“The prime minister! Remember? I told you she’s going to speak to us, but I didn’t think it would be now or that we’d be allowed inside!”

«Inside where? Mina, I can’t see.» On all fours, Pixit was shorter than the humans, and unlike the other beasts, he couldn’t use his wings to fly up for a better view.

Craning her neck and walking on tiptoes, Mina tried to see over the heads of those around her. Up ahead was an archway painted with images: storm beasts, with blue sky behind them. At the apex was the Alorrian sun symbol, its rays inlaid with gold, along with the words “A true heart is never a mistake.” Seeing those words—​the same words as in the letter that came with the river-ship tickets—​Mina smiled. She felt as if they were welcoming her personally, as if she was supposed to come here.

Nearly everything famous that had happened in history—​every decision made, every law passed, every judgment rendered—​had happened through this archway. Inside the capitol, the prime minister met with the advisors, and together they led Alorria.

It was the most famous place in the whole country.

And we get to go inside!

«Do you think they have a place for me to pee?»

Oh, Pixit.

«It was a long river ride.»

We’ll look, she promised. She thought of Beon and Rinna and how they needed bathrooms at the most inconvenient times too. She imagined telling them about seeing the archway and the city with all the people and buildings and fountains and trains. With a twinge of guilt, Mina realized she hadn’t thought of home in a while. She should be missing her family more.

She wondered if they’d be amazed to see her in the midst of all the other students, as if she were no different from any of them.

As they all filed through the archway, Mina gawked at the capitol. The domed ceiling was filled with more murals, each showing a scene from Alorria’s history: the great storms of the past, the taming of the skies, the plowing of the fields, the building of the city, the closing of the borders. She wished she’d brought her sketchbook. She could have at least tried to capture it all to show her family later.

A woman’s voice, unnaturally loud, boomed across the hall. “Welcome, lightning guardians and beasts, to the capitol.” Her voice echoed, seeming to come from multiple locations at once.

Mina strained to see who spoke. At last she spotted the speaker: a woman dressed in reflective silver standing on a platform next to an odd tangle of metal tubes.