beat me," she said in a stunned tone, her mind clearly still trying to process what had happened.


    you-know-what, did you?" she asked.


    Artakane, Midaia had called her. Artakane of what house? Another part, hidden even deeper, seemed to whisper of what that house must be, but… no. Arta forced it down. She had the pieces, but it was all so huge her mind rebelled at the thought of fitting it together.


    too regular, and Arta frowned. Walking over, she sat down on the edge of her sister''s bed. "Karani, are you awake?" she asked quietly.


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    really worried," Karani said. "Come on, Arta – what''s wrong?"


    duchies if the census was correct. Arta had expected to see the large swathes of light that covered most of some continents as they swept lower, but the sheer scale of it, the countless spacecraft in the air, the lights… all of that was more than she could have imagined, and it took her breath away.


    Twilight Dagger descended through Carann''s atmosphere and emerged from a cloud bank over the capital city itself. Once again, Arta felt her breath catch. The city that stretched out below them was far larger than Tannen, and far more beautiful than Tantos City; it seemed like a great field of gleaming silvery spires that filled the entirety of the immense valley beneath them. And there, built upon a low ridge on the far eastern end, was a structure that Arta had never seen but that every child of the Dozen Stars would recognize – the Royal Palace itself. A cluster of almost crystalline towers that the city seemed to wear like a crown, it was surrounded by a halo of small ships as the competitors for the great tournament arrived.


    dare wear that hat you bought in Tannen, all right?"


    Sssshhh!" Arta hissed, but no sooner had she done so that the doors slowly opened. The contestants straightened themselves and then filed out onto the dueling floor where they joined the ranks of competitors from other duchies; they arranged themselves as they''d been instructed, facing the platform where the dukes sat. The distinguished-looking man in front must be the regent, Arta thought; she saw Duke Hiram''s round face not far away. Other dukes she recognized as well – the thin young man in a military uniform and a cold scowl must be Duke Respen, and the older, mustached man who had a cane leaning against his chair had to be Naudar, but her heart was hammering so hard that she couldn''t place the faces of the other, less powerful dukes and duchesses.


    that about?" Karani hissed when Arta rejoined her.