“The king should be here soon and it’ll start.” Lily pushed up on her toes so she could see over the crowd.
Gathered together, the population of the entire Capital waited, exchanging excitement as darkness surrounded them and day turned to night. Ambrose had never been to the evening festivities this early. Usually, her day would’ve consisted of running about the kitchens preparing the king’s feast, making sure everything was absolutely perfect. Tidying and finishing up any last-minute decorating, it would’ve been her responsibility with all the other servants to make sure not one thing was out of place. Waiting for the nobility to get so intoxicated they no longer paid attention to them and the servants could sneak off and join the celebrations. The king always came into the city after eating and she’d always wondered what he was doing. It seemed soon, she would have an answer.
The nobles should’ve been gathered around the table and stuffing themselves with food and gorging on ale and wine. Soon enough, the servants would be able to come and join them but not until the nobles had their fill.
She just had to be patient.
Ambrose closed her eyes and tilted her head to the sky as a warm breeze kissed her skin and she took in the sounds of the masses around her. For a moment, she was able to imagine another life. One where she’d been born to a loving family, where she knew her mother and father. She and Adym would’ve been able to grow up as normal siblings and maybe even have other brothers and sisters. A life where she got to attend the festival with Ernaline and Lily by her side and they’d laugh and drink the way girls their age should. Maybe she would’ve found a nice local boy that she could’vefallen in love with. She tilted her face towards the sky to keep the tears from spilling down her face.
When she was sure she wouldn’t cry, she opened her eyes and the stars and sky unfolded in front of her. Away from the palace and firelights of the city the dark horizon twinkled with endless shining lights that danced as though joining them in celebration.
“They’re amazing aren’t they?” Lily asked, her head tilted upwards as well. A soft look took over the contour of her features. She laced her fingers in Ambrose’s and gave them a small squeeze.
“Yes,” Ambrose breathed. “They are.”
“You know, my mentor growing up used to tell me stories of the stars. ‘Each of those little lights is a world just like ours’, she would say to me, and I ate it up. Of course, they were just stories she liked to make up to get me to pay more attention during my late-night Magick lessons. Something about them always intrigued me as a juvenile and I think she knew if she wove in stories into my lectures, I’d listen to anything she said.” Lily breathed as she admired the stars. “They are something incredible.”
“Did it work?”
“Some of the time.” Lily turned to her and winked. “I’d probably be a better mage if it had though, huh?”
Ambrose shivered imagining what Lily could be capable of had she gotten stronger in her training. It was difficult to imagine her stronger than she currently was.
“Citizens of Eltoria!” A voice magickally echoed, grabbing the attention of the crowd who turned to see who spoke. Sounds of anticipation died to a low hum, leaving a static in the air as everyone fell silent. Ambrose immediately recognized the speaker as the head servant of the palace. An elven fae with copper skin, light green eyes, and a lean build earned from running to all ends of the palace day after day stood on a podium facing the crowd. She’d come to know Onabas as an acquaintance through the years they served together. He could usually be found by the king’s side when he wasn’t tending to the servants and monitoring their duties to perfection. If Onabas had arrived, so had the king. He waited until he was satisfiedhe had everyone’s attention, “Welcome your king, your sovereign, The Great Storm, King Tallis!”
Draconian and Imperial Guards marched into the crowd single file until they formed a circle around the congregation. Ambrose searched their faces for her brother but didn’t see anyone she recognized. The king was the last to step forward, followed by Imperial Guards—two on either side of him. They stood tall and proud next to him, all four displaying three gold stars on their armor.
“Wow! I’ve never seen such high-ranking lieutenants before!” Lily remarked as she noticed the knights standing by the king. “I wonder why they’re here and not at their posts. It can’t be for the festival, can it?”
Ambrose had never seen guards that high of a rank either. They were the second highest rank in the kingdom and the third in the empire. What were they doing at the Capital instead of at their commands?
“Maybe. I don’t know,” she muttered, stomach twisting.
She wasn’t sure why the king was walking around with such a strongly armed guard, but the possibilities didn’t sit well. Terrifying and formidable, they were a true example of Eltorian excellence. Some of the strongest fighters and mages in the kingdom, they had armies at their command who would die for them without fault or question. As she looked over each man, she was almost knocked backwards when her eyes locked onto one of the lieutenants who already had his sight fixed on her.
Ambrose suppressed the chill that crawled across her skin as a sharp breeze swept past her, throwing her hair around her face. His dark eyes burned into hers with a growing intensity. Pulse quickening, she met his stare until she couldn’t bear it anymore and moved behind a few people to dip out of his line of sight.
What the hell was his problem?
The king, dressed in the same official armor he wore for her criminal trial, puffed up his chest in pride. Standing more than two heads above even the tallest citizen, he towered over the crowd, easily visible from all ends.
“Favored citizens of Eltoria,” his voice was so powerful he barely neededto raise it for all to hear. “This year was one of the most giving harvests the kingdom has had in over a decade! As you all know, without each and every one of you, the kingdoms would starve. From those whose magick harvests our fields, keeping our crops strong and bountiful, to the farmers that tend the meat we all require. All the way to our couriers who make sure all that food reaches every corner of the continent. Without you, there would be no empire!” He paused as the eruption of cheers that moved through the crowd, allowing them a moment to celebrate before he continued. “For the last week our nature mages have been enjoying a well-deserved rest to replenish their mana so next season can be even more plentiful than this one. I have never been more proud to call you my people and serve as your king. Tonight is not about me, or the empire…tonight is about all of you!” As he bellowed the last of his speech he pulled Storm Cleaver above his head, raising it as high as he could. Though there were no clouds or signs of any rain, a yellow-white streak of lightning crashed from the sky to his sword, bathing them in bright light.
As though waiting for their cue, Akadian and the nineteen mages that encircled them thrust their fists into the air and colorful streams of firelight burst into the sky. Bright sparks of green, blue, gold, and red shot into the air and scattered above them patterns that reminded her of flowers. As though the stars grew every shade of color and rained down on them, sprinkling them with light before they quietly burned out. The fire mages repeated this until the entire sky was full of color and light. Ambrose had never seen this side of Fire Magick and it took her breath away.
She couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering to Akadian. He stood confidently in his position in the mage’s circle with his head tilted upwards. His dark hair fell to the sides of his face and out of his eyes for once, the light curls swaying as he moved. The way he looked up at the firelights made him appear even more dangerously handsome than usual. As she watched him, she wondered if it was just her imagination or if he looked… proud. His mouth was set into a quiet smile as his eyes reflected the twinkling colors.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been staring at him, it felt like no time atall when he tilted his chin down as though he knew his eyes would find hers. The usual rush that filled her veins when the prince looked at her crashed into her, but this time she didn’t turn away. He didn’t look at her with annoyance or frustration, but with a softness she wasn’t used to from him. He even smiled at her.Reallysmiled at her. Heat flushed her cheeks and Akadian smirked before he turned his attention back to the performance.
The mages finished the show in one final display as they thrust their fists into the air and their firelights shot forward into one gathered cluster before it exploded above their heads in a shower of lights that covered the entire city. They took one step, pushed their hands forward and the stack of logs burst into flames. They placed a closed fist over their chests and shouted in unison, “For bonds and bloodlines!”
The crowd cheered as music burst to life and as though waiting for that moment, the formation dispersed around the fire. Musicians pulled out various instruments and played as humans and fae danced, and wine and ale flowed generously.
“That was amazing!” Lily clapped her hands furiously. “I swear, they get better every year.”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Ambrose admitted, her eyes wide in astonishment.
Lily gave her a confused look. “Oh! That’s right. You know, sometimes I forget you were ever a servant.”
