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The Mongrel queen has this uncanny ability of knowing what everyone around her needs… And right now, we all need space.
Isolde runs her hands down her linen pants, straightening them as she steps away from her throne. She grips Ecaeris and Talodus above their elbows without hesitation, walking them toward the door as if they are gigantic children.
To be fair, occasionally they are.
“You can go,” the queen says, dismissing them.
Her son snorts like she’s losing the plot. “I’m not leaving you with—”
“You will,” she snaps, showing no small amount of annoyance. “I’m with two goddesses. Nothing and no one would dare touch me.”
“That’s the second time you’ve called Ada a goddess today,” Ecaeris mentions, his eyes narrow in on his mother. “You have to stop flirting with her. It’s weird now.”
Talodus snorts as Isolde gets them to the double doors. “Are you really jealous of your mother right now? Or that worried she can’t defend herself against one woman?”
“Shut up, Tal,” Ecaeris mutters as Isolde closes the doors, cutting them out of the upcoming conversation.
The Mongrel queen glides across the room to us, taking Madi’s hands into hers and giving them a gentle squeeze. “You must be tired, dear. I’ve set up a room for you while you’re here. Take today as an off day before we begin training. Shower, rest, change clothes. Everything you need is waiting for you. Rinya will show you the way.”
As if she simply hears her name as a whisper in the wind, Rin pops through the doorway at the opposite end of the throne room. She regards Madi with suspicion, but she aims no terror or hostility at our Shade guest.
Madigan smiles at Isolde. “Thank you. I would very much enjoy a place to bathe and wash these clothes after traveling for days.”
“I’ll have someone take them to wash. I’ve already put clean clothing in the wardrobe in your room.” Isolde releases Madi to wave at her linen pants. “Ada has explained that these are a thing Earth women wear regularly, so you’ll find a pair or two in there along with some dresses. Wear whatever you like.”
“Of course, you wouldn’t want to wear dresses,” Madi chides at me, her eyes alight with old memories.
“Hey. I wear them now, and I love them,” I defend. “But nothing beats the pants Isolde makes.”
She scoffs. “And how are you fairing without a swimsuit?”
“We had to make one,” I reply, scrunching my nose.
“Naturally,” she replies with a laugh, then turns to Isolde. “I can’t thank you enough. I know this is likely unconventional, but—”
“But nothing.” Isolde stops Madi, her lips tilting down as she looks at each of us. “The path ahead of you isn’t easy, and I want you both to know someone stands behind you and your decisions. This island has been my home for a thousand years; I won’t see it destroyed because Nesta can’t accept the past or her replacement. You will both do great things…after you’ve rested.”
“Thank you,” Madi whispers, taking her leave.
Rinya raises a curious brow at me before she closes me in the throne room with Isolde. She’s too nosy to not ask about the guest in our village, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to answer all her questions.
“Now that it’s just the two of us,” the queen mischievously begins. “Would you care to explain why you haven’t told me about a guard attacking you in your room?”
I grimace. “It’s not something I’m hiding from you. I would just rather not talk about it.”
“You killed a man, Ada,” Isolde points out, though there’s no judgment in her voice. “That’s not something you should keep inside yourself.”
“Poko had been stalking me, trying to get me alone.” I thread my fingers together as I take a deep breath. “He attacked me from behind with intentions of raping me. That’s when he told me he was doing this to push Ecaeris over the edge so you’d have to punish him. Because if you were hurting, the Shade queen could attack you while you were vulnerable and win this war before it starts.”
“Is that why you drowned him?”
“That was how I chose to defend myself.”
She gives me a sad smile. “I’m sorry you had to defend yourself in the first place, but don’t be ashamed. It is your will as the water goddess to bring life or death with your element. You must not be afraid to wield it in either circumstance.”
I furrow my brow as I study her. “Why do you keep calling me a goddess?”
“Because you aren’t just the future queen, sweet girl.” Isolde rests her hands on my shoulders, staring straight into the darkest depths of my soul. “You’re the water goddess in this world. Spiran chose you to carry that honor.”
