The tires of the carriage click against the stones of the northernmost bridge spanning Aelura’s Straight [1] as it makes its way to the stables at the College of the Third Moon.

  “I’m very excited to see Morziwayn again this year; I think she will find the child giving me the pumpkin quite entertaining.” ?nnywella says, blowing smoke out the window.

  “I think it will be interesting to see Faerthryne enter her reign. Does she do anything special? a dance? or does it just—start?” ?l? asks, leaning on Didier’s shoulder.

  “She’s not the type to dance, but it is quite a sight to behold. Hopefully, no one angers her this year. Two years ago she was in a mood and just walked in, right up to the top floor balcony of the grand hall, demanded silence—froze a man who didn’t listens jaw shut—snapped her fingers, and left.” ?nnywella says, cigarette hanging from the corner of her mouth as she inspects her porcelain mask, attempting to buff out a surface scratch in the glaze with her sleeve.

  “I hope Arn’s here this year as well; it’s the only time I ever get to see him.” Didier says.

  “Arn?” Asks ?l?.

  “He’s my second cousin.” Didier pauses, trying to picture the Dornitter family tree in his mind. “My grandfather’s sister’s grandson and head guard of the west gate.”

  “The whole upper rank of the guard has been Dornitters in one way or another since 613 [2], before that, it was Herbw?rd.” ?nnywella adds. “Up until Father appointed K?spar to the head of The Eyes of Our Pale Lady.”

  “My father takes great joy in the fact that K?spar is nearly forty and unwed; he likes that we aren’t in charge of everything anymore.” Didier says Katherina’s knowledge of his family makes him uncomfortable sometimes, even if she just passes it off as a general knowledge of history. “Will he be coming?”

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  ?nnywella exhales smoke from her nose. “I doubt it—I can almost guarantee he is lurking around the entertainment district testing one of Fran’s concoctions on whomever he deems fit.”

  “I really don’t like—” Didier starts.

  “I’m sorry.” ?l? interjects, wishing to change the subject. “But why is your second cousin going to this if he is in charge of the west gate? is this not just for nobles?”

  “He, well...” Didier pauses, trying to think of a good way to put the relationship between Faerthryne and Arn without bringing up Y?lnor.

  “He has a very intense friendship with Faerthryne; the two know each other quite well.” Says ?nnywella.

  Didier, while pleased that Katherina had answered ?l?’s question, goes wide-eyed in shock at her knowledge of Arn and Faerthryne’s relationship; she could, of course, deduce this from a general knowledge of how the witches have historically behaved—but she spoke with more confidence than someone whose knowledge was based purely on a theory; then again, she only ever speaks with confidence.

  “Oh...” ?l? says as she looks to ?denora, who fidgets uncomfortably.

  The carriage slows to a stop, and the group of six exits, the sun setting over the caldera wall, casting the long shadows of the burial towers like bars across the college grounds.

  “I would like to go find Arn when we arrive at the hall.” Says Didier. He knows the security will be good enough that he does not need to be as concerned for ?nnywella as he usually is.

  “I’ll be joining you.” ?l? loops her arm through Didier’s. She wants to meet this Arn—but more so, she does not want her Didier running into High Priestess Seliani.

  “Verily.” ?nnywella takes one last drag on her cigarette before extinguishing it beneath her boot. “I will be looking for Morziwayn.” She turns to her ladies-in-waiting as she puts on her mask. “You can join me if you wish.”

  The ladies-in-waiting agree to join ?nnywella, and the group heads around the museum to the cloister.

  Footnotes

  [1] ?lura’s Strait in the body of water that separates the north-easternmost islet from the main 6 islets of The Crown Isles. It is named after ?lura, a naiad who is believed to be the spirit—or lady, depending on renditions of local folklore—of the caldera lake.

  [2] This is incorrect; the upper rank of the guard became ‘Dornitters’ in 0608EotG upon the retirement of Erysan Herbw?rd (04/12/0534EotG - 09/05/0613EotG) where, due to him having six daughters and no sons, his eldest grandson E?wyn Dornitter (23/03/0580EotG - 10/04/0646EotG). ?nnywella is most likely getting the year of death of Erysan confused with his retirement.