Page 53 of The Song of Sunrise
Something about this place feels right. In my short lifetime, I’ve created my fate. Made a family of my own. Earned a place to live. But this cave, these waters… perhaps I am imagining it, but it calls to me. Welcoming me home.
Only when my fingers are purple and pruned do I finally slip out of the spring, a grin plastered on my face all the way back to my room over the secret spot I found.
Just for me.
19
A Lily and a Lion
Inever minded winter, when I had the right shoes, that is. A Midlander, especially from the northern region, is very familiar with snow. What I’m not familiar with is snow on anything other than rolling hills. If my ankles had mouths, they would surely be complaining from the excessive slipping on the icy mountain switchbacks trails.
“It’s not my fault,” I mutter at my feet. “What are you going to do, walk off on me?” I chuckle. The narrow trails surrounding the Watch castle aresteep, and I found myself sliding around a few times this morning more than a true Midlander would ever admit, despite my Watch-issued boots that are better than any shoes I owned previously. Besides my ankles being freshly tested by the slopes, I feel great. No, better than great.
Amazing.
The springs under the library worked nothing short of a miracle on my body last night. I’m definitely going to have to find another time to sneak down there soon.
It was probably foolish of me to go for a hike in the dark, but the sunrise was worth it. If I could paint, I would attempt to capture the way the navy sky retreats. How layers of sparkling snow blanket the giant pines. How even a simple gust of wind scatters snowflakes into the air, glittering in iridescent waves of pink and orange as the sun rises.
My cheeks burn in the bitterly cold air, but I smile nonetheless as I return to the castle. If I’m not careful, I’ll start thinking of the Watch as home, and every place I call home ends up destroyed. My mood fractures like the ice cracking beneath my boots.
I pass many castle maintenance staff members on the way back from my morning walk along the snowy grounds. They are busy scrubbing every inch of the castle in preparation for the cadets returning today from winter solstice break.
The main entryway is decorated in twisting garlands of pine. Jars of orb lights are hung by a string across the ceiling beams and around railings. The shallow pool at the center of the foyer is frozen. A large pine tree is in the center, decorated with hundreds of frozen icicles, likely thanks to Moon’chers and their affinity for water. Light from floating candles refract against the tree, scattering rainbows along the white stone pillars.
Giant golden and silver bows wrap along the base of the staircase, surrounded by what looks like a miniature village on either side, complete with trees strung with red blooms and wooden beads, toy-sized cabins, bridges, and roads, and horse-drawn carriages that are magically enchanted to circle the town.
Fireplaces crackle and pop along the halls on my way back to my room.
I slam another book shut, then choke on the dust. Hours of researching and I still know practically nothing about Starwatchers or the creatures supposedly in the Summit. The only new piece of information is that a Starwatcher seat is supposed to be on the council, though it has remained empty for nearly fifty years. I wonder why they’ve left that seat unfilled? Are they really so rare that another Starwatcher hasn’t come along to fill the position since then?
It wasn’t clear why Markus was so desperate to get Helios Blessing either. Would it somehow replace the missing Starwatcher? Professor Novak mentioned in Introduction to Talent that Starwatchers were able to see memories, so how does that factor in?
Rome was not built in a day, Akemi. Marrow’s voice echoes the odd Old World saying in my head. I’ll have to return to the library every night at this rate if I actually expect to find answers.
Patience, prentice,the old man says.
Yeah, yeah, I know, Marrow.
The door to my room bursts open. “Akemi!”
Ramona stumbles in the room, out of breath and carrying three more bags than when she left.
I jump up from my desk and take some of the bags off her small frame. How she managed to carry all of this here is a mystery.
“Let me help you with that.”
“It smells amazing in here. Ah look, my bed! Oh, and my desk, so clean and tidy.” Ramona spins around, grinning ear to ear. “I swear I would cut my own nose off if I had to spend another day with my brothers. Men stink. I’m serious.”
I laugh and set her bags down near her bunk. “I missed you too, Ramona.”
She goes into a deep spiraling story of how her brothers fool each other the entire break. Adding colored dye to bath soap,letting the chickens loose in the house, or only speaking in questions the whole night—that was one Ramona said she was especially good at. Each meal, she said, was a full on war of who would get the most portions.
After Romona is finished recounting the entire Mitchell family saga, I tell her about my continued training with Leaf and meeting Torvi to get fitted for throwing stars.
“No way! I never would have pictured a Teller with illegal weapons!” she says in awe as I hand her a few stars to examine.
“I never would have pictured a Prentice Teller enrolling in the Watch, but here I am.” She laughs and rolls her eyes at my insistence of using the correct Teller title.
