The Fairest (Sample)

Mageia’s hand trembled around her cup of apple wine. Doubt about this rescue threatened to sprout wild into her anxiety. Who knew the day would end with such a risky mission? The streets would be extra crowded with people beginning their parties early and extra authorities posted on every corner.

She peeked out from one of the bakery’s front windows, keeping in the shadows of the curtains to watch a world stuck in its ways. Already the streets and the shops were decorated with the kingdom’s national shades of green for its abundance of emerald mines and other bright colors. Smoke from fooderies puffed high into the sky, hoping to lure old and new customers to their doors throughout the night.

The Annual Fair Ceremony always came the second month of the year when Mesori, the air goddess of weather, seasons, fortune, and war, would fully reveal her precious spring and the beauty that came with it. It would start at midnight and end on the midnight of the third day. Six Strange from all crosses of life are sacrificed at the Diviine Temple on the first midnight. But this time, it would be children.

“Lisa,” Mageia said.

Trekon’s wife shifted in her chair at the table, where she sifted through her new pile of valuables. “Yes, hun?”

“Are you sure they’re only sacrificing adults tomorrow?”

“Yes, as I know of,” Lisa said. “I would burn down the palace if they’d allow such a wicked thing and kill children on the Sacred Day.”

Just hearing of the Sacred Day made Mageia shiver on the inside. According to custom, traditions, and superstitions, no one can commit any offenses on the Sacred Day. Crime, deception, and even disrespect were said to bring a curse upon a person and their entire family. The king himself would pardon people of their debts, petty crimes, and free slaves who’d been working for more than twenty or thirty years. The Sacred Day was supposedly a day of kindness in hopes of pleasing the gods.

However, instead of six, seven people, known as the Sacred Seven, would be sacrificed at midnight under a full moon. And though she despised any kind of execution, tomorrow’s would be the cruelest.

“I would be right there, giving you a hand,” Mageia said.

“You should get from that window, or you’ll be spotted,” Lisa said.

Mageia pushed the curtain close and came to sit at the woman’s table. For the safety of their guest, and to Mageia’s disapproval, they had served the remainder of their customers and kindly asked everyone to leave under the impression of preparing for the nightly festivals. Trekon’s family were always so courteous, and she prayed for the Diviine Six, or maybe the Ordained, to bless them abundantly.

“Do you sell well?”

“I do.” Lisa winked. Her cheeks were extra perky, and blushed from her overall excitement. Lisa told Mageia her story once about how she grew up in her father’s jewelry shop in Hiilaan. How she used to be a respectable noble thanks to her parents and to marrying a Knight Escort. She had dreams of owning her own handmade jewelry shop, but her unfortunate defect, which she refused to tell Mageia, almost marked her as Strange. Their noble life slowly dwindled into the middle class. And then there were a few royal taxes and constant visits to Checkings that also aided in her dreams never blossoming into reality.

“I clean them all, refurbish the designs, polish them, and even add trinkets here and there to avoid owners recognizing their jewelry,” she squealed. “I bounce from market to market to avoid the same crowds. But overall, I make enough to start a side savings.”

“Very good, Lisa.”

“I must say, you are a brave girl to do rescues,” she said. “Have you ever thought about joining the Blesseds?”

Mageia scrunched up her nose and thought of those four people who were executed earlier on the Rimly Dais.

“No. They do more than just rescue unfortunate people,” Mageia said.

“Yeah, they’re known to take a life from time to time,” Lisa added.

“And do riots.… No. I think I want to keep my family away from that.”

Lisa shrugged. “Good choice, I guess. But they do help people cross the borders.”

“I’ve thought of moving everyone further east into the Dauntless,” Mageia said. “But it’s dangerous out there. Dean wants us to move north to Gorana. Buy a house for everyone until they’re old enough to leave and venture out on their own.”

“That’s sweet.” Lisa smiled gracefully as she continued going through her jewelry. “I think you should leave Ardania too. The Blesseds could help.”

“Eh … I’ll think about it. The last thing I need is for my family to be swept into something dangerous.”

A knocking sequence pounded at the door. Trekon was back. Lisa went and unlocked the door for him. He came in with annoyance and anger fighting on his face.

Mageia’s gut twisted. “What’s wrong?” The day was passing by, and the last thing she needed was a setback. “Did you do what I asked?”

“I did, but that fool Junet kept asking questions. I told him I needed the two planks for something I was building. He kept blabbering on about why I would purchase those particular wood slabs and why I couldn’t tell him what I was building.”

“It’s none of his business,” Lisa said with a puff, glaring up at her husband.

“Exactly! I told him I would be back by nightfall to pick them up, so leave them in the usual place in the back alley so no one would steal ’em. I would need to rent a wagon. And gods, did he blab on about how I’m never prepared when I pass by for wood. Damn bastard needs to be thankful for the futtin peeks I gave him for the damn futtin wood.”

“Trekon, now breathe, sweetheart. You are beginning to curse,” Lisa said, batting her long eyelashes at him as she returned to her task.

“Sorry, my alane,” he grunted, using the Valeeran’s sweet word for love.

“Did you buy the other stuff on the list and clear the grate?”

“I did. The only thing I worry about are the crowds of people already filling the streets of Midlaan.”

“We are trained to walk amongst the shadows,” she grinned, receiving his bellowing laugh in return. “Thank you, Trek.”

He wrapped Mageia in a bear hug and squeezed her tight. “Just be careful, my girl.”

“I will.”

A satisfying, warm feeling grew in her gut, erasing the threatening doubt as she made her way home. Once she and the Elders regathered to review their plan, she believed everything would play out well. Ardania was like an old man stuck in his old ways and traditions, never willing to change. The Taefo never had great security, and the building’s back end along the Mideri Wall always provided a sneaky way to get inside. If whatever Faebrin had noticed during his scouting was accurate, Mageia knew no one would decide to change it if they had no reason to do so.

She reentered her home through one of their secret northern entrances and ran into two children playing near the barrier. After scolding them, they said their apologies and promised never to go past the barrier again and followed her back home. Lisa’s advice on relocating her family invaded her thoughts, and she decided to bring it up to Dean and the Elders later.

“Geia, about time yer back,” Dean said. She approached the Elders standing around the Pit, now fully lit and casting a burnt orange light onto their worried faces.

Her smile dropped into her churning gut. “What’s wrong?” she asked, searching the fury on Dean’s face.

“We have a problem.” He stepped aside to reveal Faebrin.

The Elf-boy looked petrified, as if he just found out the world was coming to an end within the next hour.

“What is it, Faebrin?”

“They are breaking more traditions and claim it’s been accepted by the gods.”

Mageia gasped as she recalled her conversation with Lisa. “What more are they breaking?”

Faebrin shifted his feet, shoulders tensed and his blue eyes reflecting the orange embers of the Pit. “They’ve decided to give two children per god.”

His words struck her hard as she did the math. “Twelve children!”