Dawn's gentle fingers caressed the white marble mausoleum, painting its surface with tendrils of rose and gold. I sat on a carved wooden bench opposite the vault, hands folded, eyes fixed on the huge steel doors embossed with our crest: a rampant kirin in front of a battle tower. Some people found a quiet room or garden bench to still their thoughts or work through problems. I went to the graveyard.

"I don't see why I have to go," I complained, toying with the hem of my undershirt. A gentle spring breeze swirled through the grove surrounding the Olgonae family plot, tugging at my clothes. It tried to lift the heavy red braid that hung over one shoulder, but only managed to stir a few stray strands around my face. "All the other girls are there to make alliances on their parents' behalf. I've nothing in common with them."

This I knew from past galas I'd been forced to attend with my father. None of the girls were interested in horses, reading, archery, or life on the border.

A low, polite cough echoed behind me. I twisted on the bench to see the captain of my father's guard, Gerard Russan, standing just outside the grove. He gestured at me with one gloved hand. Ignoring Gerard, I turned back to the mausoleum. "Half of them are barely educated—or have hobbies outside of gossiping or needlepoint." Rolling my shoulders to ease the tension, I brushed a long strand of hair over my ear. "I know I've said this a lot, Mama, but I wish you were here to help me." Bowing my head, I clenched my teeth against the sudden pang of sorrow that rose in my chest. It had taken me years to stop crying over each missed Solstice, birthday, and Yule celebration. But the Queen's Debutante Ball was altogether a different animal.

The wind rattled branches above my head. Lifting my chin, I dashed unshed tears from my eyes with the callused pad of my thumb. "Yes, I'd even want you two to tease me about my dress," I said, focusing on the names of my elder brothers etched under our mother's in the marble.

Stones crunched underfoot. "It's time to go, Lady Aisse," Gerard said, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"All right," I sighed, getting to my feet. Flipping my braid over my right shoulder, I walked across the grey and white gravel and placed both hands on the dawn-flushed marble. Kissing the stone letters of my mother's name, I ran my fingers across Joshua's and Bein's epitaphs. "I'll bring you back a program—I promise."

Squaring my shoulders, I nodded to Gerard; together we exited the grove, leaving the mausoleums to the dawn. We stepped onto a small, neat cobblestone path that led to the manor yard. In the distance, the twin stone towers of Barony Gaelré rose from the ground like a giant's arms punching the sky. Each tower bore a massive crossbow that was ready to fire at a moment's notice, should a bird be so foolish as to attempt a border crossing.

We passed the heir's cottage, a quaint two-story dwelling, where a handful of gardeners were hard at work, sprucing up the flower beds. It would have been Joshua's, had he lived long enough to get married. Now, it stood ready for me as the remaining heir to the border barony of Gaelré.

The gardeners all paused in their labors, smiled, and bowed to me as we walked by. "Good luck, my lady," several of the women murmured, clutching shovels and scissors in their gloved hands. I nodded in acknowledgment, favoring them a small smile before swiftly cresting the slight rise.

Rounded cobblestone gave way to smooth, tan paving stone. Waiting in the semi-circular courtyard, the grey stone façade of the manor at his back and a handful of guardsmen around him, was my father, Richard Olgonae. A tall man with greying, short-cropped hair and a neat beard on his strong jaw, he looked every inch the rugged border baron. Not so for his only daughter—I took after my mother, small but resilient, with a heart-shaped face, green eyes, and red hair that couldn't stay in one place for very long.

"Ready to go, Ai?" Papa asked, one hand on the saddle of his dark chestnut stallion, Hawk. The reins to my blood bay gelding, Corsos, were held loosely in his gloved grasp.

Morosely, I nodded. Papa handed me Corsos' reins and cupped my cheek gently. "Chin up, Ai. This isn't going to be as bad as you think."

Somehow, I doubted it. Slipping Corsos' reins over his head and neck, I moved to the gelding's side and mounted. Swinging astride a saddle came as naturally to me as breathing; the toes of my worn travel boots slid into the stirrups unerringly. Next to me, Papa mounted Hawk, adjusting the scabbard of his sword.

"Your bow, my lady," one of the guards said, handing me the long, recurved heartwood bow that had been my weapon of choice since I was twelve. A nondescript quiver of arrows rested securely behind my right thigh. Fletching of bright blue, bronze, and grey peeked over the lip of the quiver. My hatred of the birds ran deep, but there was no denying that their feathers made excellent fletching for arrows.

Settling into the saddle, I waited by Papa's side, watching the final preparations for our journey. Six guardsmen, plus Gerard, were accompanying us to Jal Veritas, the capital of Teyvon. All of them were mounted on sturdy coursers bred from Papa's stock. Gerard walked around the baggage cart, checking the strength of the straps and gesturing to the driver to shift a box.

"You'll wear a hole in that shirt," a strong, accented voice announced with amusement from my left side.

With a start, I noticed that I'd taken up the hem once more. Flushing with embarrassment, I slung the bow over my shoulder and tugged down my brown leather vest. Hooves clopped across the paving stone, bringing my governess and her horse close to my side. How she could have seen me worrying the fabric across the courtyard, I could never fathom. Then again, I'd long given up trying to guess the secret behind all of Crystal Tanner's tricks.

My governess was a tall, strongly-built woman, with high cheekbones, grey eyes, and a wealth of golden hair that spilled to mid-back. Today, her tresses were braided and pinned up high on her head. Her arms, bare to the shoulder even in early spring, were golden tan. Like me, she wore a pair of simple trousers and a turquoise vest over a white shirt.

That was another thing that set me apart from all the other noble girls—my love of trousers. Dresses were highly impractical on the border. One never knew when a rogue bird would attack.

"It'll be over and done with before you know it," Crystal told me, noticing my frown.

Papa laughed. "I've been telling her that all week, Governess."

"See? If two people say it, it must be true!" she exclaimed brightly.

I rolled my eyes. The only bright side to this whole excursion was seeing my grandmother, but even she turned our visits into excuses for making a proper lady out of me. It might not happen on the first day, but eventually, she'd drag me out into the crowded and stinking city to shop for dresses.

Papa sighed fondly and shook his head. He called to Gerard. "Is everything ready, Captain?"

"Aye, my lord."

"Then let us not waste any more time." Papa shot me a calculating look as if I'd suddenly bolt into town if given the opportunity.

If it didn't make me look like a petulant, pampered child, I just might do it. But duty called, and you didn't refuse an audience with the Queen.

Gerard trotted his mare to the front of the line. Papa, Crystal, and I followed suit, while the rest of the guard arranged themselves around us.

"Forward!" Gerard shouted, digging his heels into his mare's side.

Leather creaked, steel rings jingled, horses snorted and stamped, and wheels groaned. We were off.