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Back Black Salt Queen
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

“Have you?” The queen gazed at the rows of warriors the Kulaws had amassed. Her dirt-streaked face was hard and unrelenting. Impressive as Imeria’s numbers were, the vast majority had either been intimidated by the Kulaws or paid off. Laya realized that her marriage was no longer the only alliance in question. She watched, rooted where she stood, as her mother addressed the traitors gathered before them.

“Brave warriors. Each one of you has pledged your sword to the rightful ruler of Maynara, and yet you fight beside our greatest enemy. Maybe you think I have failed you as sovereign. Maybe you’re afraid. If that is the case, I can forgive your transgressions. But if you throw your support behind Imeria Kulaw, I cannot rectify the mistakes I’ve made.

“In my reign, I may not have been the perfect queen⁠—but I am a daughter of Mulayri. The throne is my birthright, and this land is mine to defend. So I ask again: To whom do you pledge your sword? The true queen of Maynara? Or a dangerous usurper, who, at any second, can claw her way inside your head?”

Imeria uttered a cry of indignation. “No one is interested in your lectures, Duja. Your reign is over. The people have already decided.”

But judging by the chorus of agitated murmurs rippling through the Kulaws’ ranks, nothing was decided. A tense silence overtook the cliffs. And then⁠—

“Have mercy, Your Majesty.” A lone figure broke away from the Kulaws’ ranks. He was a senior officer around Ojas’s age. Laya recognized his steady gait from the countless times she’d seen him patrolling the halls of the palace. He staggered across the grass, shame clouding his features, before throwing himself at Hara Duja’s feet. “I have broken my vows. I allowed fear to stand between me and my duty. I owe my service to your family, for your sacrifice and your protection. I cannot undo my errors, but I can offer my sword to you⁠—the true queen of Maynara.”

His words echoed in the salt-sprayed air. Then, all at once, the mass of warriors crowded behind Imeria began to shift. Dozens followed the senior officer to the other side of the cliff, where the rest of the Gatdulas were waiting. One by one, they begged for forgiveness and pledged their swords to Hara Duja. A smirk spread across Laya’s face as she reevaluated their numbers. By the time the warriors settled into their new positions, nearly half of Imeria’s forces had defected to the Gatdulas. Imeria could no longer be certain of her victory⁠—the size of their battalions were suddenly even.