It was truly spring in Aleda. The cliff bloomed with wisteria, the smell so heady it woke Kaye well before sunrise. The days were noticeably longer and warmer and herbs grew across the mountainside. Kaye's heartache for Gaerlom was slowly replaced by homesickness for Fie Eoin and a weak feeling of belonging with the Faye. Her wings were strong enough to fly and she couldn't complain about her living arrangement. Not when Bryant wrapped his arms around her and kissed her the way he did. His angry, pained look disappeared whenever he looked at her.

Despite it all, Kaye felt useless. Bryant was often gone—helping lift large things onto the cliff, hunting, or helping his mother, who Kaye had yet to meet. Celeste was always busy with priestess duties, and Kaye helped when she was allowed.

Today she was allowed. Kaye and Celeste walked north along the mountainside looking for early herbs. Kaye still didn't know the names and uses for all of them, but her eyes were well trained to pick out the leaves of something useful amidst the undergrowth.

"The pass will be clear soon," Celeste said as they walked. Her voice sounded strained. "Have you decided what you will do?"

Kaye kicked aside a fern, but nothing grew underneath. "I have to go home, to warn them at least."

"And if the Obsidians still want you?"

She shrugged. She didn't know what she would do if Obsid still demanded a sacrifice. The thought of going back to Fie Obsid terrified her.

"Have you talked to Bryant about it yet?" Celeste's voice was even more strained.

Kaye thought of the look in his eyes whenever she spoke of home. It was more than sadness or anger—it was betrayal. "We don't talk about it."

"Oh, Kaye." Celeste stopped her with a hand. Her eyes were full of things unsaid and Kaye wanted to shake her.

"Why do you keep things from me?"

Celeste jerked back a little. "I do not." She looked away and Kaye knew she was lying.

"You don't think I should be with Bryant." She crossed her arms.

"I never said that."

"Not out loud," Kaye said. "I'm a priestess too. I can read you."

Celeste reached out to her. "That, right there. That is why. You are a priestess, and you cannot devote yourself fully to the Mother if you are also devoted to Bryant. And the longer you put it off, the harder it will be for both of you."

Kaye turned away. "I can be devoted to them both."

"You cannot."

"I can." She turned her gaze on Celeste, anger building in her chest. "I have been devoted to my sister, my mother, my High Priestess and my Goddess my entire life. How can it be harder to be devoted to Bryant too? Even Aleda has a consort."

"Eoin is a false god."

"Maybe in Aleda, but not in the Seven Tribes."

"Then why aren't your priestesses allowed to marry?"

Kaye looked away again, she had no answer for that. She’d never had a reason to question it before.

Celeste took a step closer and grabbed Kaye's hand. "One day it will come down to a choice between a person you are devoted to, or the Mother. It always does. If you are going to be a priestess, you must chose the Mother. No one else. Not Bryant, not your High Priestess, not your sister. Aleda."

"Of course I would choose Aleda."

"Would you?" Celeste dropped her hand. “You keep running away from Her.”

"Excuse me?" Kaye crossed her arms and glared. "I trust Aleda with my life. I trusted her when she said I must come here, even though I thought I’d be thrown out."

“Yes, because you had things to learn, but what have you learned except the feel of Bryant’s lips and hands? And now you’ll go home and put your tribe in danger for the promise of those touches.” Celeste took a deep breath and composed herself. “That is not how a priestess acts. You always chose the many over the one. No matter how much you care for the one."

"No one asked if I wanted to be a priestess. No one asked what I wanted from my life. What if I want Bryant more than I want to be a priestess?" Kaye shoved her bag of herbs at Celeste. “I don't think you need my help today."

She turned and walked back toward Aleda, and Celeste didn't try to stop her.