16. Ten
  17. Eleven
  18. Twelve
  19. Thirteen
  20. Fourteen
  21. Fifteen
  22. Sixteen
  23. Three
  24. Seventeen
  25. Eighteen
  26. Nineteen
  27. Twenty
  28. Twenty-One
  29. Twenty-Two
  30. Four
  31. By Order of General Ojas,On Behalf of Her Majesty Hara Duja
  32. Twenty-Three
  33. Twenty-Four
  34. Twenty-Five
  35. Twenty-Six
  36. Twenty-Seven
  37. Twenty-Eight
  38. Twenty-Nine
  39. Thirty
  40. Thirty-One
  41. Thirty-Two
  42. Thirty-Three
  43. Five
  44. A Coronation Prayer
  45. Thirty-Four
  46. Epilogue
  47. Acknowledgments
  48. Thank You
  49. About the Author
  50. Violetear Books x Bindery Books

Laya curled into his chest. “I love you,” she said again to make sure he heard.

Luntok didn’t answer right away, nor did he speak of the argument they’d had mere moments before. After they made love, a new peace seemed to dawn over him. He retreated to some faraway place as he traced small, featherlight circles on her shoulder. Laya listened to his heartbeat. It thudded in her ear, strong and steady, like soldiers marching through the rolling foothills. For once, she didn’t ask him to leave⁠—didn’t want him to. Their bodies molded together so easily. How warm she felt in his arms.

The fatigue washed over her, pressing her into the gentle night. Laya didn’t fight it. She nestled deeper into Luntok’s embrace. Her eyes fluttered shut. She was half-asleep when he finally stirred. He leaned over to kiss her once more, his breath hot against her cheek.

“I love you, Laya. Whatever happens, I pray you won’t forget this.” But the darkness swallowed his whisper. So soft and strange it sounded, like rain rapping against shattered glass, Laya was convinced she must have dreamed it.

Nineteen

line

Imeria

Imeria watched as Datu Gulod filled the bowl of his pipe for the fifth time that evening. Vikal struck a match against the side of the tea table and held it to Gulod’s pipe.

“Where’s your boy, Imeria? Isn’t he the reason you called this meeting?” Gulod asked. He drew in a deep puff before sighing impatiently, flooding the veranda with the scent of burning cloves.

Through the thick cloud of pipe smoke, Imeria scowled at the two men sitting before her. She might have found the physical differences between Vikal and Gulod comical in other, less traitorous circumstances. Vikal was not only taller than most men, but he also had a broad chest and arms strong enough to swing the heaviest sword. Beside him sat Gulod, who was hardly taller than Imeria, was slight, and had thin swindler’s fingers. Gulod was a pest, but a useful pest. Imeria had done well, cementing such alliances. With their combined strength and the vials of precioso, they might stand a chance to achieve Imeria’s perilous schemes.

They gathered at the Kulaws’ town house late that evening to discuss how they might proceed. After what had happened at the tournament, Mariit was beginning to grumble, condemning the Gatdulas for their brutality and negligence. It was not the first time one of Hara Duja’s daughters had nearly brought their family’s regime to its knees. Three years earlier, Laya had horrified half the kingdom when she’d destroyed the eastern wing. The previous night, the entire capital had watched Bulan steal Luntok’s victory. Maynarans, low and highborn alike, squabbled over gold and land and influence, but dishonor was the one thing none of them could stomach.