Ahead of her, she saw her mother sitting in the queen’s chair, her skirts spread around her, the heavier ceremonial crown on her head. And standing next to her, Raisa was surprised to see Speaker Jemson from Southbridge Temple, resplendent in gold and white. Even at that distance she could see the surprise on the speaker’s face as Raisa entered with the High Wizard.

Then Raisa understood. Her father would have been in charge of the elements of faith. He would have been the one who invited Speaker Jemson to officiate.

Raisa walked the length of the temple, doing her best to ignore the wizard beside her, doing her best to keep her face a mask of solemnity while her heart pounded within her chest. Despite this distraction, a few images crystallized in her peripheral vision—for instance, the smile frozen on her cousin Missy Hakkam’s face. Missy stood next to her brother, the handsome and equally vapid Jon. Kip and Keith Klemath were nudging each other, probably laying bets on who would win the game of courtship at the dance.

Her grandmother Elena stood with a handful of clan elders in Marisa Pines and Demonai ceremonial robes. With the elders were several Demonai warriors, including Reid Nightwalker, Raisa’s rumored highland suitor.

As Raisa passed with the High Wizard, Elena leaned over to whisper something to Reid. Elena’s face was impassive, but Reid was scowling.

Miphis and Arkeda Mander stood toward the front with Micah Bayar, a triple of wizards. Micah’s banishment was over, it seemed. He was impeccably dressed, as usual, breathtakingly handsome, as usual, but he had a pale, rather feverish look, as if something didn’t agree with him. His dark eyes followed her to the front of the temple.

A small honor guard stood to either side of the dais. Raisa looked for Captain Edon Byrne, who’d accompanied her father to Chalk Cliffs. He was missing also, but Amon was there in his dress uniform, standing ramrod straight, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He stared straight ahead, cheeks flushed, but she knew he saw her.

I dreamed about you, she thought.

And finally she was before Speaker Jemson and her mother. Lord Bayar released her elbow and stood to the side, next to her sister, the Princess Mellony.

Raisa looked into Speaker Jemson’s eyes and saw compassion there. The speaker smiled. That buoyed her somehow, and she smiled back. Her pulse quieted and her fears ebbed. She would be queen, and queens ruled over wizards in the Fells.