The vast space of the chamber itself spills over into a continuation of a sprawling mezzanine, not really that high above Aleera and me. Higher up are more balconies and passageways.

  The priestess guides me from the prodigious chamber to a pce below the mezzanine where I hand over all I brought with me to a young man sitting at a wide sturdy desk. A tall guard on my left swoops in and in no time at all starts to roughly sort through my stuff like an animal. He would be more careful with the satchel if it was his. Roughneck!

  The young man said that whatever is allowed will be sorted and sent back to me ter.

  Aleera nods me to the side. She scratches her left gloved hand. Only now I notice she never took them off. ''I've already said what I wanted to say.'' Aleera looks at me with stone-cold eyes. ''Goodbye, girl.''

  ''Goodbye.'' That is all I manage to say. The priestess then leaves without any hesitation.

  After that, I'm left on my own.

  For a time I further survey the space around me and small hammers begin smashing onto the inside of my skull. I notice other girls and boys close to my age are clearly scared and reserved. Smiles that don't touch the eyes, a slight slouch, the way of talking, breathing—when people are nervous they begin to breathe through their mouths more—all make a hill of clues as I read the room like a chunky book. They don't want to be here any more than I do.

  I notice a pretty girl standing alone. I'm surprised a boy or a few girls are not around her, although the entire atmosphere here is far from jovial. After standing alone in this rge space for some time and a half, a certain disquiet in my chest forces my legs to move.

  I look closer at her face. Unlike my bright green eyes, hers are a much darker shade. The sort of eyes some people have that always seem to be smiling. Her straight, daffodil-yellow hair is tied at the back of her head with two side tresses framing a nice face. She notices me staring so I smile and wave awkwardly. Idiot. She waves back. I'm a genius.

  After promenading toward her we csp each other's forearms and I make an attempt to present the question as sort of a joke. ''Tell me, are you petrified?'' I fail miserably. Goddess, take me. That was so bad.

  She stares at my shoulder for a few annoying moments. Her smile is tiny, like Acrona's, and honest looking. ''Hi. I'm Hebe Idunn,'' for some reason her voice is lowered and guarded.

  I was careful not to make my grip too tight. ''Hi. Anaya but call me Ann.'' Void's curse! I should've added my st name.

  Hebe nods a tiny bit too eagerly and looks around us. ''I think we all are.'' Nice of her to answer my pathetic-joke-question.

  ''Did a Winged bring you here?'' I ask

  ''No, I was on a boat pulled by an Aquatic.'' She has a charming green cloak and nicely woven white tunic. Her fine leather sandals look brand new.

  ''Did it take long?'' Am I asking too many questions? Void's arse, that was another question.

  ''It wasn't as long as I thought it would be.'' Hebe's answer interrupts my rambling chain of thoughts. We continue to talk about our homes, families, and other mundane things of that sort. While she speaks I keep thinking of new questions or topics...to avoid awkward silence. Despite me being half a head taller I found out she is a year older than me and comes from the northern part of Lodestar. After Hebe's test was positive and she was proven to be one of the ''Blessed ones'' it seems her parents took that decently well.

  I look around me. For some reason, most of us whisper and talk as if we were sharing the world's greatest secrets. The overall mood of other children in the Great Chamber is more befitting a funeral.

  Hebe looked up at the mezzanine, roughly toward the direction I was now gncing. ''Do you know who she is?'' She points her chin at two people surveying us all. A tall woman and an elderly man. There is also a man-sized eagle perched at the thick handrail to the woman's right—it is the only familiar I've seen so far inside the Great Chamber.

  I lift my arm at the woman above. ''You mean her?''

  ''Don't point with your hand.'' Hebe almost whispers. ''Sorry, but it draws attention and the person knows you are talking about them.''

  It seems the duo above didn't notice us at all. I do the thing with my eyes, that I promised Mom I won't do ever again, and focus on the woman that seems to unnerve Hebe.

  She is tall with brown eyes and matching skin. Her rge bulk of braided hair falls back to waist level. Nice full lips, and a highly symmetrical face. Retively smooth skin for a woman in her forties. Some women are really good at hiding their age but their eyes never lie. I'm really good at that, telling someone's age with an error of maybe plus maybe minus a few years. I spotted the intricate tattoos on her neck and her right hand when she pet the eagle. Hmm...the creature must be hers. She looks akin to a mistress of her own pace, regarding the guests with mild interest. Spotless bck coat, unbuttoned, reveals purple shirt. It is hard to find a fw on her, except maybe that cold stare. She has the bearing of those pilrs in front of the middle gate—and is somehow more imposing than that eagle. I can understand Hebe's reluctance at being noticed by her.

  ''Yeah...I wasn't thinking,'' I say.

  ''That is Chairwoman Amina Zaria.'' Hebe continues, locking her eyes back to mine. ''She is basically a consul in all but name. Supposedly the Chairwoman is the only one allowed to have more than three battle familiars.'' As Hebe continues to talk about Amina and her retionship with the Senate I try to focus my hearing on the two people above.

  Crap, I'm not that good. Need to practice more. What are they saying?