1

Therod’s city square brimmed with shoppers and residents enjoying

the midday sunshine and entertainers performing throughout the square. The laughter of children and chatter of families partaking in the spectacles floated on the cold autumn wind, through the square, and into Hoshi’s tent where Sayr sat cross-legged on the ground.

Her lungs filled with cold air as she breathed in through her nose, then slowly exhaled out her mouth. She squeezed her eyes shut while she concentrated, willing her mind to remain perfectly empty. A numbing prickle crawled up and down her lower body as she anxiously waited for that familiar pull at the core of her soul. 

A child’s delighted scream pierced through the thin folds of Hoshi’s tent, followed by a series of giggles.

Sayr’s stiff body deflated, and her eyes flung open. She shot an irritated glance at Hoshi sitting across the low table and monitoring Sayr closely.

“It’s too loud in here,” Sayr grumbled. “I can’t concentrate long enough to see anything with all that noise outside.”

Hoshi simply shrugged her shoulders. “The noise becomes unnoticeable after some time. Besides, you will need to get used to using your gifts when there is noise around you. There will be circumstances where you will need to use your gifts while fully distracted, just as any Elemental would.”

 “Why don’t you show me how you do it again?” Sayr asked. She folded her upper body over her lap to prop her chin in her hands.

 Hoshi’s long dark hair swayed as she shook her head at Sayr. “Watching will do you no good anymore. You will never learn to control your gifts if you do not start using them first. Go on, remember to relinquish yourself to the stars.”

Sayr huffed out a frustrated breath but obediently closed her eyes again. She straightened her spine again and lifted her head high. Her breathing evened as she concentrated; in and out, in and out, but she didn’t bother trying to clear her mind. 

She hadn’t really come to Hoshi to try and control her gifts, she just needed to get away from the townhome and the suffocating anticipation that gnawed at her whenever she was inside those walls.

She had left the Western Palace six days ago to go into hiding. Marenda, Dema, and Dimitri had fled with her to remain in Therod until the Visarian royal family left for their own kingdom in the east. Sayr had renounced her role in the Eastern Court at the Harvest Ball. She had told Queen Cheralin that she no longer served Her Majesty. Sayr had chosen not to follow through with the queen’s orders to kill the king’s mercenary and dismantle the King’s Court from within. She had chosen to leave her sham of a life in Visaran and join the Western Court instead. 

During the last six days in Therod, Sayr had met with Julen in the Department of Records for a possible lead on the whereabouts of her father. He had uncovered a record of a man named Jespon living outside of a small village in Creobe near the Silia River.

The lead held very little promise, admittedly, but it was a start for Sayr. A small bead of hope sat like lead in her chest. After she returned to the Western Palace, after she assumed her new role in the Western Court, whatever it may be, her first priority would be to go to that village and begin the search for her father.

Sayr stirred as she sat on the carpeted ground. She would not let that small bead of hope grow. Not yet.

After so many years, could she truly see her father again? Even if she did find him, would he want to see her? Would he be thrilled to have her back in his life, or had he truly abandoned her in the Eastern Palace? If this lead brought her to her father, would he admit he fled to Creobe to be rid of her and the problems she and her unnatural gifts likely caused him? Was he content living the rest of his life in Creobe without his daughter?

Sayr shot up from her spot on the ground and stood before Hoshi. “I can’t do this. Not today. I’m not going to be able to see anything with all the noise and distractions.”

Hoshi did not rise from her spot across the table. Her eyes, one pale blue and the other a deep brown, followed Sayr as she approached the tent flap. “We can try again tomorrow, if you would like. The square is not nearly so crowded in the mornings.”

“I’m returning to the palace tomorrow,” Sayr muttered. She stood before the threshold of the tent, not yet ready to step through it. 

Hoshi finally rose from the low table. She stepped slowly toward Sayr and gave a small nod of understanding. A spark of uncertainty flashed between them.

“Then you will visit me soon, and often. You have much on your mind. We will begin again once your thoughts have settled, but you cannot prolong a message from the stars forever.”

Sayr’s body trembled, and she wasn’t entirely sure if it was from anticipation or fear. Maybe both. She grabbed her cloak off its cushion and flung it around her shoulders.

“I’ll see you soon,” she promised Hoshi before stepping out of the tent and into the chilling square.

The bright sun shone high above in the sky and Sayr lifted a hand over her eyes to shield them from the blinding light. She turned expectantly to one side of Hoshi’s tent where Marenda stood, patiently waiting while Sayr met with Hoshi inside and bundled in a long fur coat, thick pants, and heavy boots.

“How did it go?” Marenda peeled her body away from the tent and walked in step with Sayr. The two weaved through the thick of the square.

“Awful,” Sayr admitted. “I can’t relax enough to see anything. And even if I could, what would I tell Hoshi? She still believes I’m a Space Elemental who has visions of the past like her. If I did successfully call on a vision, it would be of the future, like all the rest. Then what would she say?”

“Then why visit her?” Marenda pressed.

Sayr shrugged. “I’m hoping to tell her the truth after all this is over. If I’m going to join the Western Court, I’m going to have to reveal my past and my gifts eventually. And I just needed to get away for a little while.”

Sayr lowered her voice as a child ran past them, their parents chasing closely behind. “I doubt many would trust me as a member of the Western Court if they knew I was Visarian, especially if they found out I served the Eastern Queen for nearly the last decade. But I plan to tell Hoshi about my visions after I reveal them to King Mylan first, if I choose to reveal them. Maybe she can still help me learn to control them.”

Marenda scrunched her nose in thought. “Have you seen anything since that vision on the balcony?”

Sayr shivered at the thought of that vision, and she shook her head. “I haven’t seen anything new or recurring. It’s like it’s all just vanished.”

The girls exited the square and turned down an outer street of the city. The crowds began to thin as they passed the various shops lining each side of the street.

“I wonder what they’ll have you do to become a member of the Court.” Marenda elbowed Sayr in an effort to ease the tension. “Do you think they’ll have you partake in some sort of initiation ritual?”

“Thank you, Mar. Joining a new Court—our supposed enemy’s Court—is terrifying enough.” Sayr elbowed her back. “The idea of embarrassing myself in some sort of initiation in front of the entire Court makes me feel so much better.”

Mar huffed out a short laugh as they continued through the streets, then turned her acute stare back on Sayr. “Have you told Dimitri about any of this?”

Sayr caught the hint of disdain at the mention of Dimitri, but she’d also noticed how hard they had both tried to be civil with each other over the past six days. After all, they couldn’t avoid each other too much when living under the same roof all week. Still, she appreciated the effort from them both.

“No,” Sayr huffed. “I don’t want to add my worries onto whatever he’s already dealing with in the palace.”

“Did he tell you why he was leaving today?” Mar pushed.

Again, Sayr shook her head. “He was gone before I woke up. I’m sure it’s all the same business as before.”

Dimitri had traveled back to the palace on two separate occasions since they’d left. Once to meet privately with King Mylan and another time to question the imprisoned rebels again. He would leave early in the mornings and leave Sayr, Marenda, and Dema in the care of another member of the King’s Court while he was away.

Sayr didn’t mind too much. She knew the toll his role as the king’s mercenary took and just how big of a hole he’d left in the Court while he was away.

She didn’t particularly enjoy his last departure, though, when she’d woken up that morning to find Tomas laying out his recently caught game on the kitchen table. He’d taken the opportunity of traveling between the palace and Therod as a free hunting trip and was all too eager to spend the entire day preparing the game for dinner that night.

Sayr had wanted to go with Dimitri. She wanted to see the rebel girl again, to ask her about Naz and why she was so desperate for Sayr to find him.

The rebel girl had possessed unnatural gifts too. She had duplicated Sayr’s pearl earring right before her eyes. She was like Sayr, not as a Seer, but in their unique and unnatural abilities. And an all too familiar tug in her core told her that this girl was the start of finding others like them both.

But she couldn’t bring herself to enter the palace walls. Not while the Eastern Queen and crown prince and princess were still within the Western Palace.

Everett’s words from the Harvest Ball rang in her skull like a never-fading echo. Her oldest friend had always known about the unseen elements, about people with gifts so similar to her own, and had kept that knowledge from her for eight years. He had watched her struggle with her identity as someone unnatural and unwanted, all while knowing he could have eased some of that burden for her. Everett had never truly wanted what was best for her, he only wanted what was best for himself and his family and the Crown. 

In a way, Sayr thought she could’ve understood his motivations. He would be the King of Visaran one day, his kingdom was most important to him over everything else. But she couldn’t forgive him for the lies he told her day after day, year after year. She couldn’t forgive him for stringing her along, pretending that he knew nothing of anyone else like her, for letting her believe that she was truly alone in the world all this time.

Sayr forced the painful memories away as she and Marenda reached the townhome, their temporary haven while in Therod.

Together, they climbed the steps to the front door. Before they ascended halfway, the front door burst open.

“Took you long enough!” Addy bounded out the door and down the steps. “You said you’d only be gone an hour, you should’ve been back eight minutes ago.”

“Are you monitoring every minute that we’re gone now?” Mar pestered, though she ended the question with a laugh. 

The girls had awoken that morning to find Dimitri already gone and Addy sitting at the kitchen table in his place. Addy had pouted when Marenda refused to let her go see Hoshi with them, claiming someone needed to stay with Dema.

“Under His Majesty’s orders, I am to monitor you every second while I am here,” Addy answered and made a show of standing tall, though the act had her barely reaching Marenda’s shoulder. “You’re lucky that I’m far too lenient with my duties. I was ready to drag Dema out into the streets to look for you if it weren’t for the delicious smelling muffins she has in the oven.”

“Oh!” Addy reached into her pocket and lifted a small paper between two fingers, teasingly waving it under Mar’s nose. “I have a little letter here from Callum.” 

Sayr’s gaze lifted to the townhome where Dema leaned against the open door. Her long black hair was tied in a braid down her back and the apron around her waist was splattered with sugar and flour. She smiled softly as Sayr broke away from Marenda, leaving her to fight Addy for the letter.

“I’m guessing he’s still away, if Addy’s still here?” Sayr asked.

Dema nodded and looked down the steps at Mar and Addy. Mar had grappled the note from Addy, her eyes rapidly skimming over the paper. Addy jumped up and down before her, trying to get a glimpse of the letter in Mar’s grip.

“He is,” Dema laughed softly. “Lady Adelaide says she will be staying with us until we return to the palace tomorrow. His Majesty’s orders. I didn’t think you or Lady Marenda would mind, either.”

“Haven’t they both told you there’s no need to address them as ‘Lady’?” Sayr joked.

“Old habit,” Dema admitted. “But to be fair, it seems unfitting to simply call Lady Marenda by name, and Lady Adelaide secretly likes it.”

Sayr let out a laugh and she and Dema stepped inside the townhome with Mar and Addy not far behind.

The place smelled divine, like warm sugar and baked fruit. Dema hurried into the kitchen and opened the wood-burning stove oven. Wrapping a cloth around her hands, she pulled out a batch of steaming muffins and sat them on the counter.

Dema had begged Mar to help her light the stove oven their first morning in the townhome. The oven only needed fire to light the wood chips at the bottom, but having a Fire Elemental in the house that could monitor the flames willingly had Dema pleading for Mar’s assistance. Since that morning, Dema had spent most of her time in the townhome baking and trying new recipes for the group.

Addy made to swipe for a muffin, but Dema shooed her hand away with the cloth. 

“Let them cool,” she ordered. “They are for dessert after dinner. Go wash up and we can eat.”

Addy crossed her arms in defiance but obeyed, muttering to Mar as they climbed the stairs to the second floor, “So protective of her craft. She is Dimitri’s sister for sure.”  

**

The four girls sat around the kitchen table, each with a muffin plated before them. Mar had already taken a hearty bite of hers and held it up towards her face, inspecting it closely.

“So, what fruit is in this?” Mar asked through a mouthful of muffin. “Not that I don’t trust your baking skills, they’re exceptional, but I’ve never tasted a fruit like this before.”

Addy answered before Dema could open her mouth, “They’re plum muffins. Plums are like peaches but smaller and with a firmer outer skin, they’re sweet and tart. Any sort of plum sweet is a delicacy during our colder months.”

“These are sugar plum muffins,” Dema added. “A vendor near the square had a few batches at his stall.”

Sayr took a bite of her muffin, savoring the taste. The plum fruit was warm and delicious mixed with the sugared top of the muffin. Once again, Dema’s baking skills had exceeded Sayr’s expectations. “I hope you made enough to have for breakfast tomorrow, too.”

Dema smiled, but before she could answer, the front door of the townhome flung open, and Dimitri stepped into the room.

“Tri…” Dema rose from her seat, and Sayr followed suit, but neither girl moved as they took in Dimitri’s face.

His eyes were wide and searching as he took in each girl in the room. The cold had left his nose and cheeks rosy, making him appear wild and severe.

“Is everything all right?” Addy asked, still seated at the table. 

Dimitri’s shoulders dropped and he pushed the door shut behind him. “Everything is fine, though no progress has been made on securing any information from the imprisoned rebels.”

“They’re still not cooperating?” Addy grumbled. 

“What about that girl?” Sayr interjected, her thoughts once again consumed by the imprisoned rebel who had duplicated her earring. “The one that I spoke to?”

Dimitri shook his head. “She’s shut down. They’ve all shut down completely. Not only have they refused to speak, but they’re refusing to eat or drink anything. They’ve resorted to starving themselves in silence.”

Mar swallowed the last of her muffin. “You have Spirit Elementals in your palace, right? Why can’t you bring a Spirit Elemental down there with you and have them use their abilities to force them to trust you enough to want to confess?”

Addy stared at Mar, eyes wide in horror. “That wouldn’t do any good. For them or for us.”

“Why not?” Sayr pressed. 

“Influencing another being’s physical or mental state, willing or unwilling, is highly illegal,” Addy explained.

She turned to Sayr. “Lilith may not have liked you but even she knew not to use her influence on you during your trainings.”

“She used her influence on me in Visaran, though,” Sayr reminded them all. “When the King’s Court came to the Eastern Palace. You were there, Addy.”

“Yes, and she faced punishment for that. Albeit punishment from Queen Cheralin rather than any of our law holders. And we don’t know exactly what sort of manipulation she was trying to use on you,” Addy said. 

“Because that makes what she did so much better,” Mar deadpanned.

Addy shot Mar a tired look, but didn’t refute her. No matter what her intentions were, they all knew Lilith’s actions had been wrong.

But so had Sayr’s. Queen Cheralin had forced Sayr to whip Lilith as punishment, and when Sayr didn’t follow through as harshly as Her Majesty would have deemed acceptable, the queen resulted in giving the lashings herself. It was likely the worst option for Lilith, and they all silently agreed not to speak of it.

“So, Spirit Elementals can’t use their gifts at all?” Sayr’s gaze narrowed at Addy. “That seems like imprisonment, casting an Elemental’s abilities as illegal.”

“Spirit Elementals can still use their gifts,” Addy countered. “But that sort of manipulation is a bit different. Lots of shop owners employ Spirit Elementals for that very reason. They can manipulate shoppers to feel a higher energy in taverns, make food and drink taste ten times better to people, or settle a sort of calmness around themselves. Spirit Elementals make great entertainers simply because of their gifts too. That sort of manipulation is more of an aura around a crowd and not a forceful manipulation against an individual’s thoughts or feelings. It is a much simpler and less invasive manipulation, and therefore perfectly legal.”

Mar and Sayr each raised an eyebrow at each other. Whether it was perfectly legal or not, neither of them wanted someone influencing how they felt.

“Besides the legalities of elemental manipulation on another being, any sort of elemental influence on someone can cause irreparable damage,” Dimitri chimed in. “The consequences of fire, air, earth, and water are obvious, but spirit and space are different.”

“How so?” Sayr asked. How had none of this come up in her lessons with Dimitri before?

Dimitri leaned against the front door. “An Elemental’s influence always has some sort of effect, whether mental or physical. Earth, Air, Water, and Fire Elementals have physical effects from their manipulation. Spirit and Space Elementals have more… mental effects.”

Something sparked in his eyes as he looked at Sayr, like a secret passing between them. “Space Elementals task their own bodies every time they manipulate their element. You’ve seen how Hoshi’s gifts affect her. Manipulating her element takes a toll on her physically and mentally each time she has a vision, but that is an effect implemented on herself due to her gifts.”

“Spirit Elementals are the opposite, they influence their gift onto others instead of themselves,” Addy cut Dimitri off. “Their gifts do affect the Spirit Elemental, but they mostly affect whoever is being influenced. Having a foreign element heavily manipulate a being’s mind without their consent or control can cause that person’s mental state to start to crack.”

“You mean a Spirit Elemental can ruin a person’s mind?” Mar’s voice raised in disbelief.

Addy tilted her head to one side. “In some cases, yes. But again, it’s highly illegal. No one has done something so cruel in years, if not decades, as far as I'm aware. It would be barbaric for us to even consider using such a method on the rebels, even if they are imprisoned and under interrogation. His Majesty would never allow for something like that.”

Sayr and Mar shared another glance, this time unease passed through their quick stares. They both knew from experience that Queen Cheralin would take an opportunity like that without a second thought if it meant gaining the information she sought. Anyone in the Eastern Court would. Shame burned both girls’ cheeks for having the same idea.

“The Spirit Elemental would have to be incredibly strong.” Dimitri spoke as if that was supposed to be comforting, and not a dangerous threat. “But it would take multiple attempts from the Spirit Elemental to successfully manipulate a person’s mind.”

“We’ll find another way to get them to talk,” he concluded. “Once we return to the palace, I can consistently interrogate them. I don’t doubt that I can find a means of making them talk.”

“Have you spoken with His Majesty about what’s expected of us tomorrow?” Addy asked.

Dimitri huffed out a short breath, his patience thinning. “I didn’t get a chance to see His Majesty today. I’m told he’s had an unexpected guest in the palace and was occupied with them for most of the day.”

“No matter.” Dimitri turned away from the group and headed towards the kitchen. “I suggest you all stop stalling and go pack your belongings. You should’ve already been prepared to leave; I don’t want to have to wait for you to pack your things once we receive word from His Majesty.”

“If you’d had chores for us, you should’ve left a list before you left,” Mar slighted as he passed by.

“I’d expected more of a ‘thank you’ for leaving Addy in my place and not Tomas again.” Dimitri twisted to shoot a glare at Marenda. “I don’t need another argument today. Least of all from you.”

Mar opened her mouth to slight him again.

“Mar.” Sayr’s tone was calm yet cautionary. “Not now.”

Mar’s jaw slammed shut once more, but her withering stare followed Dimitri as he stepped into the kitchen.

Sayr and Dema followed Dimitri into the kitchen, leaving Mar and Addy to clean up and begin their own preparations for tomorrow. Dimitri leaned over the basin on the far side of the kitchen, his back to the two of them. 

“You were gone for a while,” Dema started. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”

Dimitri sighed and faced them both. He kept his hands gripped against the basin and leaned his body against the lip.

“It’s been a long day, and I have a lot to do before we leave tomorrow. Tensions are exhaustingly high in the palace; but I shouldn’t be taking my frustrations out on any of you.” Dimitri hung his head. “I’m sorry.”

Dema and Sayr looked at each other with concern, both over Dimitri and the endless possibilities of what could be occurring inside the Western Palace. 

“The Visarian royals are still in the palace?” Sayr’s voice was barely a whisper.

Dimitri nodded. “They are scheduled to depart at sunrise tomorrow, though Queen Cheralin is fighting tooth and nail to delay the departure. She has already ordered her troops back to Visaran. Every Visarian soldier left the barracks today, Creobe no longer has the support to continue the search for the rebels or defend from any attacks.”

“How could His Majesty agree to that?” Dema asked.

“He didn’t,” Dimitri answered. “He had no say in the matter. He is already struggling to keep the queen’s rage from teeming over to the rest of the Court. The days have been filled with fighting and threats. Threats between the royals, fighting between the guards. Like I said, tensions are high and when a guard hears constant threats being made against their king or queen, brawls are bound to break out.”

“How is the Court doing?” Dema pushed.

Dimitri lifted his head, and his tired gaze rose towards the ceiling. “As best they can. They’ve been with His Majesty most of the time. Cheralin hates the King’s Court. I think she hates how outnumbered she and her children are here. She wants to be gone and back in her own Court but is fighting hard for Sayr and Marenda.”

Sayr’s blood ran cold at Dimitri’s words. She knew the queen saw her as an important asset to the Eastern Court, but she hadn’t expected the queen to fight so hard for her to return to Visaran. Queen Cheralin had let her go so easily when King Mylan had requested her to join his Court while the Queen’s Army aided his people, but that was when Sayr was on her side. 

The realization hit Sayr like an icy wave. Once she’d abandoned her role in the Eastern Court, she had become one of Visaran’s biggest threats. Queen Cheralin had never shared much information with Sayr besides what she’d heard in Council meetings, but Sayr held too much knowledge of the Eastern Palace and its Court that Creobe could use against Visaran.

Her Majesty knew Sayr would not stay quiet too. She would not let Visaran’s people continue to live in ignorance of their queen any longer. She would spread the truth about their kingdom’s bloody past, and the role their queen had in all of it. Visaran would no longer have the upper hand in any political disputes between the two kingdoms. Creobe would know everything Sayr knew. 

And she knew far too much. 

Dimitri looked at Sayr, reading the panic and fear written all over her face. The queen was not fighting to bring Sayr back to Court, she was fighting to get Sayr back in her grasp and keep her silenced for good.

Dimitri’s face hardened in resolution. “She will not get to you,” he promised. “But we need a plan. We need to be ready for anything.”

Dema stepped back towards the dining room. “I’ll go join the other two, we’ll be fully prepared to leave by morning.”

Dimitri nodded to his sister, and she quickly left the kitchen. Once she was gone, Sayr stepped toward Dimitri and lifted a hesitant hand to his face. He leaned into her touch and lowered himself to grab her around the waist, pulling her close. 

“She will not get to you,” he repeated. “We will wait for word from His Majesty that the Visarian royals are long gone before we leave here. If we don’t hear from the palace, we do not leave.”

Sayr nodded her head against his body. “Thank you.”

The comfort of his arms around her felt like an extra layer of protection had been placed over her. The threats of the royals and the events to come tomorrow felt far, far away as Dimitri held her tightly. He shifted his body to lift her face towards him.

“Ryon informed me that His Majesty wants to meet with you privately once we are back in the palace.” His thumb rubbed across her chin to her jaw. “Have you thought about what you’ll do moving forward?”

Sayr’s mouth tugged down in a scowl. “Why privately? This matter concerns Mar, too, if she’s going to stay in Creobe. Why doesn’t His Majesty want to meet with her?”

“I don’t know,” Dimitri admitted. “I didn’t ask questions; in truth, I got out of there as soon as I could. But from what I do know, Marenda will likely resume her position as Addy’s apprentice on the medic’s level or maybe join the soldiers in the barracks, whereas you could become a member of the King’s Court. There is an opening, after all.”

Dimitri lowered his head, his voice softer. “You are also the only one with unknown gifts. His Majesty still believes you are a Spirit Elemental, but your concern for the wellbeing of the healers and any others with unnatural gifts has raised his suspicions. It’s possible he wants to speak with you on that matter too.”

“And I want to speak with him about that just as much as he does,” Sayr confirmed. “I won’t serve another royal who uses people for their gifts and then forces them to hide themselves. I’ve dealt with enough of that to last several lifetimes. I will not trade one life sentence for another.”

Dimitri pulled away ever so slightly. “I know but give His Majesty a chance. Hear him out. I’ve served him for years now, and I can honestly say that he is a good man, a good ruler. He cares for his people and his country. Whatever reason he has for keeping the healers hidden in the palace, I am sure it’s for the benefit of everyone.”

A seed of doubt sparked in Sayr’s gut. She’d dealt with royals long enough to know they often served their own ambitions and interests long before anyone else’s. She hoped the Western King was different, but she wouldn’t know for certain until she spoke with him directly.

“We should prepare for tomorrow,” Dimitri said. “I want to leave the moment we receive word from the palace. No stalling. We’ll take the quickest route from Therod, and we won’t stop until we are back inside the palace walls. If all goes well, we’ll be back in the King’s Court before dinnertime; but we must prepare for the worst.”

Sayr nodded, no longer trusting her voice. There was so much hanging in the air, so much uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring.

Dimitri pressed a kiss to her head. As he pulled away, he whispered, “Be ready for anything.”

Sayr leaned her forehead against his, breathing him in. Her thoughts crowded with every little thing that could go wrong tomorrow. They had one chance. Whatever would come tomorrow would set the course for the beginning of her new life.

And she would be ready.