THREE DARK QUEENS
are born in a glen
SWEET LITTLE TRIPLETS
will never be friends
THREE DARK WITCHES
all fair to be seen
TWO TO DEVOUR
one to be queen
On the island of Fennbirn every generation three triplets are born, all equal heirs to the throne...
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"I can't tell you," Hecate says at last in response to Nalani's question, her voice shifting from Elsabet's back to her own. The oracle queen has finally left, leaving the decision to reveal the identity of the fourth born in Hecate's hands.
But can't tell her. She loves Nalani like a daughter but it would not right in her knowing. It is the most grace of secrets. The secret she and one other have guarded for eighteen years. Hers and Halia's secret.
Nalani only narrows her eyes in irritation, "why can't you tell me, she is my sister, the rightful queen according to the temple's rules, I have a right to know."
Hecate sighs, sipping her tea, "if I tell you, you will go after her."
Nalani doesn't respond at first as she truly thinks about it. Finding her sister would not be a joyous embrace. Even with the new threat the island now faced. Queens are still queens. They are not bound by love, only blood - blood that each one of them intends to spill.
And according to Elsabet's vision at the Breccia Domain or whatever queen she was pretending to be - if the Blue Queen lives Nalani will not.
The fourth born threatens the legitimacy of her, Carina and Arwen. All of them should've been put to death. This Blue Queen should've ruled, free of any threat or opposition. So why weren't they killed? What secrets is Hecate hiding? All the questions race through Nalani's mind all at once and she still cannot make sense of it all.
The only thing she knows is that she must secure her crown, one threat at a time. The Goddess through Arwen and this fourthborn are all threats. Threats that need to be dealt with. For there is little Nalani fears but death. And death is certain unless she slays all her enemies before they have the chance to strike.
She thinks on the dead queens' edicts, that she needed this fourth-born to help her face a threat. But what if they were wrong? What if she decides to find and form an alliance with this other queen just to have her stab her in the back. Literally. This girl could be Queen Crowned with ease. Those spirits tell her one thing, other spirits tell her another? To help the Blue Queen or to kill her.
"It's my right to know and my right to go after her," Nalani says at last, "I am a queen, she is a queen and it is the Ascension Year, the temple zealots would whisper she is the only legitimate heir of the entire cycle, they would call for my head, Arwen's and Carina's."
"Not necessarily," Hecate counters, "there hasn't been a Blue Queen in centuries and this one hasn't been brought up to be a queen, she doesn't even know of her true identity, there is no guarantee that she would even want the crown."
Nalani has to resist the urge to scoff at Hecate but her anger at being lied to keeps building. How dare she keep this a secret? She would've rather been culled as a babe then live all these wasted years. At least with triplets she has a chance, not only to rule but to live - that is something she can work with. But being chopped apart by the temple and forsaken for a queen who knows nothing of ruling the island - that she cannot accept. And she knows that the bitch of a High Priestess would gladly get rid of her.
