The Serenader

Chapter 6

Calya's POV
"You need to talk to Atlas," I had told Blythe in the corridor. "Something's not right. I think he's hiding something."

"Hiding something?" She hesitated, her tone warning me to be careful. "What do you mean?"

It amazed me the things that could go over another Illusionist's head, but I was used to it. On top of that, I didn't want to admit that I had used my Illusion, even accidentally. I had just made it clear a few days ago that I was against that.

"I don't know," I said. "Just a feeling, I guess, like he's not telling us everything."

I could see the gears turning in Blythe's mind. Perhaps she had picked up on some of Atlas' nerves after all. Or maybe she didn't want to take any chances; maybe she wanted to control what little she could these days. I certainly understood that.

"I'll talk to him," she decided. "I doubt it's anything important, but it can't hurt to double check."

"Thank you." I headed up the stairs back into my bedroom, where I intended to stay for a little while. That journal wasn't going to finish itself, so I spent the next few hours reading about my great-grandma, the architect who had designed the palace oratory and the tray of candles. The little room had been designed to safely leave candles lit at night, where the stained glass would reflect the candlelight onto the front lawn. The result of this reflection was the pattern that we recognized as a secondary distress signal. It meant nothing was wrong, necessarily, but instead signaled something was happening at the castle. It was the easiest way to inform our citizens without spreading rumors, my great-grandma had discovered. And a good system it had been, as we still used it generations later.

The time came and went; despite my father's concerns, there wasn't much to assist with. I helped hang some curtains with Finn, a young servant about the age of eight. He was a kind, curious kid, and much too young to be working here, I thought.

Even though the Region Meeting was scheduled for sunset, it really began around noon - everyone was here, so it didn't make sense to keep it delayed. I was too young to really remember the last one twelve years ago, but I knew the story. It had happened just as suddenly as this one, but things were accomplished nonetheless. It had been requisitioned by the Lydian monarch - I can't quite recall her name - who was concerned that Lydia was the only region settled below the Tirade Canal. Supposedly word was arriving too slow and it was causing some distress. As a solution to that problem, my mother had taken some of Lydia and named it Mixolydia, creating a whole new region - another, newer Lydia.

I walked with Atlas, Blythe, the twins, and Finn to the ballroom, where Atlas and Blythe told us that story. They hadn't said a word about how it ended, but I put the pieces together. Our mother had sailed down to Lydia and Mixolydia to monitor the new system, and she had never returned.

At the ballroom, Finn, Des, and Eclipse hung back by the doorway, as they expected to be turned away and didn't have much interest in attending. I walked in with Blythe and Atlas. Seeing that ballroom again, which was only opened for special occasions, sent a chill down my spine. I felt a hint of what I had last time I'd been here for the twins' birthday. Almost subconsciously, I heard whispers of Blythe's song, easing away some of that stress.

Blythe and Atlas took their seats, Atlas to our dad's right and Blythe on Atlas' other side. I followed them over to the table, but I was stopped before I could take a seat.

"Absolutely not," Dad told me. "You're too young."

"But-"

"This is not up for negation, Calya," he said, using my full name. "Go wait with Desmond and Eclipse."