Page 3 of Heir of the Autumn Queen

“So, what happened?” I nudge her arm playfully, bringing her focus back to me.

Zenni shrugs.“They fought a lot, then they got bored and made The Accord.”

“Which is…?” I prompt her again.

“The rule book that says the gods or kings and queens can’t make people slaves. Aeron gets to rule The Faide and the rest of Iaselion was split into the Four Kingdoms to be ruled by kings and queens that were chosen by Dafina.” I open my mouth to ask her to elaborate but she cuts me off.“Yes, I know what the Kingdoms are and about the families who rule them. Can we be done already?” she pleads, practically buzzing with all her prepubescent energy.

“Do you feel ready for your test?” I ask, leaning back in my chair.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” She stands up, craning her neck to look out the back door.

Her understanding of the War and The Accord is pretty rudimentary, but she’s only eight, so I suppose a basic understanding is all that’s needed.“Okay, then. We can be done.” I stretch my arms above my head before standing to join her.

“Thank the gods.” Zenni gives me a quick hug before bounding outside to the back of their cottage to join her younger brother and sister who are chasing bugs in the tall grass.

I shake my head, smiling as I watch her and her siblings play for a bit. I remember that test when I was her age, and I also remember wanting to do anything but study for it.

“Thank you for helping her,” Zenni’s mom, Willow, says to me, coming inside the house from the yard to see me out. She’s cradling her enormous, eight-month-pregnant belly and has dark circles under her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” I tell her.“I know you’ve got your hands full.”

“Dafina has blessed us.” Willow smiles down at her belly with fondness.“But honestly… I hope she’s done blessing us after this one.” She laughs, and I join her.

“I don’t blame you.” I try to imagine having so many children to take care of, and I’m overwhelmed by the thought alone. Willow moves to walk me to the front door, but I hold up my hand to stop her.“I can see myself out. You just… sit. And rest.” I smile and give her a quick hug, careful not to squish her belly.

Her dark brown eyes glisten slightly with tears as she looks at me with gratefulness. Zenni sees me leaving and yells goodbye, and I wave at her, feeling grateful for my community.

∞∞∞

I spend the rest of my day doing chores. My father is at the market selling our produce, but he did milk the goats for me before he left, a small gesture that I know he did for my birthday. I feed the chickens and do some weeding in the garden before drawing myself a bath to wash up before the festivities tonight. I take my time and use my favorite lavender goat’s milk soap that I made myself, making sure to scrub all the dirt out from under my fingernails.

I finish washing my hair and body and wrap myself in a towel, heading into my bedroom to decide what to wear tonight. While standing in front of the very limited options of my wardrobe, I catch my reflection in the mirror.

My olive skin is darker than usual from all the hours spent in the sun this summer, and my dark mahogany hair falls just past my shoulders. I blow my bangs out of my face in annoyance; a recent decision that I deeply regret, courtesy of Briar’s epic powers of persuasion. She cut them herself one night after we’d had one too many ales at the local tavern. They don’t look bad, they’re just constantly falling into my eyes, to the point where I usually end up pinning them back. My eyes scan the rest of my curves, and a small smile tugs at my lips; all those hours of sparring with Killian have paid off, resulting in a soft but strong frame that could cut down most men in our village. Not that there would ever be a reason toactuallyfight anyone.

A knock on my door snaps me out of my trance, and I quickly cover back up with my towel.“Yes?”

My mother cracks the door and smiles at me.“Cedric stopped by. He’s wondering if you can stop by the smithy when you’re in town.”

“Okay, thanks.” I smile back. She hesitates, her brows furrowed with concern.“Are you okay, Ma?”

“Yes.” She waves her hand in front of her face and sniffles.“Yes, of course. Just feeling a little emotional today.” She smiles and walks away, but I catch her wiping a tear from her cheek.

I close my door once more and frown, turning back to my wardrobe. It’s covered in sunflowers that Mama painted when I was a little girl, an homage to the nickname she used to call me. The paint is chipped and faded so many years later, but I love the thought behind it nonetheless.

While I know my mother would’ve preferred a daughter who was more interested in dolls than daggers, we’ve always been close. Our family is tight-knit and the dynamic is easygoing. Both sets of grandparents died before Killian or I were born, and my parents have never mentioned any siblings or cousins.

While it’s a bit strange that we don’t have any other family here, my parents told us once that they had to flee a dangerous situation and came to live in Staghorn. The topic clearly made them uncomfortable to discuss, and even though it kills me not to know all of the details, I’ve never brought it up.

I decide on the emerald green chiffon dress, once again courtesy of my best friend and her impeccable taste, and throw it on quickly. The sweetheart neckline reveals a bit of cleavage, and the thick tulle straps hang down on my shoulders. My chest and shoulders are riddled with freckles the same shade of brown as my hair, and the deep green color of the fabric brings out the golden tones in my eyes. I brush through my damp hair and braid it loosely to the side of my head before slipping on my leather sandals and taking one more look in the mirror, satisfied with the woman looking back at me.

Turning twenty is one of the more consequential events of our culture, signifying the transition from adolescence into adulthood. A few families here will throw parties that last days, oftentimes to celebrate The Kindling, a ceremony where witches or other supernatural beings come into their power upon the moment of their birth. Because we’re mortal and not exactly wealthy, tonight will not include a Kindling, which is fine by me, as being the center of attention is something I often avoid at all costs.

I smile as I remember Briar’s Kindling; it lasted three full days and left most of the town suffering from a collective hangover. I’ll never forget the moment she stepped into her power; she glowed like moonlight as the women of her coven surrounded her, showing her the way to connect with the energy of the earth. After that, we danced and ate and drank and laughed endlessly, until we passed out and slept the entirety of the following day.

I head out of my bedroom and into the kitchen to say goodbye to my mother for the evening since I’ll probably end up crashing at Bri’s. I’m surprised to find both my parents sitting at the small wooden table by the fireplace, waiting for me. They both stand, staring at me with adoration and maybe even a hint of concern. I give them a huge smile and spin in a circle, making my dress flow around my ankles.

My father steps forward and gathers me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. I inhale his familiar smoky scent that instantly comforts and relaxes me. He kisses the top of my head and pulls away.

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