Read Warrior Queen (Skeleton Key) for Free Online Page A

“We should eat together tonight.”
    Her daughter nodded. “I think so.”
    They walked out arm in arm. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around as much.”
    “I understand. I know we are in trouble.” Driska’s face tightened. “How much trouble?”
    Keleti couldn’t bring herself to tell her daughter that there was no army coming to help them and that her cousin was missing. While she’d checked with the messengers this morning there was no word on Nadri. The whole situation felt wrong. The longer it continued the more worried Keleti was becoming.
    She’d have to get the priests to see if they could divine a way forward that didn’t end in capitulation to the Southerners.
    “We will be fine.” Did they have enough food and water put away? How long would they be able to last? If the invaders dammed the river, then they would run out of water fast. She doubted that they would poison it.
    Keleti smiled even she didn’t feel at all cheerful.
    “Is it true you caught a spy?” Driska’s eyes were bright with curiosity.
    Keleti stopped and faced her daughter. They were the same height; maybe Driska was a little taller. “We caught a man, but I don’t think he is a spy.”
    Once she’d spoken the words aloud, they felt right. He didn’t look like a Southerner. From his rat ears to his odd clothing to his magic key…he was other and like no one she’d ever met before.
    “Who is he?”
    “I don’t know.” But he had arrived when her city needed a miracle. Perhaps she should find a way to make the most of him. It was unwise to spurn any gift from the gods, even if it did seem strange. However, all magic was strange and best left to the priests to contemplate.
    She hadn’t even asked the rat-eared man his name. That was something she planned on rectifying. Perhaps there was a way to use his appearance to her advantage.

    B ryce hadn’t slept well . The ocean was loud and unsettlingly close. It wasn’t just the ocean, though. It was everything. He’d managed to get his hands free, and had contemplated escaping, but there was nowhere to go—assuming that he didn’t kill himself on the climb down. He doubted he would be able to manage the climb up and the priest still had the key that was his only way home.
    However, he had no intention of dying in a cave either.
    This morning he decided to turn on his phone, there was still no signal so he’d looked through his photos. He had no idea if he’d see any of the people in them again. Had he already been reported missing?
    But who was expecting him and who would be missing him? He had no job to turn up to. It would be a few days before his neighbors noticed the mail stacking up.
    No one would notice that he was gone yet.
    That wasn’t comforting.
    He sat on the edge and dangled his legs out the cave. Below him was a beautiful beach that he knew would be swallowed up by nightfall. Somewhere there was a waterfall, he could hear it when the waves weren’t so violent. He’d been rationing the water he’d been left with, not sure when, or if he was going to get more. Further out in the ocean he saw great green creatures with long graceful necks dive and surface.
    His first thought had been dinosaurs, but really they could be anything. However they still made him smile as he watched them. It was a pretty view if he chose to forget why he was here. When his phone eventually died he would watch it fall into the ocean and see how long it took. If he tried to free climb out of here, he knew that with one slip he’d make that fall.
    He wasn’t that desperate, yet.
    A shadow swept over the cave. He blinked then saw the great hawk, Keleti. That still hurt his head. He’d seen it happen and there was still a disconnect. The bird turned and he realized with a start that she was coming toward him.
    He swore and scrambled back.
    The hawk was only seconds behind him, her talons skidded on the chalky floor and tore up pebbles.
    His heart was about to tear free of his chest