“The Crown of Arden is more than just a crown. It’s said to be the very first instance of jumbled magic in all of history. Woven, grown, sculpted, and forged from starfire, then blessed by unicorns, the crown was created to protect Anders d’Astora, a Tiller who’d been chosen by everyone to challenge a terrible evil that threatened the world. An evil so terrible that even the Spinner historians were too scared to record what it was, so that its name has been lost to time. But what we do know, is that Anders was victorious!” She brandished her sticky bun as though it were a sword. “With the crown’s help, King Anders the First saved Arden.”

“But how?” Claire asked. “Wouldn’t a sword or something have been more useful?”

Lyric shook her head. “The crown is rumored to have a mysterious ability to connect the monarch to the land, giving the wearer immeasurable power.”

Oh, no.

“What kind of immeasurable power?” Claire asked, the bits of toast feeling like boulders in her stomach. Estelle already had an arsenal of unicorn artifacts, and if she got ahold of this crown … she would be unstoppable.

“Oh, all sorts of things!” Lyric said around a mouthful of sticky bun, finally having managed to take a bite. “Some legends say that Anders was able to make mountains walk and rivers knot up, but he’s not the only d’Astora who managed such incredible feats. Estelle herself is said to have created the Petrified Forest! The Crown of Arden is the most powerful object ever crafted, which is why, when the Guild War ended, it was decided that it would be hacked into four tines—”

“Tines?” Claire interrupted.

Lyric nodded. “Yes, that’s what the point on a crown is called: tine. Rhymes with ‘line.’ Anyway, the Crown of Arden had four: the Spinners’ Love Knot Tine, the Forgers’ Hammer Tine, the Tillers’ Oak Leaf Tine, and the Gemmers’ Stone Tine. It was decided that each guild would guard its own piece—a symbol that each guild would from now on be in charge of its own destiny.” Lyric gave a slight flourish of her hand and bowed her head. “The end!”

“Well told,” Mistress Weft said kindly. “But the tale isn’t done.”

Lyric’s eyes widened. “Oh, you’re right!” she said. Beaming, she turned to Claire. “I forgot, because this history hasn’t ended! Queen Estelle has invited each of the four guilds to Hilltop Palace to celebrate this year’s Starfell—”

“Starfell?” Claire interrupted again.

Lyric blinked, startled. “You—you don’t even remember Starfell ?”

Claire bit her lip. Maybe Zuli or Lapis had mentioned it in passing, but when she was at Stonehaven, Claire had other things on her mind. She shook her head.