The woman’s voice carried such force that it sent a ripple through the forest. The mist rising from the stone in her hand swirled upward, parting the trees and forming a divide between us.
On my side, with the elderly woman, the forest bloomed in vibrant color. Beyond the veil, the woods remained silver and shrouded, the boy still standing there. He hissed in outrage from the other side, but he didn’t dare cross the barrier.
An agonizing pain suddenly shot through my chest again. My body felt as though it were being torn in two. I crumpled to the ground, unable to bear it, barely aware of the woman dragging me farther from the silver light.
The last thing I heard before my mind faded was the whisper of the old woman:
“Rest now, child of ravens.”
9
In the gildedchambers of Hyrall, I woke with a start, my hands pressing against my chest. I was dreaming of an old memory.
For years, the woman in the water appeared at night while I slept. Some nights, her reflection would rise on the water, and I’d watch her in silence. She would cry black tears, her sorrow endless. No matter how hard I tried, I could never figure out who she was.
Since then, I had spent chimes searching through books and scrolls, but they gave me no answers. Was she a spirit? A demon? Or something worse, a devil?
Some skirtsfolk claimed that dark magic ran deep in Brier Len, while others insisted it was rooted in rumor. However, the memory my dream stirred made it feel otherwise.
But the dream didn’t matter now. A more pressing thought tugged me away from it. Gadriel would be leaving for Torhiel today.
Anxiety gripped my heart, the time had finally come.
I turned toward the window and saw that the sunrise was drawing near.
Would Gadriel summon me before he left?
For my sake, I prayed he wouldn’t. With my nerves so on edge, I doubted I could provide a service without sparking suspicion. My hands trembled as I ran through my plan again and again. The stakes had never been higher. If I failed, I’d be as good as dead.
Tomorrow marked the start of the winter solstice festival. For the past several weeks, stewards and heralds had been tasked with organizing the weeklong celebration. The courtyard was flooded with wagons bearing food and supplies for the banquet. Dancers, performers, and musicians from noble houses were arriving at the castle, ready to entertain the Crown’s guests. Meanwhile, preparations for games and competitions were well underway, with archery targets set and swordplay circles constructed.
All of this to say, with Gadriel leaving for Torhiel and the winter solstice festival approaching, Castle Hyrall was busier than it had been in months. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
Just yesterday, I had received word that Sir Karst would be replaced by a different guard while he traveled to Torhiel with the prince. It made sense. Karst, given his crimson cloak and decorated status, was an obvious choice for Gadriel to bring along for the journey.
I doubted the squire assigned to take Karst’s place had even half his intelligence. We had just been introduced last night. At the time, he was about as coherent as a toddler, stammering through his words and looking as threatening as a lamb.
Perhaps this was Gadriel’s way of reminding me of my place after I defied him. I had questioned his decision, and now he was making it clear how little control I held in his world. I might have been offended by how casually my protection was being handled if I didn’t already want to escape this place so badly.
Soon, the bell tower would chime, signaling that breakfast was about to begin. Solstice preparations had taken over the kitchens, and our private dining room had been transformed into an additionalworkspace for the festival. As a result, our meals had been moved to the courtesan’s quarters.
When Leya revealed to the other girls that she’d been invited to travel with Gadriel to Torhiel, their reactions were equal parts envy and concern. I had taken to eating alone in my chambers to avoid them entirely, but today, I needed to speak with Leya.
As anticipated, the bell tolled with a deep, resonant hum, and I lingered by the door, waiting for my guard to arrive. Seconds passed. Then a full minute. Still, no one came.
My brow creased as a flicker of doubt crossed my mind. Had someone discovered what I was planning? I shook the thought away almost immediately. I hadn’t breathed a word to anyone. Not that I’d had much opportunity, but even if I had, I valued my freedom far too much to take that risk.
Another thirty seconds slipped by, and my frustration was growing. Even the fledgling guard before Karst had never been late. I needed to catch Leya before she left, whenever that was.
Irritated, I knocked loudly on the door. I hated being stuck in my chamber, bound to the bell’s schedule.
A clatter of armor echoed down the hall, followed by hurried footsteps. With a jingle of keys, a young guard unlocked the chamber and peeked inside.
“What can I do for you, my lady?”
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked, sounding as frustrated as I felt.
“Erm,” the guard stammered, “I’m not sure what you mean, my lady.”
