Outside, a passing servant told them the feast was being held on top of the Council Tower, where celebrations usually were.
Sure enough, when Laela emerged into the open air, she found herself surrounded by the sounds of music and laughter. People and griffins were everywhere, mingling freely. Night had come by now, and long, metal stakes holding torches lit up the place. A group of musicians were playing, and tables had been set up and laden with food.
Some of the feasters were sitting down, but plenty were walking around freely. A few people were even dancing.
Oeka saw the carcasses that had been laid out for the griffins. “I will go and eat now, Laela,” she said. “Go- find food for yourself. Enjoy yourself!” she added. “We are home, and all is well. This is our night.”
Laela nodded vaguely and wandered off among the crowd. She stopped at the nearest table and helped herself to a slab of bread covered in hot venison, and some cheese, roasted carrots, and a toffee-coated apple to follow. The finest mead, all the way from Fruitsheart, had been brought out, and she gulped down a mugful. It warmed her up and made her feel better, so she had another one.
“Gods, I needed that.” She sighed.
Without any warning, a man appeared to her right. He shouted something at her in the dark tongue, and clapped her hard on the shoulder.
Laela almost hit him before she realised he was being friendly. “Hullo,” she said, using griffish.
The man grinned and held out a hand. “Sorry,” he said. “Had a little too much t’drink.”
Laela linked fingers with him and gave the traditional tug. “I understand that just fine,” she said. “I’m plannin’ t’have too much myself, in fact.”
The man laughed loudly. “That’s the spirit. Name’s Dewitt. My dad’s the Master of Building.”
“Pleased t’meet yeh,” Laela said politely.
“I’m more than pleased t’meet ye, my lady,” said Dewitt. “I’m honoured.”
Laela laughed awkwardly. “I ain’t nobody special.”
“Ye freed the slaves, my lady,” said Dewitt, completely serious now. “I heard the whole story.”
“I did my duty,” said Laela.
Dewitt looked keenly at her. “Yer duty to who, though?”
“To the North,” said Laela.
He grinned. “Thought ye’d say that. Well, I’ve got more drinkin’ to do, so if ye’ll excuse me. .”
Laela let him go and refilled her own mug before wandering off through the crowd. To her surprise, more than one person stopped her to say similar things as Dewitt. They called her by her title now, all of them. Lady Laela. There were no suspicious looks or half-hidden sneers.
Laela, by now a little drunk, ran into Arenadd almost without realising it. He had been talking quietly to someone, and when he saw her, his expression faltered for an instant before he relaxed again. “Laela, there you are,” he said. “We were just talking about you.”
Laela nodded briefly to him. “Sire.”
The person Arenadd had been talking to was a woman-and Laela was surprised when she recognised her. It was Aderyn-the priestess who had first begun to teach her about the Night God.
Tonight, Aderyn was wearing a fine silver gown, and she looked at Laela with open admiration. “So here ye are,” she said. “Home triumphant, eh, my lady?”
Laela smiled at her. “Hullo. By the Night God, I’m surprised t’see yeh here. How’ve yeh been?”
“I’ve been well,” said Aderyn. “But not as well as ye, by the sound of it. The King tells me ye did us all a great service in Amoran.”
“My duty,” Laela said automatically.
“A great service,” said Aderyn. “To the King, to the North, to the darkmen-an’ so to the Night God herself.”
Laela grunted noncommittally. The idea of doing anything for a god didn’t appeal to her much now.
“So Aderyn and I have decided,” Arenadd cut in. “Tell her, Aderyn.”
“Yes, Sire.” Aderyn folded her hands over her stomach. “We’ve decided it’s high time ye were welcomed into the Night God’s arms, Laela.”
Laela’s insides lurched slightly. “What d’yeh mean by that?”
“That it’s time for the womanhood ceremony,” said Aderyn.
“Oh.”
“We’ve decided the Crow tribe is right for ye,” the priestess went on. “So yer own ceremony must happen on the night of the new moon-an’ it’ll be a while before that happens!” She chuckled and pointed at the sky. “See how bright the Night God’s eye is tonight. I’ve never seen it so big. She must know great things are happening down here.”
Laela followed her hand, and gasped. The moon was enormous. Tinged with gold, it sat on the horizon like a massive. .
. . eye.
Laela shivered. “Is it meant t’do that?”
“It’s happened before,” said Arenadd. “It’s a sign that the Night God is watching very closely.” He kept his eyes on the moon as he spoke, and Laela caught just a hint of unease in his voice. “Very closely,” he said again, more quietly.
“Well,” said Aderyn. “What do ye think, my lady? Are ye ready for it?”
“I suppose so,” said Laela, without enthusiasm.
“Good. Then I’ll take it up with the High Priestess. I’m sure she’ll be happy t’ask the Crow priestess to conduct the ceremony.”
“Yeah.” Laela took another swallow from her mug and muttered a quick “Excuse me” before walking off.
She didn’t want to think about the Night God now. She didn’t want to think of Gryphus, either. Once upon a time, she’d been more or less indifferent to the whole idea of gods, but now they made her feel sick and frightened. She was tired of it all.
She distracted herself with another drink and some more food. It left her stomach feeling warm and wonderful, and she relaxed again.
Laughter rose from the crowd nearby, and Laela stopped and watched as Penllyn staggered away, helping a visibly drunk Saeddryn. She laughed, and only laughed again more loudly at how Aenae primly ignored the jokes being thrown at him.
Saeddryn’s gown was a mess, and the silver circlet with the crescent moon she wore was askew. She muttered some half-coherent curse, before Penllyn led her away through the trapdoor and down into the tower.
Laela took a swig of mead and snickered to herself. She hoped Oeka hadn’t missed it.
She turned, hoping to see her around, and froze when her eye caught someone else. He had seen her, too, and now he was coming toward her.
“Yorath.”
Yorath had grown a beard. It made him look older, more mature and reserved. “Laela.”
They stood awkwardly, neither one willing to speak.
“How have yeh been?” Laela said eventually.
Yorath smiled, but it was a careful smile. “I’ve been. . well, my lady.”
“Don’t call me that, Yorath,” said Laela.
“I have to,” said Yorath. “Ye’re a lady now.”
There was another awkward silence.
“I heard about the Amorani prince,” said Yorath. “I’m happy for ye. Really.”
“What?” Laela started. “No, Yorath-stop. It wasn’t like that.”
“Really? How wasn’t it? My lady.”
“I never even slept with him, Yorath,” Laela lied. “He didn’t come back with us. It was just a marriage of convenience. The Emperor wouldn’t let us seal the deal with him without it. It’s an Amorani custom.”
“Oh.” Yorath’s face was blank.
“I had t’do it,” said Laela, not sure whom she was trying to convince. “Sometimes the realm comes before we
