Teo’s and Estela’s crowns glimmer in the shifting glow as the stone singers weave their voices through the third verse of my favorite song,Velra’Endu. A love ballad.
Though it holds no political significance, it is my day, and they sing whatI choose.
I sit at the bottom of the palace steps, among the council members, looking up at the sovereigns. To my left, Lord Lothar—still alive and well, and raising a few orphaned children with his new mate—watches the proceedings with quiet approval. To my right, Lady Fira, the master of the weavers, offers me a warm smile. Beyond them, the other council members greet me with nods and hushed congratulations.
Behind us is a grand audience filled with anyone in the city who wished to attend. There are… a lot of people—more than I expected. My students and fellow weavers, the hunters who catch our food, the stone benders who craft and fix our tools and city. I try not to look back for fear of growing light-headed.
Teo steps forward, and the crowd goes quiet. The music shifts to a quiet hum that plays along the crystals.
The music tugs at the nerves inside of me, gently soothing them so that I can breathe. Songs that were sung into the crystals couldn’t put emotions in one’s soul that weren’t already there, but they did a good job at bending and shaping feelings to suit any required tone.
Calm is just what I need right now.
“Good evening, friends!Before the people of Enduvida, we present Lady Arlet, who has shown great devotion to our people. Today, she takes her place among the council. Lady Arlet of the humans, approach!” he commands.
Teo, Estela, and Mother Liana look down at me from the top of the grand steps, the dais bathed in the shifting glow of crystal light. The columns stretch high above, carved with the familiar, geometric symbols of the enduares. The low hum of the stone singers blends with the hush of the gathered crowd.
I force myself to stand, despite the tremor in my legs. When I turn, the sheer size of the audience makes my breath hitch. Nobles, warriors, scholars—everywhere I look, eyes are on me.
The grand steps seem more daunting than in a practical outfit, and there are only so many places the yards of green silk can fit. Unfortunately, my path leads me straight past Lord Vann.
He watches, arms crossed, expression unreadable in my fewstolen glances. I don’t slow. But his words about not tripping echo in my head.
The steps are steeper than I expected. Or maybe it’s just my legs, stiff with nerves, struggling beneath the weight of my green gown. My breath tightens. The moment stretches on, each step loud in the vast hall.
At last, I reach the dais and step before my king and queen.
I lower into a curtsy, the sleek fabric of my dress pooling around me. My heart pounds against my ribs.
And then, I stand. Relief floods my chest. I made it.
Estela gestures to Liana, who steps forward. She carries a silver circlet, polished to a gleam.
“Lady Arlet,” Liana calls out with a smile. “You have built a foundation of learning within the caves and beyond. You have given the people your wisdom, hands, and heart. As such, you have been called to toil longer, but now, as a lady in this blossoming court. Your sovereigns ask you to help bring our peoples together in a new age.”
A dull roar sounds in my ears as the Wise Woman raises the circlet.
“Do you accept this duty?”
My heart beats once. Then twice.
Work is good. Work is grounding. I will give everything I’ve got to make the future brighter, despite my dislike of the title.
“I do.”
She places the circlet on my brow, and the moment it settles, a gentle pulse of energy ripples through me, as if the mountain itself acknowledges the oath I have taken.
“Then turn, Lady Arlet, our Keeper of Learning,” Liana proclaims.
Applause rises in a wave, filling the great hall with warmth. I lift my chin, taking it all in.
Lady Arlet.
The title rests on my shoulders firmly. There is something nice about it. It doesn’t feel as bad as I would’ve thought.
Vann catches my eye and I realize he looks much different than he did earlier today. Hair combed. Fine tunic. My stomach clenches, almost anticipating his disapproval.
He holds my stare, and then slowly, he smiles.