Page 2 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

“Sibyl?” I scoff.“She’s harmless.” If going to see the village seer is his definition of reckless, maybe I do need to live a little.

“I’m serious, Auri. She’s a crazy old lady who preys on anxious youth for coin.” His harsh words catch me off guard, and a powerful gust of wind sends a shiver down my spine.

“That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” Compassion wells in me for the decrepit seer; I’ve never met her, but I know she doesn’t have any family here.

“Just stay away from her tonight, and I’m sure you’ll have a great time.” He turns away from me and starts walking again, leaving me pondering why he has such a strong opinion about the old woman when he’s never so much as mentioned her before.

We walk the last few hundred yards together in silence until we round the bend and our cabin comes into view through the trees. I immediately notice our horse, Freya, her chestnut coat glistening in the morning sun as she swishes her tail and munches on her hay. I squat down to step between the wooden slats of the fence and walk over to her. She lifts her head mid-chew and nuzzles me greedily for some pets.

I rub her nose affectionately.“Hey, pretty girl…” She’s been our family workhorse for as long as I can remember; I learned to ride with her and I’ve spent many nights in the barn as she’s welcomed her foals over the years. She’s getting older, but she still gets the job done. She whinnies appreciatively and shakes her head as I scratch behind her ears before I head inside for some breakfast.

I step through the threshold of our cabin and am immediately hit with the scent of some kind of meat frying in a pan, along with eggs and fresh-baked bread. I can hear my mother humming in the kitchen as she prepares my breakfast, no doubt going above and beyond for my birthday.

“Smells good.” My mother startles and I suppress a laugh as I lean against the doorway. Killian has disappeared, most likely having gone back to bed to get a few more hours of sleep since I dragged him out of bed so early.

She whips around, takes one look at me and throws her arms up in the air, wooden spoon still in hand.“Must you spar every day, Aurelia? It’s not even midmorning and you’re filthy.” She turns back around and continues cooking breakfast while mumbling something about not having a ‘normal’ daughter who behaves like a lady.

I sneak up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist before giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

She pats my hands with a heavy sigh but relents, turning back around to look at me. She lifts her right hand to my cheek, no doubt resisting the urge to lick her thumb and wipe the grime off my face.“Happy birthday, darling.”

“Thanks, Mama.” I give her an impish smile and head back to my room to change out of my dirty pants and tunic, which are admittedly, quite muddy.

Our cabin is small, but it’s all we need. I toss my boots in the corner and strip quickly before throwing on a fresh pair of clothes. While my mother would, of course, prefer me to wear dresses every day of my life, they’re not comfortable or practical, although I’m sure Briar will convince me to dress up for tonight. I quickly pin my hair up in a messy knot and head back out to the main living space as my stomach growls impatiently.

As I head down the hallway, I hear Killian, who is surprisinglynotasleep, and our mother speaking in low voices. I slow my steps and come to a stop just before they’re able to see me.

“Do you think she’ll go to the seer tonight?” our mother asks, her tone hushed.

“I told her not to,” Killian says casually around a mouth full of food.

“Since when has that ever kept your sister from doing anything she wants to do?” she asks tersely, and I can practically hear Killian shrug.

My curiosity is peaked knowing now that our mother asked Killian to say something to me about Sibyl. What could the old lady possibly have to say to me that’s got my mother so worried?

∞∞∞

“Come on, Zenni, focus!” I say, rubbing a hand down my face.

“I’m trying!” she whines, putting her head down on the table.

I’m helping our eight-year-old neighbor study for her exams coming up at school, but she’s not very motivated. Her test is in a few days, and we’ve already practiced her arithmetic and reading, but history is apparently the bane of her existence.You and me both, kid.

I take a breath to ease my annoyance.“Tell me about the War of the Seven.”

“Do I have to?” she asks, wiggling in her seat and bursting with pent-up energy. I’m surprised she’s managed to sit still this long, honestly.

“Yes,” I say, as sternly as I can.

Zenni squeezes her eyes shut like it will help her see the details of history on the insides of her eyelids.“All life existed in harmony, with Dafina ruling over all living things peacefully. Aeron wanted to exploit mortals and use them as slaves, so he summoned all kinds of demons from The Faide to fight against Dafina for control of Iaselion. Kozbi and Edith fought with him, while the other three gods and goddesses fought with Dafina.”

“How long did the war last?” I ask her, knowing she’ll be quizzed on it.

“Um… I don’t know,” she says, looking more and more uninterested by the second.

“Twenty years,” I remind her.

“Oh, yeah.” She giggles, scratching a worn spot on the wooden table over and over.

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