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At the center of the palace was a solds of Lightsong’s ht with ribbons of darker colors--deep blues, greens, and blood reds Each was a true color, directly on hue, as only a person who had attained the Third Heightening could distinguish

As Lightsong stepped into the roohter, more intense, yet somehow remained dark The maroon became a ht, a contrast only Breath could inspire

In the center of the room was a child

Why does it always have to be a child? Lightsong thought

Llari stepped forward, and the little girl glanced to the side, where a couple of priests stood in red and gold robes They nodded encouragingly The girl looked back toward Lightsong, obviously nervous

"Here now," Lightsong said, trying to sound encouraging "There’s nothing to fear"

And yet, the girl trembled

Lecture after lecture--delivered by Llarimar, who had claiods--drifted through Lightsong’s head There was nothing to fear froods were a blessing They provided visions of the future, as well as leadership and wisdo

Breath

Lightsong hesitated, but his weakness was co hiirl’s face in his oversized hands She began to cry, but she said the words, clear and distinct as she had been taught "My life to yours My Breath beco in the air It traveled along Lightsong’s arm--the touch was necessary--and he drew it in His weakness vanished, the dizziness evaporated Both were replaced with crisp clarity He felt invigorated, revitalized, alive

The girl grew dull The color of her lips and eyes faded slightly Her brown hair lost some of its luster; her cheeks becaht Most people say they can’t even tell that their Breath is gone She’ll live a full life Happy Her fahtsong would live for another week His aura didn’t grow stronger from Breath upon which he fed; that was another difference between a Returned and an Awakener The latter were soarded as inferior, man-made approximations of the Returned

Without a new Breath each week, Lightsong would die Many Returned outside of Hallandren lived only eight days Yet with a donated Breath a week, a Returned could continue to live, never aging, seeing visions at night which would supposedly provide divinations of the future Hence the Court of the Gods, filled with its palaces, where gods could be nurtured, protected, and--most importantly--fed

Priests hustled forward to lead the girl out of the roo at all

Her eyes one from them She had become a Drab A Dull, or a Faded One A person without Breath It would never grow back The priests took her away

Lightsong turned to Llariht," he said "Let’s see the Offerings"

Llarimar raised an eyebrow over his bespectacled eyes "You’re accoive so useless

They passed through several old, most of which were perfectly square with doors on all four sides Near the eastern side of the palace, they entered a long, thin roo very unusual in Hallandren The walls were lined with paintings and poehtsong as he stepped up to the first painting

"Well?" Llarile, with drooping palms and colorful flowers There were soardens around the Court of Gods, which hy Lightsong recognized thele--at least, not during this incarnation of his life

"The painting is all right," Lightsong said "Not my favorite Makes me think of the outside I wish I could visit"

Llari said "The court gets old sometimes"

"There isn’t much wine in the forest, Your Grace"

"I could "

"I’ to one of his aides outside the roo had said about the painting So fro It probably had to do with bravery--perhaps the patron was planning to propose n a risky business deal The priests would interpret Lightsong’s opinion of the painting, then give the person an augury--either for good or for ill--along with the exact words Lightsong had said Either way, the act of sending a painting to the god would gain the patron soood fortune

Supposedly

LightsongA lesser priest rushed forward, re it Most likely, the patron hadn’t painted it hi was, the better a reaction it tended to get froods One’s future, it seemed, could be influenced by how much one could pay one’s artist