It is peculiar that at a time, Queen Angella was Princess Angella. She can be killed, as was the case with her parents long ago - she simply cannot die of old age. The Seraphites say it is because she's a goddess, one who carries Levity - Hope. I don't know what could be so special about her, or why she allows an entire religion to worship her. Or most of all, how she chooses not to abuse this theological power and authority the people choose to put into her hands.

❂❂❂

At the summer Guild meeting, Light Spinner entered the room and stood in her place. The Festival of Lights was drawing near, and with that each year came anxiety; Seraphite holidays were always difficult for her to enjoy.

Master Norwyn spoke, jolting her out of her head. "Light Spinner! How nice of you to join us, child. We couldn't start this meeting without you."

Stop doting on me, Light Spinner thought, rolling her eyes. Ahelia fanned out her fingers. "Norwyn's sending you on a mission, Light Spinner!"

Light Spinner's mouth dropped open. Images burst through her mind of liberating the people of Tropicilas, punching the terrorist minions in the face, and tearing that crashed ship apart. She tampered the cheerful edge to her voice. "When? What will I do?"

"You will leave tomorrow at noon," Norwyn said, "to go to Illuras in Bright Moon. Queen Angella has asked you to help her with a show for the Celebration of Light - she's heard of your skill with light illusions."

Her heart crashed in her chest. "WHAT?" she yelled. "That's lunacy! I don't perform!"

Festinia leaned against the wall. "Well, you are the Emeth in illusionary arts here," she said. "Aren't you flattered?"

She bit her tongue so as to not make another mess. Of course not. I'll be near one of the centerpieces of the Seraphite faith. One of the people who hates me and sees me as a Fulminate. "I am," she said, gritting her teeth. "But I will only go if Micah accompanies me. Is that all?"

"Yes," Norwyn said. "You may take Micah with you. But I have one more request, Light Spinner."

"What?"

"Do not engage the terrorists," he said, using a commanding tone that Light Spinner rarely heard from the old satyr. "If you do, there will be serious consequences. Do you understand, child?"

She raised her head. "How do you know they're coming? It's the capital of Bright Moon. Surely they wouldn't try - "

"We don't know what they're capable of. Swear that you won't."

"But Master! If they come after me and Micah, and I have to save him - "

He held up a hand. "You will not use your powers, Light Spinner."

Light Spinner's face twisted into a scowl, and she clenched her fists, light dripping from her tense fingers onto the ancient stone. I'll leave. I'll run away with him. Micah comes first.

But I was born to use my powers!

Yet with an angry nod, she agreed to what he proposed for her.

✧✧✧

As Micah spread jam over a crêpe, Light Spinner entered the kitchen from the office, her brows furrowed. He swallowed, took a bite, and drank some ginger tea. Oh dear. She's mad. "Didn't go well?"

She turned her back on him to take a furious sip of her tea. "I cannot believe them," she snapped, spreading jam over her own crêpe. "I do everything I can to prove I'm trustworthy. I do their stupid little missions, I teach them things, and I am the nicest I can be. But still they - " slice - "never - " slice - "listen to me!"

Micah swallowed. "Just so you know, you're melting that knife."

She growled and tossed the ruined orange metal in the trash. Micah walked over to her, crossing his arms. "Why are you upset?"

Light Spinner hugged herself. "We have to go to Bright Moon and I must perform like a moons-forsaken jester for their queen. I also...can't defend you with my powers if the terrorists attack."

That doesn't seem like anything new, he almost replied. Why's she so upset about meeting Queen Angella? "Well...is there anything else you want to do while we're there?"

"What do you want?" she muttered, resting her chin in a hand.

Micah stared at the floor. "I've never seen a runestone before. Can you really see the Moonstone all the way from Illuras' gates? That's what the fishermen always said back home."

Light Spinner's gaze softened, and she stood. "Do you think you could handle it? I'm a bit difficult sometimes."

Micah nodded. "I'm sure. We'll make the best of it."

✧✧✧

"LIGHT SPINNER!"

She groggily opened her eyes the next day, finding Micah almost on top of her. Groaning, she sat up and grabbed her veil, then stole a glance at the clock above the door. "We didn't need to leave till noon."

He shrugged. "It's almost ten a.m. That's close enough. I meant to ask - will I meet Queen Angella?"

"It's likely," Light Spinner said, stretching. Hopefully she'll fawn over him instead of condemning me. "Are you ready to go?" At his nod, she pushed him off with a grin. "Then leave, or we'll never be able to."

For a moment before putting on her flats, she hesitated. If the terrorists do attack, I can't use my powers. Biting her lip, she donned a pair of simple black boots. A well-placed kick combined with a little kinesis magic could knock someone's tooth out, and she needed all the help she could get.

✧✧✧

As they entered the golden city, Light Spinner braced herself. Golden-and-pink banners were hung from every building on the narrow street, people sold fried food and enormous cakes at the stands, and Seraphite Meyan music reverberated from every side, the mandolins and hollow drums echoing in her ears. Illuras, unfortunately, was always this cheery and happy, especially for parties.

Now to get through this mess. Light Spinner held back a groan as Micah gasped. "It's awesome!" he said. "Why don't you live here? I think you'd be a lot happier."

"Culture shock. Bel Delvala is so much different than this."

"How so?"

"The loudness," she said. "It's a quiet town. Usually people don't hold festivities like this in the streets."

Micah frowned. "That sounds boring."

"That's because you never went to school." The smells of fried food and sweet perfumes made her almost want to go back to that painful Guild meeting. Imagine if I had to live in this crowded place. I wouldn't move here unless I was morbidly desperate.

Micah tugged on her dress sleeve. "Can we see the Moonstone from here?"

Light Spinner looked in the direction of Queen Angella's palace and nodded. "We'll need to climb onto a roof."

"Is it safe?"

"Stop asking such questions, Micah," she teased. "Come up here." She too wanted to see the Moonstone. She had a strange drive to see beautiful, powerful things; it only increased the more she dealt with the incompetent Guild. She'd spent hours as a teenager just sitting in the Lunarium, staring up at the crystal lenses that protected Mystacor from invasion with the protection and invisibility spells, hoping someday to wield as much authority as those gemstones did.

They climbed up to the roof and sat down. Micah gazed at the distant Moonstone, which shone from its golden crest. "I can feel its magic from here," he said. "But it's far away. I can't reach it."

That's how I feel all the time, Light Spinner thought, sighing and clenching her fists. There's so much power in the world. But it's in the hands of people who don't use it the way they should.

I wish, instead of persuading powerful people to be good people, I could solve the world's problems myself.

Micah spoke. "Light Spinner?"

"Yes?"

"I didn't celebrate the Festival of Lights back in Tropicilas. What's it about?"

Light Spinner tilted her head. "You don't know?" He shook his head. Time for this topic, I suppose. "It's a Seraphite holiday that celebrates the day Levity came to Etheria." A pause. "Do you know about the Seraphites?"

"I know they see Queen Angella as kind of a goddess," Micah said. "Not much else. My parents weren't really religious. The only big faith where I lived is Kryteya."

Light Spinner spoke, choosing her words carefully. "The Seraphite doctrine teaches that there are two forces of nature - Amenity and Fulmination. Light and darkness, good and evil. Seven angels are said to guard her power, and Etheria is where the angels of Levity and Transcendence settled. Angella is part of that line of power. The Angel of Transcendence disappeared, but there are rumors she resides here still."

"You don't sound that happy about it," he observed.

She sighed. "My mother was a Seraphite, and she tried to convert me for years."

"Guessing you're an atheist?"

Light Spinner thought for a moment. "More or less. I'm not opposed to the idea that there's something out there." What in the moons am I doing? She never discussed her faith openly with anyone. "I just don't understand it. I don't know how to start - to embrace the idea that there's something I can never truly comprehend. People use that doctrine to hurt me, to claim I'm a demon just because I don't share their beliefs." She quickly amended. "But don't let me stop you from thinking about such things. I'm not looking to convert anyone."

Micah smiled softly. "I don't have this stuff figured out either. But even if you don't believe in it, the idea of Hope coming to Etheria is still something to celebrate. Right?"

Light Spinner didn't want to beat him down, but part of her was bitter over the Festival of Lights. Of course such things would be true. People would always cling to hope no matter what, even if it was false hope. Levity - the perfect example. They deify their queen and act as though she represents hope itself.

But she nodded anyway. Micah was a better, more idealistic successor to her. Perhaps Light Spinner was the one too cynical to understand what hope was.

✧✧✧

They climbed down. Light Spinner sighed, turning around to speak to Micah, but her eye caught something on the far wall. She walked past a market stand and grabbed a piece of cloth tacked onto the pink stone. It was black, with the red bat symbol that had been on the crashed ship.

Her eyes widened, and blood roared in her ears. "Micah, we must leave now. Micah?"

But Light Spinner's pleas were in vain. She spun around, trying to find her student. It was no use.

Micah was gone.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

● The Seraphite faith was something I added late in the editing process. It ties in well to why people fear Light Spinner's power, explains why she's an atheist, and sets up conflict for the next two books.

● When Micah grew up, he fell in love with Queen Angella and married her.

Tell me what you think...

● Is Light Spinner's frustration with power being in the wrong hands valid? What about her response to the situation?