There wasn’t that much more I knew about Silverveil. Dove had told us a lot, but not much on the details of how the Bonding actually worked, or the day-to-day activities. But there was one last thing she had told us about.
On the bench of the carriage opposite me was an envelope. I picked it up and opened it to find three heavy cards within. “And I know what these are, my sister told me about them,” I said. The first card indicated my name while I was at Silverveil. The instructors there refused to allow the Chosen to use their old names, but it might be some time before they had their new names. So, each was given an interim name. My card read: “Birch.”
“While I’m at Silverveil, until I get my True Name, I’ll be called Birch.”
Ooh! It must be fate!Auwei said excitedly.I’ve worked with two others who were Birch’s as well! Hello, Birch!
I smiled at that. It did seem somewhat lucky or fated.
The second card said “Forest” on it.
“This is the name of the group of other Chosen I’ll be working with. We work in small groups to help each other out. I’m in the Forest group.”
“And this last will be the name of my instructor.” I picked it up and read: “Lady Kitsune.” I shrugged. That meant nothing to me. She would be a True-Bonded, but I didn’t know what type of animal a Kitsune was.
A flying, many-tailed, foxlike animal, Auwei said matter-of-factly.
There were far more animals in the world than I knew of, but that one did seem like a surprise. “Oh.”
Now you’re all set, just sit back relax and enjoy the ride to Silverveil. Auwei sounded chipper and calm, but I sensed her tension. She was just a bit worried.
Was she worried about me? About the possibility of not Bonding? If so, that’s what I was concerned about as well, and her worry didn’t help me feel any better about my prospects.
Chapter 3
Silverveil was truly a wonderous place.High in the northern hills of Elista, on the rushing waters of the Mist River, it perched on a plateau with spectacular views of all the lands around it. To the east was the famed Foggy Forest, where heavy mists clung to the lands at all times, the doorway to The Mistlands.
There was something mystical about this place. I could feel it as soon as the carriage passed through the gates. Perhaps it was all of the Chosen and True-Bonded in one place. More than anywhere else in Elista, except during a conclave of the Noble Houses. I was half hanging out the window of the carriage, eyes wide with wonder, gawking at the grounds and the many others around.
The Choosing in Miraline was one of several such events that happened all over Elista, which meant there were nearly fifty carriages arriving or disgorging passengers or departing. It was chaos; beautiful, amazing chaos.
My carriage rolled to a stop and I was out the door before the coachman could come down to open it.
I breathed in the rarified air, catching the send of the distant river and the pine forests, not to mention the many people around me. The same air so many before me had breathed. All True-Bonded had come here to learn the ways of the Lumani and Bonding. Queen Whitewing and House Leader Skyfire may have stood in this very spot, or slept in the bed I’d be assigned. My heart was pounding so hard, I wasn’t hearing anything anyone was saying, even Auwei. I just spun in a slow circle taking in everything: the high walls, the many carriages, the Great Square in the middle of the grounds, the many low buildings. From Dove’s letters, I thought I knew what each was. The closest, to the left of the gates, was an administration building. North of that would be the girls’ dorm. Then a smaller building for the female instructors. The long building directly across campus from me would be the great hall and classrooms. And down the right side would be the male instructors building, the boys’ dorm, and the stables and storage building, all perfectly symmetrically laid out.
Birch!Auwei’s voice finally broke through to my excitement-addled mind. It took me another moment to realize she was speaking to me. I wasn’t used to this new name yet.There’s someone just over there who’s gathering the female Chosen. Oddly, even though Auwei had no appendage with which to point, I knew exactly where she was indicating when she said “there.”
I looked and saw the strict looking woman, to whom all the female Chosen seemed to be headed. I made my way there as well.
“What’s your name?” I overheard a younger girl in a bright green dress say to another in a stunning blue dress.
“Cedar. Yours?”
“River!”
“At least yours sounds like a girl’s name. I can’t believe I got Cedar. And with my luck, I’ll be stuck with a bunch of low-born dolts.”
I hadn’t really listened to anything past her name: Cedar, which meant she was probably in my Forest group. I veered off to speak to her.
Birch, no—Auwei tried to warn me.
“Hello,” I said introducing myself to the girl in blue. She looked to be fifteen and was pristinely attired with perfect bouncing blond curls and eyes as blue as her dress. “I’m also in the Forest group, my name is Birch!”
She stared at me like I had two heads. “You’re old!” she scoffed. Then with derision: “Let me guess, you’re from Miraline?” I didn’t even answer before she nodded to herself. “I thought so.” She turned her nose up at me like I smelled of midden, and made a point of making a wide arc around me to get to the harsh-looking woman admitting people.
Sorry, Auwei apologized with a sigh.I recognized her type. Some here will be… entitled. Their family has probably been True-Bonded and Noble for generations. They don’t much like new-bloods joining their ranks. If it’s a Noble you wish to become, you’ll probably face more like her. Auwei sighed heavily.That is something that hasn’t much changed over my nine lifetimes, unfortunately.
I was still just a little shocked at that reception. I hadn’t been the most popular girl in Miraline. Dove and I had been a bit freer and wilder than most of the other girls. When they’d been playing with dolls or learning needlework, we’d been playing with boys by the river, getting dirty and having adventures. Still, the girls of town usually just thought I was a bit odd, not… trash.
