The Shadows of God - J. Gregory Keyes [140]
“Who are you?” Anne asked. Her voice sounded ridiculous to her ears, quivering like a baby bird.
“You walked widdershins,” the woman said softly. “You have to be careful when you do that. It puts your shadow behind you, where you can't look after it. Someone can snatch it—like that.” She snapped her fingers.
“Where are my friends? The court?”
“Where they always were. It's we who are elsewhere. We shadows.”
“Put me back. Put me back right now. Or …”
“Or what? Do you think you are a princess here?”
“Put me back. Please?”
“I will. But you must listen to me first. It is my one condition. We have only a short time.”
This is a dream, Anne thought. Just like the other night.
She drew a deep breath. “Very well.”
“Crotheny must not fall,” the woman said.
“Of course it shan't. What do you mean?”
“Crotheny must not fall. And there must be a queen in Crotheny when he comes.”
“When who comes?”
“I cannot name him. Not here, not now. Nor would his name help you.”
“There is a queen in Crotheny. My mother is queen.”
“And so it must remain.”
“Is something going to happen to Mother?”
“I don't see the future, Anne. I see need. And your kingdom will need you. That is blazed on earth and stone. I cannot say when, or why, but it has to do with the queen. Your mother, or one of your sisters—or you.”
“But that's stupid. If something happens to my mother, there will be no queen, unless father remarries. And he cannot marry one of his daughters. And if something happens to Father, my brother Charles will be king, and whoever he chooses for wife will be queen.”
“Neverthelesss. If there is no queen in Crotheny when he comes, all is lost. And I mean all. I charge you with this.”
“Why me? Why not Fastia? She's the one—”
“You are the youngest. There is power in that. It is your trust. Your responsibility. If you fail, it means the ruin of your kingdom, and of all other kingdoms. Do you understand?”
“All other kingdoms?”
“Do you understand?”
“No.”
“Then remember. Remembering will do, for now.”
“But I—”
“If you want to know more, seek with your ancestors. They might help you when I cannot. Now go.”
“No, wait. You—” Something startled her, and she blinked. When her eyes fluttered open again, Austra was standing in front of her, shaking her.
“—nne! What's wrong?”Austra sounded hysterical.
“Stop that!” Anne demanded. “Where did she go? Where is she?”
“Anne! You were just standing there. Staring no matter how hard I've been shaking you!”
“Where did she go? The woman in the gold mask?”
But the masked woman was gone. Looking down, Anne saw that she had a shadow again.
A Del Rey® Book
Published by The Ballantine Publishing Group
Copyright © 2001 by J. Gregory Keyes
Introduction “What Has Gone Before” copyright © 2002 by J. Gregory Keyes
Excerpt from The Briar King by Greg Keyes copyright © 2002 by J. Gregory Keyes
Del Rey is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
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eISBN: 978-0-307-55960-9
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