The doors to the grand meeting chamber burst open. Servants scrambled forward to close them while, at the same time, trying to announce the new arrival. “Lord, uhm…”

They glanced at one another. Who was this again?

Sighing at the noise, Eres glanced up from her throne. Catching sight of the other person’s scowling face, she waved off the servants.

Bowing their heads, they shuffled backward and obediently closed the doors behind them.

The scowler and the queen stared at one another. For better or worse, the two were almost left to themselves.

Almost.

The giant wolf sitting at Eres’ feet peeked an eye open. It sniffed the air, wet nose raised high. The humans stared, awaiting the beast’s verdict. The wolf chuffed. It got up to its feet. Shaking out its fur, the giant canine stretched its hind legs. Satisfied, it laid its head back down into its paw, a gesture that made it look like an oversized puppy.

“Is that how you intimidate people nowadays?” asked the other person.

Eres laughed, “Please, Varae could be in another room and that alone is enough to scare those ministers shitless.”

The other figure snorted. They reached back and took off their hood.

Blaze crossed his arms across his chest. “I got your stupid bird.” His face was twisted in a grimace but his tone was emotionless. He was clean-shaven and his dark eyes were sharp but dark bags sat under them. “What do you want?”

“Business has been tough?” Ignoring the question, Eres tapped her fingers against the throne. “Last I heard, the Capital has been increasing its hold in Oceanport.”

“And last I checked, that was none of your business,” retorted Blaze.

Eyes narrowing, the intricate metal parts of Eres’ elaborate battle gear jostled as she got to her feet. Unlike the other queens and ladies, Eres’ free time was spent riding off for a hunting trip or going out for a spar. When she returned from those excursions, she rarely bothered to change out of the armor.

The warrior queen walked towards a defiant Blaze. The young man watched warily. Every footstep echoed in the large room. Eres was a woman of tall stature, dominating in her words and appearance. The two stared each other down as they stood eye to eye, with Blaze only being a few inches taller.

“Is that how you talk to your queen, boy?” Eres caressed Blaze’s face, nails dragging across his cheek.

“What queen?” Blaze smiled, unflinchingly.

“Is that a joke?” Eres asked. “Do you truly believe yourself to be a Port-Dog now?”

Blaze remained silent, looking away.

Eres smirked. She shook her head. Turning, she returned back to her throne. “I just wanted to make sure the score is settled with your boss, and that our businesses are in order, Mr. Underling.”

Setting her hands on her knees, the queen took a seat, stance wide and dominating. She sat like a hunter staring down at its prey, making her next words all the more demanding. “Stay for the banquet in a few days. There is a storm coming and the passes will be blocked. Fill yourself with good food and company as you wait it out.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” snapped Blaze. “I’d much rather try my chances with the storm.”

Eres laughed, slapping her knee like she just heard the world’s funniest joke. “You say that like you have a choice!” Her smirk grew. “If your boss want the payment, you’ll stay.”

The hall grew silent. It felt as if the temperature in the room had dropped. Suddenly, Blaze laughed. The corners of his eyes crinkled and the noise he made was boisterous and loud. It was a bizarre sight considering his usual stoic demeanor. Carefully hidden behind his back, the young man’s fists were clenched tightly, nails digging hard enough to break skin. “So that’s how you want to play it, huh? Dirty as ever, Eres.”

Eres leaned her head against her fist, letting the other’s words fly over her head.

“You may be rusty of such events so I will remind you of the requirements.” She raised her fingers, listing off. “Don’t dress like a vagabond, don’t speak unless I tell you to, and-”

“Why in Niamh’s name would you care what I do?” Blaze spoke in a clipped tone. “As long as I go to your stupid party, our deal is-”

BANG!

The queen’s fist pounded against the side of the chair, the noise echoing hauntingly.

“Do not,” Eres spit, “interrupt me.”

Jaws clenched tightly together, Blaze reluctantly shut his mouth.

“The proper etiquette is to bring a date. Follow these rules, and you’ll get the money we agreed upon. No funny business.” Eres turned her gaze to stare pointedly out of the window. Curtly, she added, “Fiona is eager to see you.”

Blaze chuckled humorlessly. He murmured, “So that’s what it is. And here I thought you just missed me too much.”

With that, the young man turned on his heels.

Eres stared at his back. “Do not test me.”

Varae lifted their head, jaws opening to reveal rows of sharp teeth.

“Control your stupid dog.” Waving a hand dismissively, Blaze called, “I’ll go to your damned party and I’ll bring a date too.”

Shoving the door open, he brushed past the startled servants.

Eres watched as the doors closed shut once more. Once she couldn’t hear the other’s footsteps, she turned to stare at the back corner.

Fiona, her sister and bishop, emerged from the shadows.

Resting her chin on her hand, Eres sighed, “Happy now?”

Fiona nodded mutely. She stared blankly at the spot where Blaze had left. The girl bit her lips. “Something feels off.”

“It’s just a party to appease the nobles,” Eres rolled her eyes. She got up and grasped her sister’s hands. Smiling gently, she teased, “Don’t look so troubled over a stupid man.”

Fiona looked away, cheeks reddening. “Who says I am troubled?”

Her older sister rolled her eyes. “Your eyes say it all, my love.” She stared down at her, placing two hands on the younger’s shoulders. “You are the sister of the queen, bishop of the Citadel. Who is any man to reject you?” Her gaze followed that of Fiona’s. “Plus, he’s a lone dog in our city. Even if he wishes to defy us, who else would he possibly ask for a date?”

Fiona nodded again, a bit more reassured, but her lips remained downturned.

Who else could he possibly ask?

…

Ria sneezed.

Who was talking shit about her now?

Wiping her nose with the back of her sleeve, the girl tried to re-focus on the task at hand. She shivered.

The moment they had been shoved off the cart, the Recruiters had forced all of the new “workers” into pale, threadbare pant and shirts. The materials were more cloth than clothes. Ria sighed. It was hard to imagine missing the chill of the sea breeze. Still, at least in the sea cave, the temperature had been bearable. In the Citadel, warmth seemed to be a foreign concept. Everything from fingers and toes to Ria’s core felt numb. She knew the others weren’t faring much better either.

“And here are the copper mines.” Their designated tour guide and current supervisor pointed to the caves at the bottom of the hill.

Because of their abundance, the copper mines were the furthest from the center of the city. Lines of workers trailed in and out of the mines, carrying heavy loads on their backs or lugging large baskets in their arms.

The supervisor pointed to the other side.

Her voice was so nasally and high pitched it was grating to the ears. “That’s the mines for the precious metals, steel, silver, blah, blah, blah. Now, make sure you keep watch of the boundary zones. If you are found past those zones and interfering with the lives of the citizens, you will be punished and…”

Ria tuned out the rest. It had been the same speech over and over. Be lazy and punishment awaits. Go out of the mining zones, and a horrid fate is in your near future. Breathe the wrong way in front of a supervisor and you probably won’t see the light of day ever again. In short, do anything wrong and your life would be that of pain, or no, sorry, more pain.

Ria sighed. In every other magical alternate-world story, the character was transported into an awesome place and got to fight pirates or learn magic. But Ria? She was stuck participating in child labor! And in the mining industry of all things! Were worker guilds or rights even a thing yet? Looking around, she highly doubted it.

The group was led further up the hill.

They arrived in front of the busiest mines yet. Hundreds of slave workers, because that’s what they were, realized Ria, hurried back and forth. They averted their gazes and kept their heads low when walking in front of the supervisor.

In response, said supervisor yawned obnoxiously. Stretching, (Ria winced at all the popping sounds) the woman nodded at the mines. “This is where you newbies will be working. Mining the land’s most important mineral. Dust.” Even the supervisor couldn’t help the little bit of awe from slipping into her voice.

Ria folded her arms. She had heard a little bit about the Dust and its qualities from the others.

Apparently, it was a precious metal that was infinitely valuable. Valuable enough to separate friends and families, kidnapping them with no remorse just to have enough manpower to mine the stuff. Its complex properties were its greatest strength. The material was strong and durable but also extremely malleable. The people used it to create weapons, build delicate structures, and supposedly, Dust could even be ground into actual dust. It turned into a fine substance that when sprinkled in the soil, helped produce abundantly rich and healthy crops. Dust was key to all. Its only downside was its limitedness, making the material extremely rare and coveted. Additionally, most of its locations were controlled by the Citadel as the richest ores lay in their mountain range.

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Truth be told, if the words of her fellow prisoners were to be trusted, Dust sounded impressive even to Ria. She couldn’t think of an equivalent metal in her world, but it was likely that Dust was something purely unique to Milror.

According to Finn, legend had it that Dust was brought by the Ancients, back in the time of the god queens: Niamh, the evil, and her sister Ciara, the good. It was a time when even Admin listened to the monarchs and people-controlled Dust rather than the other way around.

“All right, slowpokes,” the supervisor sniffed, “initiation’s over. Get to work!”

Ria stumbled back as a shovel was dropped into her arms. The supervisor smiled, yellow teeth glinting. “I don’t like repeating myself.”

Ria and the others groaned but headed into the mines.

Every footstep brought them closer to candle-lit darkness and a life of servitude. Daisy dragged her shovel across the dirt. The little girl was determined but too weak to fully lift the heavy tool.

“Hurry up! We don’t appreciate lazy bones and stragglers around here!” sang the supervisor. The prisoners rolled their eyes as the woman continued to scream different renditions of the same phrase. From her many years of experience with droning teachers, Ria found it easy to tune out.

Catching sight of her fellow prisoners, Ria’s heart squeezed. Burning anger also surged through her.

Her head was finally clear after all the commotion. A horrible realization struck her. It was like a ton of bricks smacked her in the face. The thought was almost enough to make her drop her shovel. Ria scowled, grip tightening on the tool.

Daphne was a big. Fat. Liar.

The girl had lied straight to Ria’s face! Not only had she said Ria would no longer be transported to Milror but she had also lied about saving Daisy and the others. Daphne would have smiled in Ria’s face, unashamed of the fact that she had never had any intention of helping them. A sudden nausea rolled through her, because… she would have believed Daphne. Ria would have gone on with her life, satisfied with the other girl’s placating words.

Ria’s knuckles turned white as she tightened her hold even more. If it was physically possible, the shovel would have snapped.

Glowering, Ria stepped forward, keeping herself between a struggling Daisy and the supervisor’s view. Ria hoped that she got knocked out again soon. The pain would be worth it so long as she got to send a well-deserved punch to Daphne’s perfect, fake smile.

…

Lady Rex sneezed.

The servant beside her hurried forward with a handkerchief.

Daphne held up a hand. The servant froze. She bowed and fell back. Daphne crinkled her nose. Was a grateful citizen praising her? She shook herself of the thought. No matter.

Lady Rex focused her attention back on the figure in front of her.

Queen Mother sat on one of the guest chairs, a cup of tea held daintily in her right hand.

Lady Rex wiped her hands against her dress and approached slowly. Smiling, she spoke softly, keeping her voice quiet and demure. “We were not expecting you, Your Ladyship.”

Although her face was covered with a veil, the other woman gave off the impression of smiling indulgently. The teacup was set down with a clink. Folding her hands in her lap, Queen Mother finally spoke.

Her voice was mellow and warm. “I did not realize I needed to make a reservation for your time.”

Lady Rex flinched.

Queen Mother let out a radiant laugh, a sound that was almost musical in nature. Under the veil, her eyes crinkled. “I will keep that in mind for next time, my dear.”

Lady Rex tried for a smile, but it fell short, coming out stiff and forced. Swallowing, she said, “I apologize Queen Mother, I meant no disrespect.” She clasped her hands together. “You are welcome here any time you so desire.”

Queen Mother stared down at the teacup.

Turning, Lady Rex addressed the servant. “Leave us.”

The woman nodded. She gave a small curtsy and left through the doors, closing them behind her. Lady Rex waited a few seconds before turning to address the other occupant of the room.

“Is there something-” Lady Rex was abruptly cut off.

“I assume you received my missive,” said Queen Mother. Her tone was sharper, carrying an authority that belonged to the powerful.

Lady Rex was thrown off by the change, but she quickly nodded, adapting to the change.

Queen Mother leaned back into her chair. Although Daphne was the one standing, she suddenly felt very small. The hairs on the back of her neck raised.

The other woman sighed mournfully. “Perhaps I should have offered the task to another queen. It seems the Capital tires of the responsibility. Maybe the Citadel would better suit being the greatest-”

“No!” Lady Rex hurried forward, stopping just short of running. She nodded earnestly. “I have it. I have the thing you wanted.”

Queen Mother hummed thoughtfully. Her finger tapped the edge of the chair. “The thing… I wanted? Why did you phrase it in such a way, my dear?” The woman shook her head, the silky material of the veil shimmered. “Do you truly think I’m doing this,” she paused, “for me?”

Eyes widening, Daphne lowered herself to the floor. She touched her head to the ground. “Of course not! It is my fault, Queen Mother. I am still clumsy with my words.” Her words trembled, “I know you would not do anything that is not in service to the Balance.”

Queen Mother let out a world-weary sigh. “I will admit, I was very fond of you, Daphne”. She reached back to toss her hair. Her long nails scratched at her neck, drawing long red lines against the pale skin. “Seeing as we are kin, I helped you perhaps more than I should have.”

“Yes, my ladyship! And this one is well aware of your sacrifices.” Daphne’s entire form was quivering. “To me… and to the family.”

“Now I realize that I have indulged you far too much,” Rubbing her forehead, the woman let out another sigh. “Perhaps you wished to use the piece to gain power over me, hmm? Use it to barter for something valuable, or perhaps even try using its power for yourself?”

Daphne swallowed hard. Beads of sweat trailed down her neck. It was true. Those thoughts had crossed her mind.

“Where is it now?”

Daphne worked to control her stoic expression despite the anxiety rolling through her. She let Lady Rex’s power and calm mask fall over her. Lifting her head, she admitted quietly. “It is not with me at the moment.”

Queen Mother pursed her lips.

Lady Rex rarely took silence for a good thing. In her experience, it usually meant her opponents were thinking of ways to double-cross her. In most cases, such a thing mattered little… but this was different. This was one of those rare situations that required the second most powerful person in Milror to tread lightly.

Rising slowly, Lady Rex explained, “It is in a secure location. I did not want to be waving such a relic around for all to see.” Gathering herself, she stared into the veil, hoping to translate her sincerity. “I’ll have it prepared properly the next time you visit.”

“Which I should call ahead for,” teased Queen Mother. The woman let out a lighthearted laugh. Her shoulders relaxed but Lady Rex’s remained stiff.

Queen Mother rose to her feet. “Do not worry, my dear. Unlike some people, I do not repeat my mistakes.” Pearly white teeth glinted under the shimmering fabric; a bit too sharp to be friendly. “It would serve you well to take up the same practice.”

Lady Rex ducked her head, refraining from speaking.

Looking around, Queen Mother placed her hands on her hips. “I must be on my way. Did you have anything you wished to speak with me about?” She tilted her head. “You do look quite constipated today.”

Head still lowered, Daphne murmured, “May I truly speak my mind, my ladyship?”

“Of course,” said the other woman.

Daphne raised her gaze. “To be honest, you seem quite different from usual.”

Queen Mother took a step forward. Lady Rex refused to flinch back despite her instincts wishing otherwise.

The elegant woman took one step and then another, until the two stood close enough for their breaths to mingle. Close enough for Lady Rex to smell the rose-scented perfume that Daphne had gifted Queen Mother herself.

“Is that an accusation?” Queen Mother’s vibrant eyes were visible at this distance. “Dear niece?”

“No. I was merely inquiring after your health. The weather has been unpredictable, and if you are in need of any supplements,” Daphne ducked her head. “I will gladly arrange for the royal infirmary to prepare some.”

Receiving no response, Lady Rex shook her head and continued, “What I truly wanted to ask was this.”

Lady Rex hesitated before asking, “Why did you want Four’s sacred piece?”

“Is it not obvious?” Queen Mother leaned in, uncomfortably close, and whispered, “For the greater good.”

Lady Rex gasped at the familiar phrasing. Those exact words had been haunting her mind for weeks… ever since she received the prophecy. But how could the other woman know?

Queen Mother leaned back. “That is what you were thinking as well, weren’t you?” She gestured towards the doors. “Is Scalae not sitting in your room? Has it not told you of the future?”

“Scalae is working perfectly fine,” Daphne was quick to answer.

“Good.” Queen Mother nodded, “So you should have foreseen it too. This new queen brings trouble. Her reign would bring the greatest unbalance Milror has ever seen.”

Clenching her fists, Daphne protested, “It is true that I saw that as well, but Ria is just like the others. She would have never made it past the Tournament! So, why make me retort to such dirty methods!” She bit the inside of her cheek. That was the wrong thing to say.

Queen Mother made a “tsk-ing” noise. “You are still a child after all. Was it not you who told me she is unworthy?”

“Yes…” Lady Rex hesitated, “But, perhaps-“

“I took your word because your foresight has always been strong. It is why Scalae chose you. Your letter spoke of your misgivings. This was your choice.” She smiled again. “I’m sure it was not because of anything rash that led you to such actions, so why are you so torn, my dear?” She sighed, “We are merely speeding up the process.”

Picking up the edges of her dress, Queen Mother headed towards the door.

Daphne, who had been frozen, glanced up, eyes wide. “But I never thought that we would stoop to such-!”

“Lady Rex, you overstep,” warned the sharp voice.

The first queen of Milror stumbled back. Daphne had never heard Queen Mother raise her voice. Ever.

“Rex,” shaking her head in disappointment, Queen Mother sighed, “Here you are sniveling after reassurances like an infant when surely you have bigger things to worry about.”

She turned to fully face Daphne. “The mines at the Citadel are overflowing with new riches, your most valuable pawn has disappeared and could for all you know be in the hands of your enemy! The greatest kingdom our family has built for generations is about to face its greatest test,” she paused, then laughed incredulously, “and you’re worrying about a nobody?”

Queen Mother’s brows relaxed, and the gentle, soft voice returned. “Do not forget who you are, Daphne. Rex Finutar, first queen of Milror.” She placed a hand on the girl’s shoulders. “You were chosen for a reason.”

With that, Queen Mother pushed open the doors herself and exited.

The room suddenly felt empty, as if time had frozen and made everything motionless. The air was heavy. In the emptiness, the silence felt deafening as imaginary echoes of Queen Mother’s final words polluted the air.

Daphne clenched her fists. Her beautiful nails dug against the palm of her hand. She winced. Opening her fists, she stared at the tiny red spots of blood where her nails had cut into the skin. She had never done that before. Perhaps it was a sign. After all, Queen Mother had a point. Since when did Daphne start doubting herself? It was her duty to put her kingdom first.

Lady Rex rolled her neck. Glancing at the reflection in the window, she fixed her hair.

The first queen of Milror glided out of the room, a picture of perfection at its finest.

…

A figure stomped through the snow, creating deep, angry footsteps with every step they took.

Blaze scowled.

The people walking near him quickly averted their gaze at the sight of the dark expression on the young man’s face.

Blaze didn’t make any noise, but his eyes spelled great pain for anyone that interrupted his session of brooding. Stupid Eres. She and her stupid ball and the entire Citadel could be razed by Niamh for all he cared. Fiona was all right, but her obsession with him was creepy even to Blaze who specialized in dealing with the lowest of the lows.

Up ahead, his eyes caught sight of the mines. At least the entire trip wasn’t in vain.

Angry footsteps continued to tread through the thick snow. He let out an angry huff as he exited the city limits.

Little flakes began to fall from the sky. True to Eres’ warning, there was sure to be a storm tonight.

…

Ria heaved another bucket full of rocks to the dump center. She emptied the bucket and watched as the rocks fell and joined the large pile below.

Shoulders slumped; Ria wiped at her brows. It had already been days of heavy labor and still, she showed no signs of returning to the ordinary world.

Leaning against the rock wall, she allowed herself a moment to catch her own breath.

Who knew there was a life even more boring than hers had been?

Pick the rocks. Blow up the rocks. Move the rocks. Repeat.

They hadn’t even found any of the legendary Dust stuff yet, and Ria was already exhausted to the bone. Her hair was matted and tangled, but the girl had long since stopped caring.

For the first time in her life, Ria’s arms were toned with visible muscle definition. Her legs looked athletic and sculpted. The miners were fed one high-protein meal a day. Not enough to ever feel full but apparently enough to keep a good muscle definition and deadlift fifty pounds of rock every day.

Ria headed for the entrance, dragging her feet behind her. Her throat was parched.

When the water bucket came into sight, she almost cried tears of relief. But she couldn’t risk getting even more dehydrated. Still, she let out a giddy laugh. No supervisor or other person in sight! The water was all hers! It was the little things in life.

The girl bounded over excitedly, looking a bit like the young girl that always stuck by her side.

Raising the wooden spoon to her lips, she sighed happily as the liquid slid down her throat. Shoot! Went down the wrong way! Ria hacked away.

She sniffed as her eyes watered. Stupid water. Ria took another sip, careful to swallow properly.

Wiping at her mouth, Ria froze at the sound of footsteps. They were heavy with many pauses in between. As if the person was deciding where to step next. They tried to do it silently, but couldn’t help the loud sound that accompanied each step they made.

Ria glanced over at the corner. She dropped the spoon.

“It’s you!” she snarled.

Blaze glanced up. He blinked, “You?”

The man paused before bursting out into laughter. Seeing Ria’s pissed-off expression, he covered his mouth, like a prissy princess, but the occasional snort still slipped through. Where did the stoic mafia boss go? Something was obviously not right.

Ria took a step back, just in case, and crossed her arms.

“Ha, ha, ha” The girl’s voice dripped with sarcasm, a sound that conveyed both her disbelief and disdain at the situation. “What are you doing here?”

Blaze crossed his arms. “I could ask you the same thing.”

Their little area in the cave became very silent. Blaze’s cocky expression soured. He rethought his own words, likely replaying them in his head. The young man scratched the back of his neck. Okay, maybe not the best comeback all things considered.

Ria facepalmed.