As Prime Minister Corrias approached to greet them, she saw his gaze flicker briefly over the wealth of Tairen's Eye crystals she wore. He bowed, and his forehead nearly touched the floor. "My Lord Feyreisen, Lady Ellysetta." There was respect in his voice. And a hint of fear. He had not escaped the other night's Spirit weave unscathed, then.

She murmured what she hoped was a suitable reply and breathed a little easier when Rain guided her past the prime minister, saying, "Come, shei’tani. We must greet our hosts, and give the prince and his betrothed our blessings.”

Queen Annoura, Ellysetta noted when they reached the dais, was missing the usual predatory gleam in her eyes. Instead, there was wariness and chilly respect and-as with Lord Corrias-a hint of fear. «She knows I spun that Spirit weave, doesn't she? »

«Dorian told her,» Rain confirmed.

Surprisingly, the queen's reaction hurt. Ellysetta was used to the fear and distrust of the common folk of the West End, but she had not expected it from the queen of all Celieria.

Behind the queen and off to one side, stood the queen's ladies-in-waiting, including a beautiful young woman with dark hair and stunning blue eyes, whom Ellie recalled meeting briefly at the previous dinner. What was her name? Jiarine? She was staring at Ellysetta with a strange intensity. Jiarine looked away as soon as their eyes met, but the brief exchange of glances left Ellysetta frowning. There was something unsettling about the lady.

King Dorian greeted her with a crooked smile and false heartiness. «I trust we'll have a less eventful evening tonight, Lady Ellysetta?» he added, surprising her by weaving his thoughts on the common Fey thread. «I'm getting a bit old for that much excitement. »

She blushed and promised to avoid the pinalle and keflee. After sharing a few more stilted pleasantries with the king and queen, Ellysetta and Rain moved to the left of the dais where Prince Dorian and his betrothed sat on smaller thrones.

The couple stood as they approached. The prince gave first Rain, then Ellysetta a quarter bow, and Lady Nadela made a curtsey of similar respect. There was no fear in either of their gazes, only youthful arrogance and a touch of resentment. Oddly enough, that made Ellysetta relax. The arrogance of Celierian nobility was something familiar and understood.

She stood silent as Rain laid his hands on the young couple and said, "The blessings of the Fey upon you, Prince Dorian and Lady Nadela. May you enjoy long life, prosperity, and the continuation of your line." He stepped back. Now you give them your blessing, Ellysetta.”

She gave the couple an apologetic look. "Though the Fey have accepted me as one of their own, I wouldn't feel right offering you their blessings. I do, however, believe in the grace and mercy of the gods. If you'll permit me, it's their blessing I'd like to request on your behalf”

Prince Dorian and Lady Nadela shared a glance, then the prince nodded. "Of course.”

Ellysetta smiled, relieved. "Thank you." She reached out and took the couple's hands in hers. "May the gods bless you, Prince Dorian and Lady Nadela, with a long life, a strong love, and the happiness of many healthy children." A strange, tingling warmth hummed through her, and her vision took on the fecund green glow of Earth. The tingling sensation concentrated in her chest, then traveled down the lengths of her arms and into her hands, where it flowed out of her fingertips and was gone, leaving only a cozy warmth and slight weariness.

She blinked and shook herself to clear her head. The prince and his bride stood before her, swaying slightly. The Tairen's Eye crystal on her wrist shone with glimmering rainbow lights that dimmed even as she glanced at it in surprise.

A hand touched her elbow. Approval and joy and gleaming hope flooded her senses as Rain guided her away from the royals.

"That was no level-one weave," Kieran said.

The warriors shared glances amongst themselves. "The gods are her key," Bel murmured.

"What is it?" she asked. "What did I do?”

"You spun a shei'dalin's weave upon them," Rain told her. "You gave them health. And long life. And fertility.”

"I did?”

"Aiyah.”

"How did I do that?”

"We've all seen you spin powerful weaves before, despite the barriers that seem to block your magic most of the time. We've finally realized how you do it. The gods are your key. You call upon them just before you weave instinctive magic." He cocked his head to one side. "Your mother raised you to believe that magic was evil but miracles from the gods were good. So when you need a small miracle, you call upon the gods, and they answer by releasing the magic within you. That's your key.”

"You called upon the gods just before you made my heart weep again," Bel said. "And when you took Adrial's memory.

"And again just now," Kieran added.

Ellysetta saw the surprise and certainty in all their faces. A thousand scenes flashed across her mind: her effectiveness at kissing away the pain when one of the twins came to her with a small wound; her ability to soothe her mother's agitation; the ease with which she found lost objects and even lost children on occasion; the way she could make herself all but invisible in a crowd when shyness overwhelmed her. The way she'd prayed and prayed for sisters-precious twins-to love.

She, Ellysetta Baristani, had made all those things happen. She may have offered herself as the vessel through which the gods could work their small glories, but the magic that made it possible had come from within. She had been working magic all her life. Just as Rain had claimed from the start. She stared up at him in shock.