The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine Read Free Book Online

good,” I said, unable to contain my awe of her—and my own uncertainty.
    She nudged my chin up. “When you are the Valtia, you’ll be better than good, Elli. You may doubt anything in this world, but never doubt yourself.”

    My eyes fix on the churning clouds as they roll chaotically in the sky, spreading outward. A distant crack of thunder splits the quiet. “Never doubt,” I whisper.
    As the storm takes shape, the three boats disappear into the darkness like they’re passing through a veil. The sky roils, turning purplish green as lightning flashes down in jagged, bright blades. I picture the bolts stabbing the Soturi longships, breaking them in half, sending barbarians tumbling into the waiting mouth of the Motherlake.
    May she grind their bones in her watery jaws.
    I cheer when I feel drops of rain on my face. The storm is so massive that its edges lick at our city, spitting pellets of ice. I can only imagine what it’s doing to the barbarians. I wish I could see what’s happening, especially when the first waterspout erupts, rising so high that it kisses the raging, swirling thunderclouds. It goes on and on, the wind becoming an animal roar in my ears.
    There’s a crash behind me, and Mim grabs my shoulders. “Come inside!” she shouts over the gale.
    I tear myself away from her. “Not a chance.” My voice is full of laughter. “Look, Mim! How could anyone be scared when their queen can do that?”
    She wraps her arms around my waist like she’s afraid I’ll be blown away. Tendrils of my hair, torn loose from my braids by the fierce wind, tangle with her brown curls. Her cheek presses to mine. “No one should ever doubt the power of the Valtia,” she says in my ear. “I’m sorry that my fear got the best of me. Forgive me?”
    â€œAlways,” I say, turning my head and kissing her rain-speckled cheek. I’ve never been this happy, this full of ferocious, throbbing certainty. “Someday, Mim, that will be me.”
    She squeezes me tightly. “Someday it will be you. And I’ll be so proud to be your handmaiden.”
    My hands fold over hers, holding them against my body. I wish I had fire magic to warm her, but even as I think it, I feel my temperature rising, along with a delicious tingling along my skin. She starts to pull away, but I tighten my grip. “No,” I whisper. “Stay right here.”
    â€œBut Elli—”
    â€œPlease. Don’t move.” It feels so good. My blood is pounding in my ears, and Mim’s arms are perfect right where they are.
    She obeys me. She must, because she is my handmaiden, and suddenly a tiny part of me feels guilty, because I’m not sure if she likes it quite as much as I do. I stare at the storm, wanting things I cannot have. That I should not have. I clear my throat and let go of her hands. She squeezes me and pulls away, but stays next to me, watching the massive swells, the blinding flashes of light, the billowing clouds.
    After an hour or so, the storm quiets abruptly, folding in on itself like a scroll. I squint into the distance, but all that lies in front of me is foggy darkness.
    â€œThe Soturi must be at the bottom of our Motherlake,” says Mim. “Now will you come inside?” When I shake my head, she gives me an exasperated smile and puts her hands on her round hips, and I am relieved that she seems to have forgiven me for wanting to be too close to her. “Don’t you want to wash up before she comes back—or do you prefer to greet her looking like a drowned ferret?”
    â€œIn no way do I resemble a ferret.” I giggle as I swipe my hands across my wet cheeks. As much as I’d like to stand here and wait for the Valtia’s boat to come sailing into port, I spend the next hour inside, reliving the storm, my chest buzzing and thrumming while Mim dries my skin and changes my clothes, draping me in a