Free Her Dangerous Visions (The Boy and the Beast Book 1) by Brandon Barr Page A

she forsake the love of a man. One couldn’t give their baby a breast while leading armies, or stay up nights soothing away cries when rest was needed to face the next morning’s political challenges. The Hold was not like the two Sea Kingdoms, whose Queen rulers handed their infants off for servants to raise. Her people held to the sacred teachings and traditions, and though they were hard as a diamond hammerstone upon a young woman with an eye for leadership, the bonds her people had between mother and child ran strong, even into the high imperial families whose Regents oversaw the fourteen regions of the Blue Mountains.
    Her thoughts turned briefly to Adulyyn, the Regent she was to meet two days from now. To rule as she did, Adulyyn had forsaken a man’s love her entire life.
    Meluscia saw beauty and purpose behind the sacrifice. There was a power the Luminesses of the past had drawn from their denial of sexual intimacy and children. The people of the Hold were their family. Monaiella, in her short reign, had made it a point to eat and visit with citizens when passing through the Blue Mountains, almost always sleeping on the floor of a servant’s home rather than the extra bed of the town’s overseer. Denial of privilege and comfort for the sake of the Hold was a pleasure in itself.
    But she couldn’t deceive herself. Certain aspects came more easily to her nature than others. But then, the value was in the cost. Selfishness was easy, sacrificing ones desires for the good of the whole was not.
    Had not the gods designed life to be such? Food came from hard labor, greatness came through sacrifice, love came by selflessness. The sacred writings seemed clear on one thing: a good, worthwhile life was not painless or simple, but one of faithfulness through adversity. Faithfulness to the gods’ wisdom scrawled down by human hands.
    But curses! Where were the Makers now? It felt as if mankind were forgetting them…or had the Makers chosen to leave them on their own?
    Meluscia found herself staring blankly down at the parchment she’d been handed. She placed it back in Crocido’s hand with a thank you and moved into the long torch lit hall.
    Ahead, the oven fires glowed out upon the tunnel walls from where they lay in the belly of the kitchens. The air was warmer here, and throngs of servants busied about, carrying food away or bringing requests. The entire Hold was living on tight rations. Except for her and her sister, who could eat whatever they liked. Her father was adamant about surviving without the Verdlands’ resources and that meant the servants were forced to eat whatever was left after the Luminar, his family, officials and soldiers took the best foods.
    Sweating in front of a large oven was Mairena, one of the kitchen matrons. She spotted Meluscia and her eyes smiled but not her lips.
    “Has your father made you Luminess, yet?” said Mairena in a low voice that barely rose above the din of the kitchen. Mairena was a delightfully bold woman and Meluscia was relieved she did not speak for others to hear.
    “I’m becoming afraid he will never do so,” said Meluscia.
    “You know how we feel about you. You would bring hope back to the mountain for everyone.”
    By we , Mairena meant the servants, the commoners.
    “I’ve come with meal requests for the week.”
    “What shall we make this time for the biggest eater in the Hold?”
    “I’ll take the ration meals all week. You know what to do with my food. Double portions. Spread it out.”
    Mairena’s smile flattened out, weighed down by the tears forming in her eyes. “At least have your breakfasts, dear. I know how much you like breakfast.”
    “Not this week. Make sure to tell them who it’s from.”
    “I know,” said Mairena. “The Luminar and his daughter.”
    Meluscia left the Kitchen and, to her dismay, she wondered if she were not sadder than when she had arrived. Was her act of kindness a vain hope to the servants and no longer a promise of