The east claimed the name Eretria, the former capital of the old kingdom. There they live in perpetual autumn, a plentiful land forever on the cusp of change, where the countryside is tinted in shades of ochre and leaves carry on Eurus’s cool winds. To the west, Reveza fell into a state of endless spring, a kingdom of blissful sunshine, blooming flowers, and Zephyrus’s light breezes. The north became Arkhadia, a wintry land of frost, snowcapped mountains, and Boreas’s icy gales.
The south suffered most.
Isolated from the other lands, with its enduring heat and the dry Summer Wind of Notos, the Sorrows’s new name was apt in the beginning.
Against my will, my eyes drift toward my window.
I always wonder if it was a cruel twist of fate or the petty machinations of the Eagle that ensured I have a perfect view of the palace from my bedroom. Its white walls glow under the moon, the light catching and reflecting off its many arched windows. White flags emblazoned with golden sea eagles flutter from the tops of the cerulean-domed towers as they pierce the black-velvet sky.
My chest constricts at the sight. Those walls sheltered me throughout my childhood. I doubt a day will come when it’s not strange to gaze at them from afar.
With a groan, I place the map aside before unbuckling my sandals and kicking them off, letting them fall unceremoniously to the floor. With deft fingers, I remove the belt from my waist, the dagger and purse coming away with it, and set them on the nightstand. After a moment’s hesitation, I remove the earring, placing it among the other items; thegoiteíamarks on its surface fall into shadow.
A shiver trembles through me at the sensation of cobwebs falling from my skin. I pull the heavy braid of my hair over my shoulder, watching as it brightens from a deep brown shade to ashen blond.
I rarely take the earring off—I never know if I’ll be woken in the middle of the night—but I just want to feel like myself. Even if it’s only for a moment.
I frown, looking down at the simple golden ring on my finger, and then fall back among the pillows with a sigh. I close my eyes, trying to shut the world out, but it’s still too loud.
Too chaotic.
Thoughts clamor, each of them slaying the other to take precedence. Only for the slain thoughts to revive, avenge themselves, and begin the vicious cycle anew.
My hand drifts to the pocket of my pants, feeling the smooth texture of glass, and my fingers curl around the vials. I pull them free, setting one aside on the nightstand while I grip the other in a tight fist.
Just one. Every third night.
The promise echoes in my mind, pushing all other thoughts away as a solid weight settles on my chest. I pop the cork and pinch a seed between the tips of my fingers—ignoring the slight tremor in my hand—and place it in my mouth. Biting down, I cringe at the bitterness, and then let it settle underneath my tongue.
The change is instant.
A haze of calm cocoons me, and warmth tingles in my lips.
My chest.
The tips of my fingers and toes.
My eyes drift shut, and darkness draws me into the quiet solace of a dreamless sleep—a brief, fragile reprieve where I won’t hear the whispers of what I’ve done or feel the jagged weight of what’s still to come.
I jolt awake to pounding on my bedroom door.
“You better not be hiding under the covers from me,” a teasing voice shouts from the hall, and the frantic beating of my heart calms.
Nyssa.
With a groan, I burrow deeper into my bed, dragging a pillow over my head to drown her out, but my feather-stuffed shield proves to be useless against incessant hammering.
“Open this door right now, or I’ll shout your name at the top of my lungs.”
A cringe rattles through me at her threat, and I curse under my breath. I throw my pillow across the room as I drag myself out of bed, then stomp my way to the door.
“Ae—”
I wrench the door open and pull her in before she has time to finish. With a quick glance to check the corridor is clear, I close the door and turn to her.
Nyssa stands beside me, an innocent expression on her face I do not trust for a moment.
“It was unlocked,” I snarl at her.
