Katherine looks up from her book.
“My marks are none of anyone’s business,” he says.
“Don’t you usually just get one? To go with your gift?” Katherine asks.
“There are many different ways they show,” he says.
Katherine shrugs and goes back to her book. I stare at Brevan for a heartbeat longer, then return to mine.
The lanterns on the table flicker to life, guided by some kind of magic. It’s enough to make me look up at the windows. The sky is steely blue, the color of twilight. We’ve been here all day.
My stomach grumbles as if the acknowledgment of the time has reminded it that I haven’t eaten since breakfast.
With a sigh, I close the book I was reading and add it to the stack. Nothing. No information about how a gift is given or how a gift could be avoided. And absolutely not a single thing about immortality.
“Find anything interesting?” Brevan asks.
“Yes,” I lie. “Did you know there used to be a whole weeklong celebration in the city prior to Darkfall? Everyone celebrated together. Nobility, royalty, and commoners.”
“I didn’t,” he says.
“I saw that mentioned in some of the books, too,” Katherine says. “The emperor used to give gifts that the citizens could use to sustain themselves through the dark nights. Grain, oil, coin. Things to help them. They used to believe you had to stay in your home for the entire time the moons were gone.”
Interesting how they had the same tradition I grew up with but that the beliefs in the city had changed over time. “That would be a nice gesture. We should bring it back. The people could use the gifts.”
“If the emperor stopped that tradition, it must have been for a reason,” Brevan says. “Traditions change.”
“But they can be brought back,” I say.
“I suppose so.” He shrugs.
“When does Caiden return?” I ask. “I wonder if he could ask his father for us?”
“He had to extend his travels,” Brevan says.
I cross my arms. “And nobody thought to tell me this information?”
“I didn’t think you’d care,” he says.
“Well, I do.”
“I’ll keep you informed in the future.” He inclines his head.
“You should ask the emperor,” Katherine says. “You are going to be the princess of Pendralia. You could ask him.”
I smile at her. It’s a great idea. It gives me a reason to see him. Hopefully, in his private rooms. “Brevan, can you arrange that? Can I request an audience with him?”
“Nobody meets with him,” he says.
“Caiden does. But he’s not here and I am.”
“I’ll see what I can do but only if we can be done in here. It smells weird, and the ravens are giving me the creeps.”
I look up at the statues above the bookshelves. The stone birds are in various positions. Some are poised to fly away, others have their wings tucked and stare down at us. “I like them.”
“Of course you do,” he says.
As Brevan and I walk back to my rooms, we come across Juliette speaking with one of the legionnaires. He tenses when he sees us coming and backs against the wall. Juliette turns and smiles, then races toward us.
