“We are opening the Temple’s stores for the needy,” said Willem, “and we’ve written to the headman in each district, asking for a representative to visit us to take what they need back to their homes.” As the other priests murmured in response, he went pink, but persisted, raising his voice so that I may hear him. “And we are working with the affected districts to remedy the solution.”
I turned to my scribe Nekir, who was sitting at a stool at my side, a quill and a notebook in hand. “Find out if the drought is magical in nature, if it is bad luck, or bad planning. We will have to take different approaches to each one.”
Nekir nodded, and set to scribbling, as another priest spoke up.
“There is a problem with the young ones, my lady.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And what of the young ones?”
“They wish to leave Solaris, to explore the world beyond.”
I frowned, sitting forward to stare more carefully at the man. “What of it? Let them go.”
“My lady, it is not so simple, we have your safety to think of—”
The priest coughed off the end of his sentence when Aeldrin glared at him.
“What is wrong with the young ones’ desires to venture beyond our walls?” I asked, looking around at the priests.
Aeldrin sighed and exchanged a troubled glance with his fellow guardians.
“That is a matter we must discuss with the Elders, my lady. Many of the youths have been petitioning to be allowed passage through the portals, to explore the world beyond our hidden city. But the Elders are adamant that we must keep your existence a secret, lest the kingdoms beyond discover your true nature, our High Priestess.” He sighed. “Imagine if any of the surrounding kingdoms were to learn of your immortality—”
I winced. I knew what would happen then. I would be takenfrom Solaris by force, pressed into the service of some king as his immortal assassin, or taken apart in some mage’s lab to study the magic that made me immortal.
The Elders had warned me of it many times.
I was too valuable to Solaris. The people couldn’t afford to lose me.
And so, the Elders had decreed that our city and our people—and me—would remain hidden behind the wards that protected us, with only a few carefully chosen merchants passing through the portals to trade with the world beyond.
I suppressed a sigh, my fingers drumming lightly against the arm of my throne.
The Elders were a council of old men who ruled over Solaris, overseeing the city, the guilds, the farms, the trades—even the Temple.
But I remembered when these same old men had been young and reckless themselves. Even iftheyhad grown old and fearful, I remembered what it was like to crave adventure.
“The young ones should not be denied their freedom, Aeldrin. They have lived their entire lives within the walls of this city, content to worship the Sun God and bask in my protection. Surely, they deserve a chance to explore the world beyond, to see if they would like to remain in Solaris or experience a different life.”
Aeldrin's brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to protest, but I raised my hand, silencing him.
“I understand the Elders’ concerns,” I continued, my voice soft yet firm. “But we cannot keep our people confined within these walls forever. They must be allowed to spread their wings and explore, to discover the wonders that the world has to offer.” I shrugged. “I shall be safe enough; I am sure no one will leak any information about me beyond our city. I trust all my people.”
The guardians exchanged uneasy glances, their expressionstorn between loyalty to the Elders and a desire to heed my wishes. I sighed at their reluctance. “I will speak to the Elders myself during our meeting later,” I said, and that seemed to mollify them somewhat.
Aeldrin cleared his throat. “There is...one more matter, my lady,” he said, his voice tinged with unease. “Some of the orphans and homeless have gone missing from the outer districts.”
I felt a chill run down my spine; my heart momentarily constricted with worry. “Missing?” I echoed, my brow furrowing. “How long have they been gone?”
“Each of them has been missing several days, my lady,” Aeldrin replied, his gaze meeting mine with a somber expression. “The earliest disappearance was nearly three months ago. We have sent search parties, but thus far, they have found no trace of the missing individuals.”
“And what do you think happened to them?”
Aeldrin sighed. “We had feared they may have attempted to venture through the portals without authorization, but...”
I leaned forward, my eyes narrowing with concern. “But? Have there been no unauthorized activations of the portals?”
Aeldrin shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. “None, my lady. The portals have remained dormant, save for the scheduled trade and supply runs.” He cleared his throat. “But that is not to say that someone could not have tried to sneak past the wards. My men seem to think this is a case of runaway teens and people outrunning their creditors.”
