For a minute, I sink into the rhythm of movement, the river sparkling to our left, the grassy slopes glittering with dew.
A moment later, the heavier footsteps of male elves reach us. While we run with quiet stealth, they sing as they run, making their presence known. I close my eyes for a moment because there’s nothing quite so gorgeous as the unguarded harmony of male elves singing. While the House of Reverie is known for its ability to cultivate plants, the House of Splendor is known for its voices.
“Spin gold, shelter silver,” they sing. It’s a warrior’s song that can adapt to any context. Right now, spinning gold is about welcoming the rising sun, and sheltering silver is a tribute to the waning moon. In battle, the meaning is far more gruesome: spill blood and bury the enemy.
They veer out from behind us onto the grass. Our identities are concealed in the dim light but our silhouettes make it clear we’re female.
As they draw level with us, their harmony becomes respectful of our gender. “Welcome the light, and honor the life-giver.”
The House of Splendor is also known for being more progressive than the other Houses, encouraging its females to take up positions traditionally reserved for males. It’s particularly prosperous as a result. I can’t help but smile as the males speed up to draw level with us and then slow to match our pace. The expanse beside the river is wide enough to accommodate multiple jogging groups.
One of the males breaks off from his group, jogging closer to Jordan. It’s hard to see, but elves in the House of Splendor have very pale eyes, reflective like a cat’s, and I’m sure I recognize the unusual silver-green of Sebastian Splendor’s.
I know it’s him when Jordan tilts her head and gives him a formal nod. He does the same and settles into stride with her. The male elves sing about gold and silver again, but Sebastian’s voice is louder than the others when he sings the next verse. “She is worth more than both.”
They may not be able to speak to each other, but he found a way to tell her he still loves her. For the first time in days, my heart swells. There’s not a lot I can do to control my own destiny, but I’m determined that my friend will find happiness.
We run together for the next thirty minutes until the sun breaks across the horizon. In this formation—and because my Storm Command rotates on and off duty—it’s easy for the males to assume that I’m not with them. Now that the sun is rising, that illusion will be hard to maintain.
I don’t need to signal Jordan for her to know this. As soon as the sky brightens, she calls for the Storm Command to break away from the males, turning as a group and cutting across the slope to take the shortcut back to my quarters.
As I turn away from the sun, a shadow passes across it. I squint back to identify it. I shake my head. Just a bird.
Once we’re back on the main path, the elves form a protective circle around me again.
“I’m not as fit as I thought I was,” I say, raising some eyebrows. “I think we should start the day with a run tomorrow too.”
Jordan smiles. “Thank you, Princess.”
I shake my head at her. “I wish you’d call me by my name.”
She grins. “One day, Princess.”
When we reach the War Room to begin my training, Elise is waiting for us. She’s the only thing I recognize in the room. The members of my Storm Command who stayed behind from the morning run have been busy transforming the space into a training center. My jaw drops at what they’ve achieved. Shelves full of wooden weapons rest against the walls. There are mats everywhere, climbing equipment, and archery targets.
Elise steps forward.
“Anything?” I ask her, hoping she’ll understand that I’m asking whether she’s found out anything about the curse.
“Not yet. But I found an answer to the problem of touching you while you train. I’ve cast a shielding spell over each member of your Storm Command. It cloaks their skin and places an invisible barrier between you. They will be able to touch you without making any real contact.”
“I didn’t know you could do that.”
“It’s not easy to conjure and it wears off. You have three hours at most, but I suggest you keep it to two hours just to be safe.”
I turn to Jordan. “Is that long enough?”
“It’s probably for the best. You can’t be too tired to face the Storm this afternoon.”
I’m not sure. I’ve got a lot of training to catch up on. The last time I fired an arrow was, well, far too long ago.
When I argue, Elise steps in. “You can’t take any chances today.”
Her words are pointed. I haven’t forgotten the storm’s power yesterday. It feels like a lifetime ago that the storm spoke to me. So much has happened since. But I can’t forget that the storm is getting stronger.
Jordan’s posture changes. She transforms into relentless trainer mode right before my eyes. “Are you ready, Princess?”
I say, “More than ready.”
