“Pleased to meet you,” Eldivo murmured with a bow.
“Might we know your names?” Korneli asked with a charming smile.
“I am Galatea,” Galatea announced as she stepped down to the first floor. Her every movement oozed charm. She offered her hand to Korneli and smiled becomingly up at him. “I am the eldest.”
“Not so.” Surprised, I turned to find Candra standing a few steps above me on the staircase. “Zezilia is the oldest by four months.”
“And you are?” Korneli asked with amusement brightening his eyes.
Candra solemnly met his gaze. “I am Candra, the youngest. Who are you?”
“Korneli, a friend of your father’s.”
“Pleased to meet you.” Candra inclined her head respectfully. “Mother, may I go back to bed now?”
“Yes, dear, I will bring lunch up to you in a few minutes.”
Taking that as a dismissal, Candra turned and climbed back up the stairs. I watched her go with concern. Even at her most grumpy, she was usually more cordial than that.
“So, you must be Zezilia.” A nutty taste filled my mouth. It reminded me of cashews and peanuts with a hint of almond, an unusual combination.
I turned to meet his gaze. “I am. It is rude to greet a stranger by sending when meeting in a social situation.”
Korneli smiled. “You are quite right. I beg your pardon for my rude behavior. It is a pleasure to meet you, Zezilia.” He saluted me formally.
“The same here,” I replied and returned the salute.
“Now that all the introductions are out of the way, would you please join us for lunch, Korneli. We were just about to set it on the table.”
“I would be honored,” he responded and we made a small procession to the dining room.
Much to my relief, Errol captured Korneli’s attention and kept him busy discussing the latest news from the capital. News of High King Honorus’ death reached us three days after it happened, and Errol received news from the Sept Son about the transition a few days later. Ever since, he had been eager for more news of how the transition was going. So, the two of them spent the whole meal talking.
That left entertaining Eldivo to the three of us girls. Galatea and Eloine quickly settled into a rapid fire question and answer format, quizzing the young man on everything from where he came from to how he had become Korneli’s student. Far from being intimidated by them, Eldivo seemed to enjoy talking about himself. I quietly listened, watching the young man’s face and studied his features between bites.
“So, you are a seventh son?” Eloine asked. “That is what your name means, doesn’t it? Septimus means seventh son.”
Eldivo blushed slightly, an unusual look with his fair hair and light colored eyes. “I am the seventh living son. You see, before me, my parents had a daughter who died only three hours after she was born. That means that I am not the seventh son of a line of only sons.”
Eloine stared at him. “So, you don’t have the strength of a seventh son just because of that sister? Then why did you parents name you Septimus?”
“I think they hoped I would still develop the skills of a seventh son and wanted there to be no question as to my position in the family.”
“But everyone who meets you and hears your name, thinks you must be a seventh son,” Galatea protested. “That was hardly kind.”
“That is why Korneli is calling me by my third name. I still have to use my first name when among the talented, but outside of the formal stuff, I can go by Eldivo, which is much less conspicuous. Are any of your brothers talents?” he asked swiftly before promptly filling his mouth with food.
“We don’t have any brothers,” Galatea declared. “All we have are sisters and Father tested each of us, but none of us have shown the slightest inclination at talent.”
“Then who is Korneli here to test?” Eldivo looked from one of them to other. “That is why we are here, you know. Your father is to test me and Korneli is to test your father’s student. Where is he?”
“It isn’t a he, silly.” Eloine laughed. “It is a she. Zezilia is our father’s student.”
Suddenly, I felt his gaze and the faltering brush of his thoughts as he brushed my mind. He tasted like rain, watery and wet. I looked up and met his eyes.
“Is it true?” he asked. His surprise washed over me.
I nodded.
“I have never met a girl talent before.”
“There is nothing different, except that I am female,” I informed him.
“Korneli says that most female talents are weak. Are you weak?” A sending brushed my consciousness, hinting at a reprimand, but it wasn’t aimed at me. Abruptly, Eldivo dropped his eyes in shame. “Pardon me, I shouldn’t have said that.” I glanced down the table to where Errol was telling Korneli about the exercises that the Sept Son sent him. Korneli wasn’t paying attention to Errol. Instead, his dark eyes glared at his student.
“I am truly sorry, Zezilia, will you forgive me.” Eldivo’s voice called my attention back to him. He looked at me with pleading eyes. “I haven’t learned my manners very well. I am used to being around my siblings, and my parents pretty much let me do as I wanted.”
“You are forgiven,” I assured him before picking up my fork.
As I began filling it with another bite, fear whispered in my thoughts. This was the man who was to test me. I hoped desperately that he wouldn’t reprimand me like that when I did something wrong. I was certain that I would manage to do at least one thing wrong during the testing. I always did when Errol tested me. Nervously, I finished my food and waited with watchful gaze for the others to finish and the testing to begin.
After a few minutes I remembered what Errol had taught me about praying when I was
