Farilane recalled again her mother’s words. I’m so sorry for leaving you and for never telling you the truth. I hope you can forgive me . . . They don’t want you to know. They believe it will be easier, but maybe it will just be easier for them. There are reasons, of course, justifications that sound sensible when spoken, but the heart doesn’t understand arguments. Mine doesn’t.

“That makes two of us, Mother,” Farilane said to the hollow hall of stone statues.

All I can offer is this: Don’t allow being a princess to become a burden or a chain. Forget being proper. Do what you like. Wait on nothing. Listen to no one. Go out into the world and live each day to the fullest. Be adventurous. Be reckless. Defy everyone. Then, when your last day finally comes, you can take solace in a life well lived and regret nothing.

“I did as you asked, Mother, but I still have regrets.” Her lonely voice echoed off the marble emperors of old. “The world is too big, too wonderful. I never went to Calynia. I hear they have flowers the size of horses. I never saw Drumindor, and I only just learned about Avempartha and discovered there is a Second Book of Brin. What a fine adventure it would have been searching for that.” She scanned the map at her feet, wondering where the treasure might be hidden.

“And I never fell in—” She caught herself. One hand rushed to her mouth, then the other joined it as if teaming up to prevent the words from coming out—to prevent a lie. Her fingertips trembled against her lips. Breathing was difficult, seeing even harder.

“He says I have a choice, but I don’t. He knows it as well as I.” She stood up straight and turned her head toward the door. “But I won’t make it easy on any of them.”

Princess Farilane stepped out of the palace into the midday sun before the gathered population of the city. She walked past her father and brother, past Kile and Kolby, and stood on the top of the steps, facing the citizenry and the Teshlor Guild.

She took a deep breath and in a loud, clear voice stated, “I will be making a sacrifice on behalf of the empire and all the people of Elan. This offering is necessary to stave off a great evil.” She looked to Kolby. His face was ashen.

No one appeared confused about the nature of the sacrifice. Either more people knew the situation than she ever would have imagined, or the details had been made public while she was inside. Either way, she was happy not having to explain.