I didn’t, but I gave no indication of the oversight.
We’d had countless hours of classes on the Hundred Houses, the dynasties who’d ruled Nenamor for the past few centuries after leading their Great Revolt against our kind. Endless history lessons on how, with the help of laconite, they’d grappled back control from Orha who’d let power go to their heads. And long lectures, too, on how we Orha now had a duty to use our gifts productively—furthering prosperity, bettering the Queendom—or else refrain from using them at all.
I was sure House Shearwater would have been mentioned at some point, but by now the Houses, and their skirmishes and rivalries, had all muddled together in my mind.
“Of course,” I said, hoping there were no follow-up questions.
“Given the capabilities you’ve demonstrated thus far, we’ve decided to assign you a placement with the Shearwaters. A placement that has, as of very recently, become…available.”
I blinked. The red spark in my mind’s eye sputtered, flaring into brilliance. I grappled with it, my breath coming faster.
“A placement?” I couldn’t help repeating. “Already?”
“Congratulations,” Caerig intoned. That frosty smile again.
Zennia was sent out straight after her exam, but that was unusual, almost unheard of. It was normally a few weeks, sometimes months, before a role was assigned and a transfer arranged.
I’d been of age for not even a day.
And I’d never expected to be placed with theHundred. A chill crept over me as Rhama’s words sank in.
Such placements came up only rarely. Normally, only a couple of us per year would get the “honor,” reserved for the very best of us, the Zennias. With her talent, I always suspected she’d end up back in that world, much as she muttered mulishly that she’d rather take her chances with “lesser” work than serve the Hundred Houses—at least the contemptible ones her mother had done business with. But me? I never quite reached her heights.
Caerig must have seen my features sagging, because her smile rapidly disappeared. “It’s a prestigious position any Orha would be grateful for. Rhama assures me you’re the right trainee for the job. You will not disappoint us, as you did this morning.”
She was right. Serving the Hundred as a member of their prized “sets” was touted as the highest position one could reach as Orha. It meant a life spent in luxurious surroundings, even if we didn’t get to sleep in the four-poster beds ourselves. But it was tedious, too. I’d seen Floodmouths in town made to keep the rain off noblewomen’s heads, shrink puddles so their hems stayed dry, part streams so they didn’t have to ride to the next bridge. Some nobles paraded their sets like voguish accessories.
And there were worse stories. Zennia was a merchantwoman’s daughter. She’d told me what she’d seen in the Hundred’s parlors: one of Regent Shrike’s Sparkmouths beaten black and blue for not lighting a visitor’s pipe fast enough; a set forced to perform ridiculous, demeaning tricks to entertain guests at one of House Blackcap’s soirées. It was why Zennia had always said she’d refuse a placement with the Hundred. But when that day had come, she hadn’t. I wondered why.
Swallowing, I tried to keep the disquiet from my face.
“Shearwater, as you know, is one of the Coastal Dozen,” said Rhama,pushing another document toward me. It was larger than the letter and faintly creased, covered in snaking lines and carefully inked labels. A map of Nemestra, the easternmost province of Nenamor. “They hold Port Rhorstin and all the lands around Bower Bay.”
Bower Bay.
Why did that name set bells jangling in my head?
“One of the wealthiest Houses on the coast,” said Caerig, “along with House Crake, of course.” She and Rhama exchanged glances. “There’s a…rivalry there. Things are a little tense at present. Suffice it to say, this is a very important posting. Rexim Shearwater is particularly influential, and he finds himself in need of a new Floodmouth. Right away.”
“What happened to the old one?” The words tumbled out before I could stop them. The unexpected news had made me careless, blundering.
Caerig stared at me for a long, drawn-out moment, while Rhama’s dark eyes flicked down and away.
And then, with a sharp slap of shock, I remembered.
“Somewhere out east. One of the noble Houses. A place called Bower Island, I think.”
I gripped the table to steady myself.
Zennia had been assigned the Shearwater placement. So why wasIbeing sent out there, too? I knew enough about the Hundred to know that their sets included one each of the four types of Orha. House Shearwater wouldn’t keeptwoFloodmouths.
The realization settled over me like a shroud: Something had happened. I was Zennia’s replacement.
Caerig’s lips thinned at my impertinence. “We wouldn’t normally share such information, but given your predecessor was a particular friend…” She glanced at Rhama. “It seems she had an unfortunateaccident. Out in the bay. Got caught in the tides. Brigant Shearwater”—Caerig’s fingertips tapped the letter—“writes that this was caused by her foolhardiness. Her ineptitude.” She held my gaze in the wavering lamplight. “Not something you’ll allow to happen, I am confident.”
I opened my lips, but nothing came out.
“An unfortunate accident.”
