Page 156 of Requiem of Silence

“I’d like to hear more,” a young man said from the back of the group. It had definitely doubled in size since she’d been speaking.

She shook her head, perplexed. She turned to Varten, widening her eyes and silently asking for his help.

“You could tell them about sacrifice,” he said, voice low. “About trust and strength and courage.” His eyes were smiling at her, and the admiration and love in his gaze settled her confusion. “You’ve learned a lot that you can share. And I think… I think a lot of people would want to hear it. Not all of us have Songs, but we can all learn to live in harmony. With each other and with ourselves.”

She swallowed and glanced back at the receptive faces turned her way. “Maybe that’s what I could call it? Harmony?”

His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “The Harmony of Being.”

Zeli filled with a new kind of warmth. One that was full of purpose. Her head swam, she had not intended to become a teacher of any kind, but the people’s need for comfort pulsed through her Song. This was something she could do, at least. Something good.

“Why don’t we head to the park,” Varten called out. “And she’ll tell you more about it.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group. Varten squeezed her hand. “It’s okay, you can do this,” he whispered.

And she believed him.

EPILOGUE

We sing because while blood flows in our veins

we are alive and we have voices

and songs

that must be heard.

—THE HARMONY OF BEING

Jasminda faced the eastern mountain range, its snowcapped peaks so familiar, but no longer home. It felt like a million years since she’d last seen them—could it have only been months? These mountains formed an unbroken chain from north to south except for this one place—Breach Valley. An innocuous patch of land, brown and crisped with a thin layer of snow lying atop it.

Kyara stepped to her side, her braids undone, hair crinkling around her face.Cousin,Jasminda thought.I wish we could have had more time.

As if she’d heard her thoughts, Kyara turned and smiled. Jasminda could not recall ever seeing the woman do so before.

“You leave today?” Jasminda asked.

Kyara nodded. “Darvyn wanted to see this, to help in the transition.” She turned and motioned behind her toward the organized chaos occurring on this side of the range.

Dozens of buses that had carried the Lagrimari across the country were refueling at the eastern army base, preparing for the trek across the border and into the neighboring land. Now that they had their Songs back, the Lagrimari had decided to return to their homeland and rebuild it. Working together, linking their Songs, they would transform the desert into arable land, much as their ancestors had done.

Jack, Darvyn, and Papa stood to the side chatting with a group of older men—former prisoners of war whom they’d known for years. An air of melancholy clung to the scene—so many changes all at once. Jasminda shivered, drawing her coat tighter.

“We can come back,” Kyara said. “If you ever need us. If there is another threat, we’ll be here. Mooriah was not able to return at will since she was truly dead, but Darvyn and I don’t have that restriction.” A peace had settled upon her, one which had removed the ever-present strain around her eyes.

“Thank you, and I am sorry that you all will have to make this sacrifice.”

Kyara shook her head. “It isn’t sacrifice, it’s purpose. I welcome it. It’s better this way.”

“Your Majesty,” a gravelly voice called from behind them. They turned to find Turwig and Rozyl. The old man bowed but Rozyl merely raised a brow. Kyara smiled at them in greeting and then retreated to where Darvyn was.

“You don’t need to bow to me anymore,” Jasminda said. “I’m no longer your queen.”

“You will always be our queen,” Turwig replied solemnly.

Looking upon the buses and the folks gathered there, her eyes misted. “I suspect the time for kings and queens is nearing an end,” she whispered, echoing Oola’s words from not long ago. “The will of the people is not necessarily what we would expect. The referendum taught me that.”

Turwig nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

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