Page 107 of Requiem of Silence

and get lost in their melody.

For many voices lift and raise a

solo into Harmony.

—THE HARMONY OF BEING

Kyara was used to being feared. Much of the time, she was afraid of herself. She had been born with the power to kill, after all, and it came as easily to her as breathing. Easier now that she could wield it more effectively and precisely than ever before. Even in just the past few days of training, she’d gained a mastery over her Song she’d never before thought possible. So when most of the nearly four dozen people seated before her began to scream, she was not concerned in the least. Nor was she surprised.

The day before, Fenix had spirited them into the foothills of Elsira with a magic that left Kyara tingling and tense. After he’d disappeared back through a golden portal, the rest of them had quickly been picked up by an army transport and returned to the base, where Darvyn had made a phone call and organized their return to Rosira via a military vehicle.

They’d been taken directly to the palace, flanked by Guardsmen and led to a place called the Ivory Drawing Room. The translation into Lagrimari had made her expect to find walls covered in stuffed warthog heads, where aristocrats would go to sketch pictures of the tusks surrounding them. Elsiran culture was so mystifying that such a thing would not have astonished her, though she was relieved to find merely opalescent wallpaper and a cream-colored carpet and heavily brocaded armchairs surrounding small tables.

Mooriah, Ella, Tana, and Ulani had all stood a bit agape at the finery. Darvyn was used to it and Kyara was focused more on the nerves rising in her belly. The king and queen had requested they attend a strategy meeting on the topic of the “wraith problem,” and Kyara was meant to speak to a small crowd of officials.

Ella’s shout had her gathering her Song to her, defensively. A tall, sturdy-looking Elsiran man had entered the room. Ella and the girls squealed as they raced to him, vying for first position in his arms. Her husband then; Kyara relaxed a fraction. Somehow he managed to hug them all at the same time, then scooped both daughters into his arms while Ella wrapped herself around his middle.

Kyara had never seen Tana smile quite so brightly before. It’s like the girl was lit from within. Even mastery of her Song had not pleased her so much. A lump formed in Kyara’s throat and she looked away. Darvyn curled an arm around her. But before she could get too emotional, the king and queen arrived.

There was little ceremony with their appearance, no servant announced them, they just stepped into the room side by side and took in those gathered. Quite different from the formality the True Father had insisted upon when going anywhere within the glass castle.

Darvyn greeted the monarchs heartily, and Benn brought his family over and made introductions. Kyara stood slightly apart, feeling disconnected. She did not know the king and queen as well as Darvyn did and was not comfortable around them.

Then a friendly face breached the entry. Roshon stepped into the room, along with his fiancée, Ani. Kyara went over to greet them.

“We’ve just arrived. We were on our way south when we received the summons,” Roshon explained. “Ani had half a mind to ignore it, but then we heard of the attack and raced back.”

“Where’s Varten?” Kyara asked, expecting to see his twin beside him like he usually was.

“He went north with Papa.”

“What’s that now?” a new voice said from behind them. Dansig ol-Sarifor stood there, looking a bit world-weary. He hugged his son and Ani, and then opened his arms for Kyara. She swallowed and stepped forward, accepting the embrace and trying to hide what the gesture meant to her.

Yes, they’d spent months in side-by-side cells and Dansig’s kindness and fatherly care had helped keep her sane. But it was still odd to be treated with such gentleness. She squeezed him before retreating.

“What’s that about your brother?” Dansig said.

“He didn’t go with you up north?” Roshon’s brows were raised.

Dansig frowned and shook his head. “He said he was staying here in the palace.”

Ani and Roshon looked at each other. “Jasminda said he was with you.”

Just then a contingent of over half a dozen Raunians appeared, led by the small, white-haired woman who was their king. Ani’s mouth firmed until two more figures stepped in behind them: a blue-haired man and a willowy Elsiran woman.

“Tai! Lizvette!” Ani waved them over. Her mother, King Pia, looked over sharply at the sound of Ani’s voice, but remained ensconced amidst her entourage. Tai and Lizvette peeled away to come over. The siblings embraced heartily and Ani actually shed a few tears.

“They haven’t seen each other in over two years,” Roshon explained. Introductions were made, though Kyara had met the two briefly the day of her thwarted execution. Ani and Lizvette sized one another up, Lizvette with curiosity and Ani with something closer to suspicion. Kyara supposed if she’d had a brother she’d have been equally wary of meeting his chosen partner.

Next to enter the drawing room were close to twenty grim-faced Elsiran men in dark suits ambling in like an undisciplined platoon. They glowered at the Raunians, then at the Lagrimari present, and cast dubious glances at Ella, who was also foreign-born.

The noise in the room continued to rise, along with Kyara’s anxiety. When the elders of the Keepers of the Promise showed up, she nearly threw up her hands. Aggar and Talida came in first, scanning the room with barely concealed hostility, but their gazes stuttered at the sight of Kyara.

She crossed her arms, straightening her spine while they stared. Darvyn was at her side in an instant, his glare just as harsh, and the two turned away. A woman with jagged claw marks on her face was the only one to approach and greet Darvyn.

“This is Rozyl,” he said, introducing them. Kyara nodded, familiar with the woman and the fact that though she was a friend of Darvyn’s, she, too, had called for and sanctioned Kyara’s execution. Kyara did not hold it against her, but it was unlikely they would ever be close.

Finally, it appeared that everyone who was supposed to be here, had arrived. The room was packed and servants brought in additional seating until there was one for everyone. However, all stood until all the royals present had taken their seats. King Jaqros and Queen Jasminda sat at a small table in the front of the room, waiting for everyone else to settle. Darvyn, Kyara, and Mooriah walked along the edge of the room to position themselves against the wall next to the head table.

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