Born Queen Greg Keyes ABOUT THE AUTHOR GREG KEYES was born in Meridian, Mississippi, to a large, diverse storytelling family He received degrees in anthropology from Mississippi State and the University of Georgia before becoming a full-time writer He is the author of The Briar King, The Charnel Prince, The Blood Knight, and the Age of Unreason tetralogy, as well as The Waterborn, The Blackgod, and the Star Wars® New Jedi Order novels Edge of Victory I: Conquest, Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, and The Final Prophecy He lives in Savannah, Georgia with his wife, Nell, and son, Archer By Greg Keyes The Chosen of the Changeling THE WATERBORN THE BLACKGOD The Age of Unreason NEWTON’S CANNON A CALCULUS OF ANGELS EMPIRE OF UNREASON THE SHADOWS OF GOD The Psi Corps Trilogy BABYLON 5: DARK GENESIS BABYLON 5: DEADLY RELATIONS BABYLON 5: FINAL RECKONING Star Wars ®: The New Jedi Order EDGE OF VICTORY I: CONQUEST EDGE OF VICTORY II: REBIRTH THE FINAL PROPHECY The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone THE BRIAR KING THE CHARNEL PRINCE THE BLOOD KNIGHT THE BORN QUEEN The Born Queen is a work of fiction Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental Copyright © 2008 by J Gregory Keyes All rights reserved Published in the United States by Del Rey Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York DEL REY is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA Keyes, J Gregory The born queen / Greg Keyes p cm.—(The kingdoms of Thorn and Bone; bk 4) eISBN: 978-0-345-50479-1 I Title PS3561.E79B67 2008 813'.54—dc22 2007041832 www.delreybooks.com v1.0 For Nell, again PROLOGUE FOUR BRIEF TALES HARRIOT A SHRIEK OF PAIN lifted into the pearl-colored sky and on the wind above Tarnshead like a seabird Roger Harriot didn’t turn; he’d heard plenty of screams this morning and would hear quite a few more before the day was done Instead he focused his regard on the landscape, of which the west tower of Fiderech castle afforded an expansive view The head itself was off to the west, presently on his left hand Stacks of white stone jutted up through emerald grass, standing high enough to obscure the sea beyond, although as they slouched north toward town, the gray-green waves became visible Along that slope, wind-gnarled trees reached their branches all in the same direction, as if to snatch some unseen prize from the air From those twisty boughs strange fruit He wondered if he would have been able to tell what they were if he did not already know Probably “Not everyone has the stomach for torture,” a voice informed him He recognized it as belonging to Sacritor Praecum, whose attish this was “I find it dreary,” Roger replied, letting his gaze drift across the village with its neat little houses, gardens, and ropewalk Ships’ masts swayed gently behind the roofs “Dreary?” “And tedious, and unproductive,” he added “I doubt very much it accomplishes anything.” “Many have confessed and turned back to the true path,” Praecum objected “I’m more than familiar with torture,” Roger told him “Under the iron, men will confess to things they have not done.” He turned a wan smile toward the sacritor “Indeed, I’ve found that the sins admitted by the victim are usually first in the guilty hearts of their interrogators.” “Now, see here—” the sacritor began, but Roger waved him off “I’m not accusing you of anything,” he said “It’s a general observation.” “I can’t believe a knight of the Church could have such views You seem almost to question the resacaratum itself.” “Not at all,” Roger replied “The cancer of heresy infects every city, town, village, and household Evil walks abroad in daylight and does not bother to wear a disguise No, this world must be made pure again, as it was in the days of the Sacaratum.” “Then—” “My comment was about torture It doesn’t work The confessions it yields are untrustworthy, and the epiphanies it inspires are insincere.” “Then how would you have us proceed?” Roger pointed toward the headland “Most of those you question will end there, swinging by their necks.” “The unrepentant, yes.” “Best skip straight to the hanging The ‘repentant’ are liars, and those innocents we execute will be rewarded by the saints in the cities of the dead.” He could feel the sacritor stiffen “Have you come to replace me? Are the patiri not pleased with our work?” “No,” Roger said “My opinions are my own and not popular The patiri— like you—enjoy torture, and it will continue My task here is of another nature.” He turned his gaze to the southeast, where a light saffron road vanished into forested hills But it wasn’t complete darkness, and Anne saw they were again in the chamber beneath the horz But now the sarcophagus was open, and in it Austra sat, back propped against one stone wall She looked as she had when she was nine, a pale waif “I knew better,” the little girl said “I knew better than to hope for anything for myself.” “Stop whining,” Anne said “You had a better life than you could have ever hoped for, born as you were.” “You’re right,” Austra said “And I wouldn’t trade it You were always going to be the end of me, Anne I knew that You’ll bury me here, and the circle goes on.” “You didn’t know,” Anne accused “Of course I did I didn’t know how it would happen It nearly happened a dozen times when we were little.” “That’s nonsense I loved you.” “It’s how you love,” she replied “It’s how you love, Anne.” “I don’t know what you mean.” “You probably don’t,” Austra replied, closing her eyes “I love you anyway.” “He’ll kill us both, Austra, if he gets you.” She nodded tiredly “I know you won’t, but please let Cazio go Can you that for me?” Anne started to agree, but why should she? She didn’t have to anything Austra said or for that matter listen to anything she said She was the only one who could make her feel like this, feel like… Feel like what? she suddenly wondered But she knew that, too When her mother—or Fastia, or anyone— disapproved of something she did, she knew she might be in trouble, but deep down she never actually felt bad When Austra disapproved of her, she knew in her heart she was wrong She didn’t need that, did she? She felt the Briar King, his power swelling, reaching for what remained of Austra, tearing through the illusory tomb Time was up She had a heartbeat left to act, but it was all she needed No With a soft, chagrined laugh, Anne released her hold The Briar King took Austra and loomed up to the sky The Kept screamed once as he was ripped from her and hurled into the oblivion he craved, and then she felt as if all her veins had been opened, and the scent of black roses filled her lungs until there was nothing else EPILOGUE THE DAY the last Skasloi stronghold fell began the age known as Eberon Vhasris Slanon in the language of the elder Cavarum When the language itself was forgotten by all but a few cloistered scholars in the Church, the name for the age persisted in the tongues of men as Everon, just as Slanon remained attached to the place of victory in the Lierish form Eslen Everon was an age of human beings in all their glories and failings The children of the Rebellion multiplied and covered the land with their kingdoms In the year 2223 E, the age of Everon came to an abrupt and terrible end It may be that I am the last to remember it I was dying when the Briar King came When the battle was done, he lifted me in his hand of living vines and opened those eyes of his upon me I knew my friend, and he knew me, and I wept at what he had given up, but more at what he had gained He took me away, and in his long, slow way he mended me He meant well Of all that died and lived that night, only I was left with the sight, and it was a faint reflection of what I once had Like Aspar’s Grim, my one eye can look beyond the horizons of days and leagues—but never again at my command The hour of treasured shadows had just struck in Vitellio, and in the little town of Avella, that meant everyone from the carpenter to a shopkeeper—or anyone who had sense—had found shade and a light snack This was true even now, when the days were shorter and the shadows longer Fewer duels were fought over the prime spots, and thus it was that this deep in the month Utavamenza, Alo was able to rest in the shade of the fountain of the Lady Fiussa without much fear of molestation, even given the current climate in town and the well-known fact that his skills with the sword were far from perfect He enjoyed the wine as best he could, knowing it would be his last for a while He could wish for some bread to go with it, but he might as well ask Fiussa to weep sapphires He dozed on and off in the weakening autumn sun A horse clopped across the stones of the piato; a girl sang from her window He dreamed of better days He opened his eyes and found Lady Fiussa gazing down at him She was young, fair, very pretty Only the lady ought to be naked, and this woman was dressed, oddly enough, as a man, in breeches and doublet, complete with riding hat “Lady,” he said, scrambling to his feet “Hush,” the girl said “Are you the one they call Alo?” “I am,” he said “I am very much he.” “That’s good,” she said “I have something for you from an old friend.” She had a charming accent, Alo noticed “What is it?” She held something out for him It was a key “Zmierda,” he swore “That’s Cazio’s key The key to his triva Where did you get that?” “It’s a long story,” she said “He wanted you to have it.” “Is he well?” She looked away, and Alo felt his heart sink “It was kind of him,” Alo said, “but it won’t me any good Some of Chiuno’s thugs are using it They broke in a while back.” “Chiuno?” “The new lord of Avella,” he said He lowered his voice “A bandit, really But with the Church in civil war and the Medicii all hurrying to take sides, little towns like ours get forgotten I’m leaving myself this afternoon.” “I see,” she said “Lady, who are you?” “My name is Austra,” she replied “Can’t you tell me anything else about my friend?” he asked But she smiled a faint, enigmatic smile and walked away, mounted a scruffylooking horse, and rode out of town on the Vio aza Vero Alo watched her go, then finished his wine and lay back, turning the key in his fingers He woke again, this time to a boot digging into his ribs He opened his eyes carefully and found a rough-looking bearded man standing over him dressed much as the woman had been except that he had a rapier slung by his side The woman, he saw, stood a few paces away “This is my spot, friend,” the fellow said And then, behind the beard, Alo recognized him “Cazio!” “Hush,” his old friend said “Let’s go for a walk in the country, and you can tell me a bit more about this Chiuno fellow He sounds unpleasant.” He offered his hand, and Alo took it, smiling I saw the Sefry flee for the deep and hidden places in the world Most had not been involved with Fend, the Aitivar, Mother Uun, and her kin Most never hoped that Qexqaneh would bring back their days of glory But once their secret was out, the lands of men were no longer for them, and they knew it I saw Marcomir die of apoplexy I saw the army of Hansa pull back to the border I saw the Church descend into bloody civil war “Anne?” Anne looked up from her reading Her brother Charles was sitting on the floor across the Red Hall, cross-legged, playing with some cards “What is it, Charles?” she asked Charles rubbed his eyes He was a grown man, older than Anne, but his mind was forever childlike, and so were his motions “When is Hound Hat coming back?” he asked “I miss him.” “I don’t think he will be back, Charles,” she said gently “But we shall find you another jester.” “But I liked him.” “I know.” “What about Mother? Is she coming back?” “No, not her, either,” Anne told him “It’s just us now.” “But I miss everybody.” “I do, too,” she said “I’m sad,” he said glumly, and went back to his cards Before she could return to her reading, she heard a soft voice near the door “Majesty?” She glanced over and saw one of her pages standing there “Yes, Rob What is it?” “The earl of Cape Chavel, as you requested.” “Thank you Show him in directly.” She turned her gaze to the young woman standing behind her “Alis,” she said, “why don’t you take Charles to see the new horses.” “Are you certain, Majesty?” “Yes, Lady Berrye, I am.” “Very well,” Alis said “Charles, could you go with me and show me the new horses?” “Horses!” Charles echoed, bouncing to his feet The two of them left arm in arm The earl entered a moment later Rob left, too, and they were alone in the Red Hall Cape Chavel looked very fine, and she felt the ghostly tingle of the memory of his hands on her Her heart felt very tender for a moment, very full “I’m so pleased to see you well,” he said “I’m pleased to see you, Tam.” His jaw dropped for a moment “You’ve never called me that,” he said “Of course I’m pleased.” “I’m sorry I haven’t had time to speak to you before this,” she said “There was a lot to The circumstances of that night—I don’t know how much you remember.” “I remember it well, until our own soldiers trampled me,” he said “I remember you rising from the dead, for instance.” “I was never dead,” she said “My soul fled my body for a time so it could heal, that’s all.” “That’s all,” he said “You say that as if it were nothing I thought you were dead, Anne I believed I loved you, but when I thought you were gone, I went mad I don’t know how you came back to me, and I don’t care, only that you are back, and I love you even more dearly than before.” “I love you, too,” she said “Simply, honestly, without pretense The way I have always wanted to love.” He closed his eyes “Then why wait? You’ve already made me king of Virgenya Surely everyone will agree we make a good match.” She tried to smile “We make a good match,” she said “We not make the best match.” He wrinkled a confused frown “What you mean?” Anne wished just for a moment that she had the cold, terrible nature of that night back, but that Anne was dead, stillborn Whatever she might become now had never been foreseen, and she meant to make the best of that “I must marry Berimund of Hansa,” she said “But you just said you love me.” “Yes,” she agreed “And so I wanted to tell you in person before you found out through the court It will bring peace between us and Hansa.” “They hate you there They think you’re a witch.” “Marcomir died five days ago He was the heart of that hatred, but even so, yes—in Hansa I will not be loved But it is, very simply, what must be done.” “I don’t accept that.” “You must I hope to always be your friend, Tam, but no matter what, you will accept my word as your empress.” He stood there red-faced for several heart-wrenching moments before he finally bowed “Yes, Majesty,” he said “That will be all for now.” He left, and so she freed the last of those she loved, and felt another crack in her heart, and knew that this was what being a queen was I saw Anne cede her power to the Briar King, and then I helped Aspar—I still call him that sometimes—conceal the thrones again, better than before, I hope The power wanes, and Anne passed laws against the use of the fanes Time only will tell, for men and women are foolish I’m proof of that Leoff kissed his son’s tiny forehead The child looked about aimlessly with unfocused eyes, and he wondered what strange melodies might be in there, waiting for an instrument to give them life Areana looked pale and beautiful in her sleep, and the glare of the midwife forbade him to wake her He gave the child carefully back to the old woman and went out onto the grounds, whistling “Not a new singspell, I trust?” a raised voice asked from some distance off It was Artwair, approaching on a dun mare “No,” he said “Just a lullaby I’m working on.” “So, well?” Artwair dismounted and let the horse have its head “All is well,” Leoff told him “The child is healthy, and so is Areana.” “Saints bless, that’s good news,” Artwair said “You deserve some good fortune.” “I don’t know if I deserve it,” Leoff replied “But I’m grateful for it How are things in Eslen?” “Quieting slowly,” the duke replied “There are still rumors, of course, that the queen is really a demon, a saint, a man, or a Sefry beneath her clothes Liery is still making noise about the wedding, and the winter was hard But we have peace, and the early crops are good Few monsters have been seen, and those only in the deep forests, far from town or village And the Church —well, that might take time to settle out Anne intends to establish her own, you know One free of z’Irbina’s influence.” “I wish her luck there.” “She actually sent me to talk to you regarding that,” he said “She’d like you to compose a hymn of thanksgiving to be sung at the lustration of the clergy.” “That’s interesting,” Leoff said “You don’t want to?” Leoff smiled “I’ve already started on it.” “I think we’re being followed, by the way,” Artwair said Leoff nodded He had seen the flash of dress through the trees “She has a bit of a crush on you, I’m afraid.” “And here I thought you were teaching her good taste.” Leoff raised his voice “Come on out, Mery, and say hello to the duke And after that we have work to do, you and I.” He heard her giggle, and then she appeared, skipping toward them When the law of death was mended, those creatures caught between fell one way or the other He thanked the saints every day that she had fallen his way I see the last of the Faiths The boom swung and the sail caught wind, and the Swanmay cut through the rising waves Neil leaned on the rail, staring out over the rough water at the rugged coastline “It’s beautiful,” Brinna said He nodded in agreement “She’s a hard old rock, but I love her I think you’ll like her, too.” She made a single fist of both of their hands He winced a bit, for the whole arm was still tender, but he treasured the touch “We’ll stay here, then?” she asked He laughed, and she only looked puzzled “Would you make a liar of me?” he asked “I don’t even know what you mean.” “I said I would take you away to where neither of us has duties Now, the queen gave me my freedom and Berimund gave you yours, but we are still very far from that place.” “And where, husband, would that be?” “We will have to hunt it,” he said “It could take the rest of our lives Who knows how much of the world we shall have to see?” And she kissed him and seemed young for the first time since he had known her Together they watched Skern grow before them I saw Zemlé grow old, never knowing what happened to me When I walked the world again, healed as much as I could heal, she was years dead So I returned to the empty Witchhorn I grieve and write And I remember what I can There is one thing I won’t forget until the river finally takes me out into everything That was the time I saw through his eyes I never imagined such a beautiful thing—to gaze with every eye of the forest, feel and hear through every leaf and fern It was only once, years after the battle It happened where the tyrants once stood, the great ironoaks Aspar loved so well They were all fallen, but acorns had sprouted, and for those first years things grew with unnatural speed So many of the trees were already four or five kingsyards high, slender young things, but already starting to shadow out the underbrush, reconquering their territory A woman came there, still young, her face rosy from the winds, for that year was cooler She was bundled in a wool coat, and she wore elkhide boots I knew her, of course, for I once thought I loved her, and I did in a way Holding her hand was a girl of perhaps six or seven years She had a bright, intelligent face that was full of wonder as she stared about the place “Here he is,” Winna told the girl “Here is your father.” And, through him, I felt every tree strain, and shudder, and yearn toward them, and all the birds sang at once It was the last truly human thing I ever felt from him, and not long after that he slept, as sleep he must When he slept, I awoke, and found the world changed —The Codex Tereminnam, Author anon *** Book Rangers - PleX Lectio Facit Liber Table of Contents Born Queen ABOUT THE AUTHOR PROLOGUE PART I CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN PART II CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN PART III CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN PART IV CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE EPILOGUE ... CONQUEST EDGE OF VICTORY II: REBIRTH THE FINAL PROPHECY The Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone THE BRIAR KING THE CHARNEL PRINCE THE BLOOD KNIGHT THE BORN QUEEN The Born Queen is a work of fiction Names,... this In the dungeons they contemplate their sins and yearn for sunlight until they wonder if they really remember what it looked like Then I bring them here, where they can see the beauty of the. .. full-time writer He is the author of The Briar King, The Charnel Prince, The Blood Knight, and the Age of Unreason tetralogy, as well as The Waterborn, The Blackgod, and the Star Wars® New Jedi