"I saw what happened. We could see the purple flames reaching into the sky," Master Joras said as Gris and his group swarmed into the infirmary two hours later.

They placed Mageia in a room rather than the main floor and carefully placed her in a bed. Two nurses got to work to clean and dress her, hands trembling, and eyes filled with mixed emotions. One of them came and drew a curtain for privacy.

"Was the sacrifice successful or did this happen before it?"

"It happened after they took their last breath," Gris said. "The earth quaked..."

"We felt it too, almost like a calm shiver," Joras said deep with awe and excitement. "And the sky. It's still purple. What does this mean?"

"My suspicions and my theory were right, Joras," Gris said. "She's a Fairest."

Joras fell speechless and rubbed his bald shiny head. Lord Hercones entered with Ser Conner and his neatly chiseled beard.

"Your Highness," Ser Conner said. "My temple soldiers will guard night and day until the gods speak otherwise."

"Thank you," Gris said.

Lady Liana entered the room flustered. "Your Highness. People are gathering in the infirmary. Word is spreading about her quickly."

Ser Conner placed a hand on his hilt. "Worry not, Your Highness. Anointed One. I will handle this." And the knight exited with Liana on his trail.

As they exited Limp entered with a radiant smile on his face. Gris gasped in pure shock.

"Limp! You're up?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you," Joras laughed.

"Something happened," Limp cheered as they embraced. "I feel great."

"I don't understand..."

"When that cloud came down and nearly blew us off the roof," Joras said, "We came to check on everyone and gods be good, he was healed. Head to foot."

Gris took in his friend who looked as if he was never whipped. His color had returned and there was a spark in his eyes.

"Gods be good," Gris managed to say and embraced his friend with gratefulness.

"May the gods forgive us if we've done anything wrong this night," Lord Hercones said in a troubled tone ruining the moment. He stared at the curtain with his hands fumbling with the hem of his ceremonial robe.

"It all makes sense now. I had thought Mageia needed to connect with her magic most likely dormant her entire life, until tonight. I believe this had to happen, Lord Hercones," Gris said. "She had to die in order to be reborn."

"Reborn into her magic and her power," the High Priest nodded.

"So that is really Mageia?" Limp said.

"Yes. She died horrifically along with the other Sacreds, but she was the only one who resurrected," Gris said. "She is not only human, but she's also part god."

His words brought them to silence as they processed this revelation.

"I would like to examine her," Joras was the first to break the silence.

Gris scolded and realized this man shouldn't be in the room. "Not until I do so first."

"I don't think the gods would be pleased if you two start poking her," Limp said.

The nurses drew back the curtain and they held their breath. The women scurried from the room. Gris approached the side of Mageia's bed and peered into her face. She looked so peaceful. Joras stood on the other side staring at her glowing mark.

"Maurice," Lord Hercones shouted at the door.

"I'm right here," the man said appearing from a dark corner in the room almost startling the old man.

"Oh. Good. Good," Lord Hercones said. "Rasheem close the door, please."

Limp nodded and limped to the door only for royal escorts to flood the hallway.

"Halt, in the name of the Divines," Ser Conner bellowed.

"I am your king. I can go wherever I please," they heard in response.

"Allow him to pass," Lord Hercones said only for Maurice to deliver the message.

Gris did not know the Knight of the Priesthood held power over the king. This amused him greatly until his father appeared in the doorway disgruntled. When seeing Limp, he had to do a double take, questions crawling over his face.

"I've been healed tonight by a special young lady," Limp said with a sneering smirk.

King Dimitri didn't know what to say, he fully entered and scanned everyone in the room, ending on the glowing girl in bed. Limp closed the door and stood annoyingly in the corner.

"Has she woken?" the King said.

"No. We were about to examine her," Lord Hercones said replacing Joras' position.

"How do you two know for sure she is the Fairest of Ardania," the King said.

"No, she is the Fairest of the Realm of Valeera," Gris said.

"But how do you know?" his father said approaching the foot of the bed.

Gris gave an inner growl and knew he had to explain everything over again to people who knew the truth but had chosen to bury and forget it.

"From my studies I've learnt there are two known identifiers of a Fairest," Gris said, "The first is the color purple, like the ancient amethyst stone once formed in Fairlaana, the Holy Lands. The first five Fairest Gods mentioned in the Book of Legends, Gilondale and Alalia Komali, Thuriend Lariius, Amar the Fierce, and Aurelia Seviine were described to have had features such as purple eyes or purple hair. The second identifier was the day they were born. The first day, of the first month of a century. When I spoke to Mageia, I gathered that she was born the first day of Era 1000 the same day the Last Fair Tree died. I wasn't able to read everything in the book, but those were the first I gathered."

Silence followed his explanation and Gris waited for a flood of questions. Even he now doubted the fact about the Last Fair Tree having heard Tiivon's new proposition for Mageia. However, when he glanced at everyone around the room, they were staring at him in pure astonishment.

"What? I speak the truth..."

"Gris," his father said almost out of breath. "Your stutter... it's gone."

He gasped, touched his lips, and his throat and remembered the sizzling when the clouds fell upon the earth and knocked him off his feet. Not only did Mageia's rebirth heal Limp of his wounds, but she corrected his stuttering problem which he had since the day he learnt to speak.

Lord Hercones laughed. "It must've been something unseen yet fixable."

"Gods be good," Limp smiled.

Gris couldn't say anything as he wiggled and folded his tongue, once too stiff to even flex enough to pronounce the simplest words. When everyone was finished their side conversations and praises to the gods, Joras returned them to the topic at hand with another curious question.

"So, this Book of Legends, you speak of, Your Highness. I thought it was a myth or said to curse anyone who mentioned it."

"That was a lie pressed on by greedy kings who did not favor the truths given in the book because it meant they had to submit themselves to a much higher ruler. A demi-god higher than the gods themselves. Then people wouldn't take them seriously. Over the years Ardanian historians and priests rewrote history and faith into what we know today as the Sacred Book."

"So, the Sacred Book is false?" Limp said.

"I wouldn't say false." Lord Hercones said face reddening with guilt. "Perhaps misled interpretations about the Vanished King's Fair Prophecy and it concerning the Fair and Strange Laws and its divine connection with the gods."

"What about our human sacrifices?" Joras said. "Were not they true and desired by the gods?"

"Yes, at one point during the days of the Old God Hamino until the days of the Vanished King," Lord Hercones said. "Mostly because whenever a soul was sacrificed to the honor and pleasure of the gods, a good thing always happened. History always stirred in the desired direction. And forgive me for saying, Your Highness, but centuries later the true spirit and purpose of human sacrifice was lost and replaced by filling the pockets of nobles, enhancing order out of fear, and silencing one's enemies."

"No need for an apology for stating fact," the King said then glanced wearily at Gris who shifted feet. "Perhaps we- I included have lingered off the holy path."

"Well. Thank the gods they've given us time to digress and correct what is wrong," Lord Hercones said.

I don't think the gods care, Gris wanted to say and remembered he had to keep his vision to himself.

"And what about that mark, my Lord," Maurice said. "I've seen similar ones, but none like this in any of our studies."

"Nor have I. But remember the writings of Aurelia Seviine who described a similar mark on her chest but with five dots at the corners," Lord Hercones said.

"There is one mark that is similar to this, but I fear to speak it," the King said exchanging a knowing glance with the High Priest.

"What mark is that?" Gris said. They all glanced between the two and even Maurice appeared clueless.

"Let's turn her to the side, please," Lord Hercones said.

With the hesitant help of Joras and Maurice, Gris helped them turn Mageia to her side and revealed the same mark below her neck. But a third mark that looked more like a brand graced the back of her neck. It too was glowing.

"Amazing," Joras muttered.

Lord Hercones disregarded the identical mark and inspected the one directly behind her neck. Gris leaned closer to get a better look.

"This hexagon has a diamond in the center of it," Gris said. "It looks like a brand."

"That is no brand," the King said.

"Gods above," Lord Hercones said in pure horror. He looked at the King whose jaw dropped. They both stepped away from the girl as if she was cursed.

"What is it?" Limp said who had too come close to look.

"Gods above. Put her down," Lord Hercones demanded. They properly put her back and tucked her in the blankets.

"What does the mark mean?" Gris said hating the fact he didn't know this information.

It took a lot of energy for the King to give a straight answer. "She is a Seviine."

Instantly, Gris could feel the warm room drop its temperature. Everyone must've felt it too, because the colors drained from their faces. Everyone backed away, even Gris.

"A Seviine," Joras shivered and drew a protection symbol in the air.

"It's a birthmark that appears as a brand passed down throughout centuries only a pureblood would have," the King said.

"Pureblood?" Gris said.

"Those from the anointed line of the joint houses of Lariius and Komali, now known as Seviine," Lord Hercones said. "Hamino had made sure that this pure line would birth Fairests. This mark is not mentioned in any Sacred Book, but it is a historical fact. A fact kept amongst Royals."

"My mother had the pure mark because her maiden name was Seviine," the King said almost sadly. "I was born an Arlon, so I was not given the mark."

I am a Komali... Gris thought realizing he never pondered his mother's maiden name.

"You should be happy for it, Your Highness," Joras said. "You would not be alive if so."

"Joras is right," Lord Hercones said giving Gris the terrified look he gave during their conversation at the Royal Temple. "What was said here cannot leave this room. If the Golden King hears she is his kin, everyone in Ardania will be in danger."

The shiver could be felt going through everyone.

"He must've missed someone in the Gold Madness," Maurice said.

"This would give him a reason to break the Northern Alliance he formed with King Thaddeus," Limp said.

"We will not ponder this any longer," the King said. Gris noticed his father's paled skin and how his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. "What happened tonight – in no doubt- was seen for miles. Everyone will be questioning it. I will meet with my Scribery and send word to every official in the kingdom to keep the peace. I will have a King's Summon as soon as possible this week. Gris. I would like you to be there to give your theory and anything you deem necessary. Hopefully, Mageia will be awake and join us."

Gris didn't feel any joy out of this. Just hours ago, everyone, especially his own father, was dousing him with scorn and rejection. And now that he had all the answers and a friendly relationship with the Fairest, he was needed. Perhaps later he may feel relieved and happy to be wanted for once.

"Okay. But I will need my notes and everything in my study to prepare."

"Then I shall release the ban. Immediately," the King said with a grim frown.

Lord Hercones cleared his throat. "Grisonce, I would like to have that book returned. The Priesthood have some reading to do."

"Very well," Gris said then glanced at Limp. "I best see to the House and make sure my workers are okay."

The door opened suddenly without a knock and Ser Garret and Ser Conner entered faces disgruntled.

"What's wrong," the King said what they all sensed.

"Carriers are flying in left to right, Your Highness," Ser Garret said. "People are worried and confused."

"We figured," he said.

"Yes, but reports are also arriving about riots brewing over the kingdom. Most in The Runes and leading out of Strana up the King's Road."

"Blessed be. The chaos has been unmasked," Lord Hercones muttered, pressing a weary hand to his heart, eyes staring at the sleeping Fairest.