The Queen's Gamble

THE QUEEN’S GAMBLE GAME OF GODS BOOK 2 NICOLE SANCHEZ Copyright © 2023 by Nicole Sanchez ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the Author/Publisher. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The Author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication’s use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner. All rights reserved. To request permissions, contact the author at [email protected]. First paperback edition March 2023 Edited by Tashya Wilson Proofread by Amanda Iles Cover Art by Karen Dimmick / ArcaneCovers.com Header and Page Break art by Leigh Cover Designs Created with Vellum CONTENTS Author’s Note Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Acknowledgments Coming Soon About the Author Also by Nicole Sanchez For my sister, for honing my love of mythology AUTHOR’S NOTE As an author, it is important to me that all my readers to feel safe when reading my books. Some elements of this story may be upsetting to some readers. If you’re not interested in learning more, please feel free to turn the page. If you have concerns, please see the list below: Attempted sexual assault, pregnancy, miscarriage (past), animal death (on page). If you need further clarity or are concerned about an unmentioned trigger, please feel free to email me at [email protected] CHAPTER 1 The endless buzzing will haunt my dreams. After twenty-three hours of hearing it, feeling it reverberate through my soul as it embeds itself in my DNA, I’m certain the sound will ring in my ears for the rest of eternity. I check my watch and shift around, trying to find a more comfortable position. The stone throne I am sitting on has not warmed during the hours I’ve been occupying it. It’s cleaved directly from the stone of the Underworld—my own domain—but it doesn’t soften, not even for me, its queen. This seat is largely ceremonial, and I can only consider that having me use it is another way to punish me. Always tit for tat. Posey was the one who insisted that if I’m going to cling to the idea that I’m still Queen of the Underworld, then I should sit on my throne. She also did not want me to wear my crown. Another power play among the unending ones that Posey and I tussle over on a daily basis. She said if the challenge was to be held in Solarem proper then, as its queen, she should be the only one to wear a crown. She didn’t like it very much when I pointed out that she always wears a crown in my realm. I’ll give it to Helene for picking this as Galen’s first challenge in the Trials. Each member of the Council—Xavier, Posey, Helene, Kai, Finn, and Dion—was required to submit a challenge. Finn and Dion are sitting in for the spots held by Essos and Galen. Apparently, after my death was announced to the Kingdom of Solarem, it was agreed that my Council seat would remain vacant until there was a new Queen of the Underworld. Until the end of the Trials, I’m in an odd limbo. Queen of the Underworld, but not. Citizens still address me as the queen I was, but Posey is adamant that until I am wed to Galen, I am not actually queen. When I proposed the Trials, I thought I was buying myself and Essos time to find a way out of this situation I was manipulated into, but we’re only one month past the Calling Ball, and I’m regretting asking for six months. The situation hangs over me like an anvil, with no guaranteed way out. When the details of the Trials were first discussed, I pushed back… “If Galen should fail to win a majority of the Trials, I believe the vote of no confidence should be canceled,” I argue. Posey elected herself head planner for the Trials without resistance. Helene is already mad at me for having to play referee between Galen and me on a daily basis. Xavier didn’t say it, but clearly, he is leaving the planning of this event in the hands of the women. He also didn’t say he thought planning was a woman’s job, but his actions—or lack thereof—heavily implied it. I have my best friends by my side, and I feel stronger for it. Cat and Zara are learning so much more now about how Solarem operates than they did during the Calling. I insist on having them by my side whenever possible so they can learn the intricacies of the culture. Often, they’re only observing, but right now, just having them in the same room makes me feel like I can actually survive this mess. “These two events are not related, despite what Daphne might think. If she wants me to win the Trials to prove I belong in her bed, fine, but the vote of no confidence applies only to ruling the Underworld and cannot