Free The Orc King's Captive by Clea Kinderton

When Queen Quolondra heard that
the walls had been breached, she refused to believe it.
    "Impossible," she
said, leaning forward on the Ivy Throne. "They're orcs."
    The messenger bowed his head,
but not without betraying a flicker of discomfort. "They have been...
armed, Queen Mother."
    "Armed? With what?
Intelligence?"
    The jape fell on deaf ears.
She'd just returned from successfully routing the orcs on the plains of the
Estril via the Archstone and had barely had time to change from her armor into
a dress before she'd been forced to call an assembly. The assembled councillors
were murmuring amongst themselves in an uncharacteristic state of agitation.
    "Well, out with it. What
secret siege weapon have they brought to bear?"
    " Urtolothia , My
Queen. The Ur stones."
    The queen rose to her feet,
drawing everyone's attention. "That's impossible. The Ur stones have been
hidden."
    Her chief advisor stepped
forward, clearing his throat. "It seems our enemies have conspired
together to secure these artifacts," he said smoothly. "Kerlok has
been treating with the Horned Ones for months now. Clearly their warlocks have
made more progress on that front than anticipated. It's of little importance.
The brutes will be dealt with."
    She turned on the advisor.
"Dealt with? How? With soap?"
    "My Queen—"
    "They outnumber us ten to
one, Tolterian. I don't care if they're savages. Without our magic they'll
overrun the city. Why am I only hearing of this now?"
    The smooth planes of the
advisor's face were expressionless, every hair of his long dark braid perfectly
precise. "We had no wish to disturb you, Your Excellence. Commanding the
troops on the Estril—"
    Quolondra strode down the steps
of the dais and slapped him. The assembled councillors fell silent.
    "Do you think I'm a
fool?" she said. She felt fire burning in her cheeks. She hadn't been this
angry in centuries.
    The advisor retreated half a
step, placing his fingers lightly on his cheek. Being struck was a serious
affront, even coming as it did from the queen. He smiled down at her, but there
was a dangerous glint in his eyes.
    "I've dealt with traitors
before, Tolterian. I know your games."
    She turned to her guards.
"Arrest him. I'll deal with him when—and if—we vanquish our
foes." She wondered how Mygamyl was faring. She'd sent the Master of
Flames to the wall upon hearing the news of the siege's progression but now she
missed his counsel. Having Kerlok's army breathing down their necks in a
year-long siege was one thing, but arming them with Ur stones supplied by a
traitor...
    There was a sudden cracking boom
in the corridor outside the throne room, quickly followed by the sound of
crumbling stone. One of the inner walls had collapsed. Quolondra could see
billows of smoke rising from the courtyard below through the tall, ivy-trimmed
windows. Their enemies had made rapid progress. Too rapid. They had more than
Ur stones working in their favor. They had allies on the inside as well, easing
their passage. Only the guards at the palace gates seemed to have opposed them.
    "Bring me my armor,"
she said, turning to her chief of staff.
    "That won't be
necessary," said Tolterian.
    She turned, surprised to hear
his voice. The guards she'd ordered to arrest him hadn't budged an inch. In
fact, the points of their halberds were now turned in her direction. She looked
at the others assembled in the throne room. None of them made any effort to
intervene.
    "What is this... a
coup?" Quolondra raised her hand and uttered the word of binding.
    She expected to feel the Elder
Power course through her, but the gesture had no effect.
    Her bodyguards seized her by the
arms.
    Tolterian chuckled, amused by
her confusion and alarm. He reached into his robe and drew out a small sphere
no bigger than a walnut. It looked like verdigrised bronze but a sickly black
haze seemed to emanate from it, making it difficult to look at.
    "A wondrous thing," he
said, holding it up to the light. It seemed to drain