Presently, Sable knew that she'd just seen the Black Queen's famed ability in action with that man who'd been taken away. But it didn't quite seem to her like a magical ability. It rather seemed like she could just do what Sable could do as well: Read people.
Sable had done it all the time in her village. It was the only way she had ever had any idea about what to expect and how she might defend herself. It was the only way she had ever gotten a straight answer.
Only, the Queen did it better. Much better.
Sable didn't know why or since when she'd had this ability – although the people in her village swore that she'd been born with it. But, as they also considered her a representation of the birth of evil, she wasn't very keen on giving in to their interpretations of her ability.
At the very least, though, she knew that it wasn't magic. For, she'd seen magic done, and even the weakest spells gave off a certain glow, or charged the air with some kind of static. There was just something there when magic was used. Something that was never there when Sable did what she did.
And it was something that had not been there when the Queen had worked her particular ability just now either.
Admittedly, this similarity to the Black Queen hadn't helped with how much Sable's village already despised her. But, on her way to the palace, with the panic prowling just below her senses, she had only kept her head thanks to the slight hope that being able to read the Queen might keep her alive a little longer.
However, she now saw an unfortunate glitch in her [pathetic farce of a] survival plan:
She needed to actually look at the Black Queen to read her. But, making eye contact with the sovereign of the land, or anyone of higher status than her, was the height of insolence. And she might very well be cut down instantly if she tried.
Besides, mad plans and theories aside, it was hard to think properly when her heart was trying to bruise her insides and her body had decided to make breathing difficult. She practically had her knees locked in order to just remain upright in front of the Queen ...
* * *
AN:
The entire kingdom: The Black Queen uses dark magic to read minds and use your secrets against you!
Sable: ...Doesn't look like magic to me.
YOU ARE READING
The Tributes (Sable)
FantasyEvery couple of years, a girl from each village, town, and city in the kingdom is sent to the palace of the Black Queen as a tribute. And this time, twelve-year-old Sable is the one to go from her village. Sable can't say she's ever been particularl...
