Song of Blood & Stone (Earthsinger Chronicles #1)(67)

Calladeen’s sneer melted. His eyes widened in fear. The only movement in his body was the shudder of his throat as he swallowed.

“Now get out of my sight.”

The man lowered into a hasty bow before fleeing up the stairs. Jack turned to Jasminda, reaching for her. She longed to fall into his arms but took a step back. His forehead crinkled in confusion.

"Are you all right?"

Shaking her head, she took another step away from him. Gratitude and self-preservation fought within her. “That will come back to haunt you.”

He dropped his arms. “I don’t care.”

“Yes, you do.” She drew her shaking arms around her, finally registering the cold of the night.

“Jasminda, you know I would not let anyone harm you. You’re too important to me.”

“Me? Important? I thought I was merely acceptable.” She watched understanding dawn on his face. The misery that followed it tore at her, but his words had stung.

“You heard that? You know I didn’t mean—”

“Shhh. Someone may overhear. Voices carry up there, don't they?" She motioned toward the terrace.

"Yours does when you're upset," he said, his eyes full of sadness.

Her steps were wobbly as she continued backing away from him. “Go back to your ball, Your Grace. Lizvette may want another dance, and you cannot disappoint your people.” She turned then so he would not see the tears overflow their barriers. She knew she wasn’t being fair, but nothing about this situation was fair, nothing about her life had ever been.

Leaving the music and the finery behind, she ran along the garden to the eastern entrance of the palace and enlisted the help of a passing servant to lead her back to her rooms. Once inside, she locked the door and dragged over a heavy armchair to prop in front of it. She would spend the night alone again. She had better start getting used to it.




“Lady Oola, are you ready to begin?” My cousin Vaaryn stands in the center of the amphitheater that is the Assembly Room. Rows of benches spiral around him, filled with the other children of the Founders. He is aged and stooping, the eldest of the Thirds. Next to him, spine as rigid and unyielding as his face, sits my beloved Eero.

When I shudder, Yllis squeezes my hand. I stand, all the heavier for the weight pressing against my heart, and force myself to look upon my twin.

“Eero, son of Peedar, second-born to the ninth child of the Founders, what say you to the crimes of which you are accused?” My voice sounds strong, but inside I quiver from nerves. The closest relative of the accused must stand up for him in Assembly, but I do not want to be here, not as observer, judge, or as his Advocate.

“My only crime, sister”—the word is a sneer falling from his mouth—“was being born Silent in a world of Songbearers.” He is not chained or bound in any way and crosses his arms in front of him defiantly.

I clear my throat and take a breath, still amazed at the cruel way he speaks to me now. “Your crime is the kidnapping of Sayya, Fourth descendent of the Founders. Do you deny this?”

He looks straight ahead, his gaze boring into the wall. “As a Third descendent, I see no reason to dignify this proceeding with a response.”

I swallow. “As you well know, only Songbearers are counted in the line of descendants. The Silent are not—”

“Did you not gift me part of your Song, sister? Does that not make me a Songbearer?” The accusation in his voice cuts me. There are so many feelings swirling inside—anger, pain, despair, even hatred. The person before me cannot be my beloved brother. He simply cannot be.

I step closer and feel Yllis rise beside me, lending his support, as always. “You are not a Songbearer, and it was my mistake to use that spell,” I say. “I take responsibility for that. Because I love you and would do anything for you.”

“Anything?” The venom in that one word burns.

“Anything but give you more of the power you abused. You forced me to cut you off by your actions.”

“I was innovating, the way the Cantors do.”

“You set things out of balance. Earthsong is not to be used for better prices in the marketplace or to cheat at cards. You cannot ruin a crop because a farmer insulted you.” Tears well even as the anger rears its head. “And you cannot steal a girl away from her bed at night and attempt to force her to gift you her Song! She could not have done so if she wanted to. It is too advanced a spell.”

I take a breath and step back, remembering my role as Advocate. “You have heard the accusation and evidence presented against you. And as you have not denied it, now is the time. Unburden your conscience.”

He shook his head, and a smirk crossed his face. “You all think you can continue to subjugate us. That the Silent will continue living as second-class citizens for the rest of time. Sayya made me believe that she cared for me, but when I offered for her she could not bear to wed a Silent. And now my own sister forsakes me. This Assembly is a sham. If you want to judge me of a crime, then have my peers judge me. Why are there no Silent in the Assembly? Why must we make do with the scraps of life while Songbearers reap all the benefits?”

“What are you talking about, Eero?” I crouch down, near enough to look into his eyes, yet far enough so that he cannot reach out and strike me. The fact that I even think this is a possibility is sad proof of how much has changed over the past two seasons. Last summer he was the other half of my heart, but by the time the leaves fell from the trees, he had become my enemy.