“What a shame! It’s the most wonderful of days.” The brush hits a snag and she pauses her ministrations momentarily. “It marks the start of the spring thaw and the recharging of the wards around the city. There’s a ceremony where the prince…Well, I won’t ruin the surprise for you. Best to experience it for yourself.” Her wink is quick. “Afterward, there are parades in the streets, processions of flowers and flame-dancers. Food and drink everywhere you look. Musical performances from Dyved’s best bards and minstrels. Oh andfires, of course! Everyone lights the torches in front of their houses and leaves them burning all night, dusk till dawn, so the streets are lined with flames.” She sighs dreamily. “There’s even a fireworks display over the lake at midnight. Have you ever seen fireworks?”
“No.”
“You’ll just love them. They’re dazzling to behold.” Her smile flashes bright in the reflective surface of the age-fogged mirror as she resumes brushing. “Of all the festivals, Fyremas is my favorite. Though I expect it’s most folks’ favorite.”
“People are happy to bid winter farewell.”
“True. Especially in towns on the upper plateau, where the snows are deep and the air is chill. We’re lucky to be spared the worst of the frost here in the capital.”
“Handy to have a Fire Remnant for your prince, infusing the whole city with maegical warmth.”
“Indeed, miss. Indeed.” Her smile widens. “But that’s a big part of why Fyremas is so popular. It’s the prince’s personal holiday.”
My brows shoot up. “He has apersonalholiday?”
“It’s mostly to celebrate the start of the new planting season, like I said. But it’s become something of a tribute to Prince Pendefyre over the years. You see, no matter how long he was away, he’d always make a point to come home to Caeldera at Fyremas to recharge the wards that protect us. Always. No exceptions. Some years, that was the only time we saw him for ten or eleven months.” Her brush stills against my scalp and her expression turns solemn. “We’re all very glad to have His Highness home for a longer spell, now that he’s finally finished his work in the south. Now that…well, now that he’s found you, miss.”
My fingertips dig into the fabric of my gown.
“Listen to me prattling on.” Keda shakes her head and resumes brushing. “I’m sorry. I’m chatty by nature. My ma always says I could out-jabber a blue jay.”
“Don’t apologize.”
Her eyes widen suddenly. “Oh! You’ll be needing a dress.”
If I look confused by her sudden proclamation, it is because I already have a whole rack of new dresses, carefully delivered into Penn’s wardrobe by my maids during the first day of my captivity. I gesture down at the simple ivory gown they’ve dressed me in today. “I’ll just wear this one.”
“Oh no, miss. That won’t do. That won’t do at all. You’re the Remnant of Air! You’ll be at the very front during the ceremony. Likely during the fyre priestesses’ procession afterward, as well. A position of great honor—one that calls for more than a plain old day dress, that’s for certain.”
“Day dresses are all I have,” I tell her, even as the image of the many-hued blue Llyrian gown flashes in my mind. “It will have to do.”
“I’ll make some inquiries with the royal dressmakers. See if they’ve made any plans for you.”
“That’s not necessary. Really. I don’t want to be a burden here.”
“Oh, miss, I didn’t mean to imply—”
“You didn’t imply anything of the sort.” I shoot her a reassuring wink. But it must not have the intended effect, as Keda lapses into troubled silence—and remains quiet as she finishes arranging my hair, then scurries out the door without a backward glance at me.
Several times throughout the day, I catch her in hushed conversation with Teagan, the two of them whispering to each other as they eye me across the chamber. It makes me uneasy and, despite my best efforts to remain upbeat, likely contributes to my increasingly vexed disposition as yet another night falls with no sign of their dearly beloved crown prince.
Locked away inmy turret, I finally find the time to crack open the book Soren gave me when I left the Acrine Hold. The first chapter is a rather dry account of things I already know, about the Cull and the fall of the empire. I skip ahead until I find a section discussing the elemental courts.
My eyes scan the page, drinking in the bold letters.
Before the Cull, the four elemental strongholds of Anwyvn stood for thousands of years in their respective locations. Ruled by the emperor’s appointed sovereigns, whose reigns sometimes lasted for centuries, each House eventually established its own unique cultural practices, criminal proceedings, and court hierarchies.
Interesting, if not entirely new information.
I keep reading.
Prior to their sackings, the strongholds were considered by many to be impenetrable. Yet, two of the four would fall almost immediately when the empire was overthrown. A more complete account of the individual battles can be found in Chapter XXVI.
In the margins someone has scribbled an addendum to this paragraph in sloping masculine script.Skip Chapter XXVI. Bloody dry read. Spends more time describing bulwark structure than actual battle strategy.
I can almost hear Soren’s deep, melodious voice whispering the words into my ear. From a full kingdom away, he feels annoyingly present in the room with me.
I roll my eyes and read on.