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The night was silent and still.
Cassia waited. She pressed her eyes shut, reaching out with…what was it? The part of her that could always hear Lio in her mind. The part of her that got angry and grew kinder and loved. The part of her that shuddered at a brush with Anthrian magic and thrilled to the touch of Hesperine power.
The light, the shadows, both seemed to hold their breaths with her. Then the light grew brighter beyond her eyelids. Cassia snapped her eyes open.
The rose window blazed. The harbor beacon beyond grew brighter and brighter. The crimson glass petals flooded the hall with light. Cassia stood and watched the walls, the floor, her own skin turn red as blood.
She stood waiting in that silence of anticipation until the bells rang again in jubilant tones.
Cassia let out a sigh. She ran a hand over the red phantoms upon her arm and watched their light fade.
Whatever secrets went on behind the closed doors of House Annassa, she would be a part of them next year.
As the Harbor Light returned to its wonted brightness, and the shadows in the room shifted, she once more caught sight of the banner under the window.
She smiled at it. That had always been her sister’s banner. She lifted her gaze to the window. Hespera’s Rose had always been hers.
GIFT NIGHT
Lio found Cassia standingwith a meditative aura under the rose window. Before he fully unveiled himself, she turned to him, her face alight.
He smiled slowly. “You sensed me.”
“Perhaps it’s not so hard to believe, after all, that I might have magic.” She took a step toward him. “Your power is different now. I can feel it in you, Lio. The Ritual.”
“The lifeblood of the Goddess flows in me anew. I can scarcely describe it.”
“Next year, you will not have to.”
Lio grabbed her up and swung her around. Their laughter echoed around them.
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of the night celebrating you,” she said. “We should get to House Komnena.”
“I thought we would have to start without you. How did you get away before veil hours?”
“Perita and I have reached an understanding. I’ll tell you all about it while you and Knight and I take a long walk across the grounds on the way home.”
By the time they wandered back into the gardens of House Komnena, Lio felt more hope than he could ever remember. He had his Goddess’s power in his heart, his Queens’ blood in his veins, his Grace’s hand in his. All was not lost, and it never would be.
Although the plan they had just discussed during their walk still lay ahead of them to enact, now that they had agreed upon it, a great weight seemed to have lifted off of Cassia. She tugged his hand, gesturing to the side of the garden path, where only polar scrub grew at present. “A bed of rimelace right there, I think. What do you say?”
“Of course. The garden must have rimelace.”
The moment they arrived at the barn, Zoe dashed out, her goats trotting behind her. Knight bounded forward to greet her.
“Cassia, you’re here already! We don’t have to wait any longer?”
“I couldn’t wait any longer either.” Cassia touched the suckling’s uncovered head.
Zoe tossed her mantle across her shoulders.
Mother followed Zoe out of the goat barn and put an arm around her and Cassia while they all wished one another Happy Solstice.
“We’re going to have so much fun tonight.” Mother sounded nearly as excited as Zoe.
Lio bent to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for working so hard on everything.”
“I enjoy it so much, I should have another child. Oh wait. I do!” She tickled Zoe.
