Cresting the last hill laid open the valley below us to a view as far as the eye could see of the city of Haven. It was blindingly beautiful. The city was a mass of shops and tall towers with brilliantly decorated flags. Even from a distance you could see the Queen’s Castle set apart from the city, high on a hill looking untouchable and alone. To the right in a valley sat the Citadel. I had to squint as the glint of blue reflecting from the training arena’s glass-dome ceiling stabbed my eyes. Off in the distance at the bottom of the mountains looked to be ruins set apart and alone from the rest of the thriving community.

The city itself looked like a rainbow had come to rest upon it, for each building was painted in a vibrant color. I asked Darren and he said that the city was split into color districts; something that began with one thrifty merchant many years ago.

It began when a young hopeful merchant moved to Calandry in hopes of making his fortune. But since he was new and didn’t have a clientele base built up, he soon struggled to make ends meet like everyone else. So he did something to make his small business stand out from the rest. He painted his shop a very bright green. It was the best bit of advertising he could do, because people came from far and wide to see his bright green shop. It began a trend and soon others started to paint their shops brilliant colors to compete. Soon it became hard to navigate the city of Calandry.

The Merchant Guild finally got together and formed the color districts. They assigned colors to each vendor based on goods they sold and you were allowed to paint your store any shade of that particular color. If you needed exotic fabrics, you went to the yellow district; if you needed jewelry and accessories, you went to the red; if you were looking for bakers, look no further than any orange stall. And so Calandry was nicknamed the city of light.

“Who was the merchant that started it all?” I asked, intrigued by the story.

“No one really knows because if you ask any one person they will swear on their mother’s grave, and boastfully tell you it was their own great-great-grandfather,” Darren said.

I laughed. I enjoyed the trip through the bustling city of Haven, smelling the fresh baked goods, the sounds of children playing and vendors hawking their wares. There was a general happy and content feeling in the air, free from fear and oppression.

I was left speechless once I saw the Citadel up close. Nothing Darren described prepared me for the intricate beauty hidden within every structure. The architectural design in the columns, archways and stonework could have only been made by those with the gifts of the Denai. Human hands did not construct the Citadel or arena, even the roads were extravagant. The streets turned from simple, cobbled brick into a mosaic of colored stones which changed in tone as the horses’ hooves walked over them. These singing tiles led up to white, stone guard towers on either side of Citadel’s gleaming silver gate. Today, the gate was open, and was manned by four guards with swords and crossbows.

After Darren stated our business, they gave directions for us to take our horses to the stable.

Darren glanced around the Citadel’s grounds. “Ah, good. It looks like Adept Lorna Windmere is in.”

I looked around the almost empty courtyard and asked Darren how he knew. Darren pointed out the large white towers surrounding the grounds and how three were flying colorful banners. He went on to explain that if the Adept was in residence, their flag was flown to signify to the townspeople that they were in. Often times one or more was on errands for the Queen.

He pointed to a white banner with a falling star as Adept Lorna Windmere’s. “It gives the students an added sense of security to see that there is always an Adept in residence, in case of an emergency.” He also pointed to a blue banner with a gold helios flower as Adept Breah Avenlea’s and the black banner with three silver slashes as Pax Baton’s. The empty towers would normally fly a green banner with three gold circles intricately looped as Cirrus Thornwood’s, and a red banner with a sun and moon for Kambel Silverbane.

A loud barking announced the arrival of a short elderly man and a large bundle of fur that turned out to be Stable Master Grese and his blue-eyed sheepdog, aptly named Dog. After quick introductions we were escorted into the large main hall of the Citadel which again flew the banners for each of the Adepts. Along the walls were colorful tapestries inlaid with gold and silver depicting Calandry’s history.

The marble floors continued through the main halls into each of the wings. I learned there was a wing for classrooms, the training arenas, and student dorms while the servant’s quarters were off the kitchen that surrounded the dining hall. The grounds of the Citadel led into a huge outdoor foyer and, depending which arched columns you walked through, you would end up at the greenhouse, stable, training paddock, guard’s quarters and the infirmary.

A servant led us to Adept Lorna’s office and I waited outside in the outer room while Joss and Darren went into the inner office with the Adept. Half a candle mark later, the door opened and a young woman wearing a rich, velvety cloak stepped from her office and was escorted down the hallway by no fewer than five guards. I couldn’t help but stare after her wondering who she was and why she needed so many guards. Someone cleared their throat and I got my first view of Adept Lorna. She was a tall woman in her mid-forties with glowing tan skin that spoke of a life used to being outdoors. Her pointed face was surrounded by short white cropped hair and ethereal blue eyes. Her stern gaze held mine as I heard Darren and Joss discuss me.

“I really think I should be in there for this,” Joss argued.

“Joss, we discussed this before, we brought her here and agreed that we would let Adept Lorna handle this situation. You agreed to come here to finish training and that’s what you are here to do. What happens to Thalia now is out of our hands. I’m leaving for home and you need to concentrate on your training. You promised your father.” Darren gave Joss a stern look.

Joss’ jaw clenched and he looked at the Adept Lorna. “Will she be allowed to stay?”

The Adept pursed her lips and then spoke up for the first time. “That is for the Adept Council to decide. I need to hear what she has to say and then I will speak with the other Adepts and Queen Lilyana. She’s a stranger and the farther she is from the Queen the better. We will do the best we can to find her family, but Darren is right. She is out of your hands. We need to discuss this and you need not worry anymore.” Her matter of fact tone didn’t leave room for argument.

My pulse jumped at the implications that I may not stay. I had nowhere else to go and this could be the last time I would ever see Joss or Darren. I started to feel dizzy and I sucked in my breath and held it, looking between the two other people that had been my lifelines since my escape. But I had a feeling that Joss would soon insult Adept Lorna by insisting to stay for the meeting and may ruin his chances for a good start at the Citadel. I wanted what was best for him and I decided right then and there that the best did not include me. Otherwise he would spend more time worrying about me rather than his own studies. What I was about to do to him was cruel, but it needed to be done.

“I don’t need a mother, Joss, so stop acting like one!” I said in the most offhanded, snotty voice I could. I stood and walked over to the silver-paned window. “Thank you for bringing me to the Citadel and to Adept Lorna.”