The Shadow of Tarensa

Chapter 1: Fate

"Seven, three, and one!" Uncle Gavro's booming voice shook the air like thunder. "Let's see what it is!" He cracked open the cover of the ancient book and dug a pair of glasses out of his chest pocket.

Norra had held the dice for so long that her palms were sweaty. Hoping that no one would notice, she wiped them on the sides of her skirt and leaned over her uncle's shoulder. Being the tallest in the room felt nice for a change. As he carefully turned each fragile page, she prayed for a good destination. A sea of shining eyes stared from behind the table, and Papa stood at the front, beaming with pride.

"Hurry up now, Gav," he said, impatiently tapping his foot on the old clay tiles. "She's waited seventeen years already. No need to add another." It wasn't often that Papa dug out his finest set of robes, but he looked ten years younger in the bright blue satin.

Uncle Gavro scrunched up his nose. "Oh hush. If I go any faster there won't be any pages left to turn."

Perhaps her destination would be a city in the far north, or maybe even a village on a tropical island. There were thousands of possibilities, recorded over centuries by Ko'eten merchants of the past. Norra grasped her hands together tightly to keep them from shaking, and smiled at the thought of finding people out there who looked like her; of not feeling like a misfit anymore. Maybe somewhere in that ancient book was the name of where she had come from.

"Alright, here we are," Uncle Gavro said as he stopped near the back of the book. "Section seven, column three, line one." He squinted down at the page, causing his glasses to slide down his long snout. "It's Nevai!"

Norra took a seat on her makeshift throne as cheers erupted from the crowd. It was a high place of honor, situated on top of a temporary platform and surrounded by many gifts. Compared to the rest of the home's modest wicker furnishings, it was set apart with beads, colorful cloth, and various types of flowers.

"Congratulations," Uncle Gavro said as he placed a garland over her head. "I'm sure you'll make us proud."

Norra could hardly believe that the worst part was out of the way. All those long nights spent tossing and turning - wondering where her rite of passage would take place - were finally over. She imagined herself a few days into the future, looking up in awe at the enormous telnah trees that surrounded the city. Stories claimed that their flowery tops often breached the clouds, and that their petals were bigger than transport ships. Nevai was such a lovely destination that she almost felt guilty for rolling it. No one in her family had ever gotten anything nearly as exciting. She pinched her arm to see if she was dreaming. No, it was real this time.

As turbulent waves of excitement crashed before her, she felt like a true Ko'eten for once. The constant fear that her face was too flat and her ears were too small temporarily subsided. Instead, she pictured herself with a tail and a coat of fur like everyone else.

"Isn't it wonderful, Papa?" Norra cried out over the chaos.

Several unattended children had taken his place up front, and he weaved his way through them to answer. "I'm...very happy for you," he replied. Something seemed off about his expression, but she didn't give it much thought.

Norra scanned the circular living room for the rest of her family members, but there were over a hundred guests to sift through. Some sat in window sills, some crouched under shelves, and some even sat on the feeble staircase that led to the next story. Their small home hadn't held that many people since her sister's dice roll two years ago, and her brother's three years before that. It was a wonder that it could support the weight of so many guests.

At last she found her brother and sister, but they had been pushed to the sides of the room by the unruly crowd. Mama was far off in the back, quickly recognized by her sleek, dark brown coat. That was something Norra had in common with one of her adopted family members. While Bori and Papa were both pale yellow, and her sister Kaya was reddish, Norra's skin was the same lovely brown shade as Mama.