“You must have read my mind,” Liane said, reaching for the glass of wine and holding it with one hand and fanning herself with the other.
The sun hadn’t even risen, and she was already burning up. The Vice Premier advised against her participating in the ceremony this year, but Liane had insisted. She’d need all her strength to get through the day, though, and she couldn’t risk her fever spiking again. The cold drink slid down her gullet, not providing the relief she’d hoped for, but not deterred, she popped a piece of fruit in her mouth and savored the juices.
Luzie pressed the back of her hand against Liane’s brow.
“You’re burning up. Should I call the Vice Premier?” she asked.
Liane shook her head. “It’s hot in here. Open up the windows, would you?”
“I already did, remember?”
The curtains were drawn back, and she couldn’t see much past the gloom of early morning darkness. She wished she could drop herself into a tub of ice, or better yet, go deep into the mountains and swim in an icy mountain river, but without having that as an option, she’d just have to endure.
A sudden knock at the door ripped her from visions of cool escapes, and Luzie hurried over to answer. She’d hardly opened the door when Heinrich came striding into the room, already dressed in his gilded Sun Ceremony doublet and hosen.
She glared at him. She wasn’t counting on seeing him this early, and her dagger wasn’t within reach. “What are you doing here?” she spat, eyeing the spot on her nightstand where it was hidden.
“Cordial as always, Liane. I take it from your temper; you’ve heard the news.” A slimy smile curled the edges of his mouth.
She resisted the obvious bait; had he seriously come here to gloat over Erich? Was this his attempt at putting her off balance?
“Get out of my room,” she snarled, pointing at the door.
Ignoring her, he picked up a sun pendant from among the accessories laid out on her dressing table and ran his thumb across the surface of the pearl inlays, drawing out the moment.
“Sweet, innocent, naïve Liane. You really didn’t know, did you?” he said.
She wouldn’t rise to the bait and engage with him, though she was tempted to stab the point of the sun pendant into his eye.
“I asked you to leave,” she said through clenched teeth.
He turned to face her. A smirk curling over his face. “I came here with a peace offering.”
“What?” It left her teetering, stumbling to find something to say. Of all the things she expected from him, it wasn’t this.
Heinrich tutted. “We’ve never gotten along, but I thought we could come to an understanding. I’m not the villain you’ve made me to be.”
“The evidence says otherwise,” Liane seethed. The thrumming in her back grew stronger, turning into a crashing beat in her ears.
His smirk slipped for a quick moment but was quickly replaced.
“You don’t want to make an enemy out of me, Liane.” His voice was low, threatening, and deadly.
“And you shouldn’t underestimate me.”
He laughed, throwing his head back as if she’d said something truly hilarious. “Don’t regret those words later.” And then he walked out, leaving her with a pounding headache and a clear determination: she was going to kill him.
As the SunCeremony celebrated the power of the feminine, it was customary for the women of the family to lead the procession, which wound its way down Temple Street away from the palace. Mother at the forefront, wore her golden sunbeam crown draped in a golden veil that covered her face, and behind her, Aristea and Liane, acting as goddess handmaidens, wore midnight blue and silver, to represent stars in the night sky. The Sun Ceremony celebrated the longest day of the year, when Cyra’s power was at its peak, and she was reborn in fire and sunlight.
Liane, too had armed herself for battle. Because she didn’t know what to expect from Heinrich, she tried not to let his threats rattle her and focused on getting to the temple. Pilgrims and citizens alike bordered the street, bowing low as they passed. Their pace was agonizingly slow, and though she’d done this same trek countless times since the age of sixteen, she never remembered it being quite this arduous and taxing. Halfway there and her back throbbed painfully, and each step became a test of will as she put each foot in front of the other, trying her best to keep in time with Aristea.
Sunlight lined the tops of the mountains, but not quite cresting, and a hush hung over the normally bustling city, punctuated by the occasional cough and the subtle shuffle of clothing. Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears, timed with the aching pulse in her back. Almost there. She could do this. Fortunately, her silver veil hid the beads of perspiration on her brow from the crowd gathered, but if she exhausted her energy getting to the temple, how would she stop Heinrich during the ceremony?
Don’t think. Just walk, she told herself.
By the time they reached the temple steps, the first rays of morning sun lightened the sky, turning it a ruddy orange.
She searched the crowd for movement, her body tensed and ready for attack. A line of Midnight Guards held them back, clearing the steps for their approach. Liane noticed Captain Rosen among them, and when their eyes met, she nodded in Liane’s direction. She was counting on her.
