with a party before she warms Malovia with her light.”
Milonna was my goddess, and the one who’d chosen me to be her champion. I loved learning about her.
“Ale tents are set up in the main square in Dolinska,” Ethan said. “The party’s there. The others are already waiting.”
The tents in Dolinska were gigantic, able to fit hundreds of people. We stepped inside, where Arcanea were taking tickets at the front counter. Ethan paid for both of us before he wound us within the tables of the festival.
“Why do you always pay for me?” I asked.
“You’re my lady,” he replied. “Why shouldn’t I?”
“Well, I’d like to treat you now and then.” I nudged him. “You don’t always have to play the role of prince charming.”
Ethan smiled, like the idea was pleasant to him, but said nothing more.
Boginaval was set up differently than Heimskanun. Huge bonfires blazing in the middle kept the tent warm, sorceresses dancing around them. In a square arena, alicorns sparred in their animal forms, using their horns like swords while people threw coin and cheered around them.
Marked sold woven flower and grass crowns at vendors, which Marked bought and put in their hair. Ethan purchased two carnations from a girl selling them by the bunch, and handed one to me. I smelled it, and magically, the petals bloomed right before my eyes.
A pretty illusion. The scent of flowers was so strong in the tent, it was almost overpowering.
There was a loud band, which played traditional Malovian music. On the dance floor, couples twirled to the polka before coming together in a group dance. Long tables and benches were throughout the tent, loaded with food. Mugs of ale were everywhere, and at the back of the tent, giant tankards as big as dragons were being poured from every second.
It was clear by the tipsy Arcanea at every table that the main purpose of Boginaval was to get very drunk. The fae sang along to the folk songs played by the band, ale spilling from mugs. The Arcanea Alliance watched, police stationed throughout the tent to make sure a bar brawl didn’t break out.
An altar was set up to Milonna at the head of the tent. There was a statue of the deer goddess before the wide table. On the table were eggs, flowers, and seeds. A few children played with rabbits near the altar, giggling and stroking their soft fur.
Ethan crossed to the table. He kissed his flower, and laid it upon the altar as an offering. I went to follow his lead, though I felt a wiggle in my stomach when I touched the altar.
Milonna was my goddess. I felt a special connection with her. She was the goddess of romance and love. Two things that I was grateful to experience.
Yet she was also the goddess of fertility and motherhood— something I would never have.
I kissed the carnation. If it’s possible, and you find it in your favor, let it be me one day.
I laid the flower on the altar, aware that Ethan’s eyes were on me. He’d been watching. He couldn’t hear my thoughts, but it damn felt like he could.
His eyes scanned the crowd for our friends. “Where are they...?”
We didn’t have to ask. Even with the music, Stefan’s loud voice was booming across the room. Our group took up an entire table of our own, near the back right corner. Everyone was dressed in winter clothes to keep warm— except for Odette, who was wearing this big, overly poofy white dress that had the embroidery of flowers stitched into the fabric, and with a pink bow in the back that tied it altogether.
I was glad to see her wearing something spectacular like normal, and not the big, baggy clothes she’d taken to lately. Maybe she was getting better.
But then again, I noticed Odette’s plate was once again empty, as it had been most days we’d eaten together. I frowned. Things hadn’t improved since I’d spoken to her.
We slid onto the bench, and Stefan said, “About time you showed up! I thought you’d never come.”
“Ethan came, all right,” Delmare cracked. Odette and Kiara giggled. I bit my lip to keep from laughing with them. I’d told the three of them what had happened between Ethan and I in the Conservatory. It’d been so exciting it was hard to keep it to myself.
Stefan wiggled his eyebrows. “Ah, so that’s what took you so long.”