Chapter 2

The next morning, I checked my communication crystal.

The the council thread had 99+ unread pulses.

Rosalind had tagged me once, in a voice imprint. I tapped it.

"Elara, I changed the ceremony hymn. The one you picked was too gloomy. A bonding should feel lighter."

Caelan's reply came right under it.

"Agreed. The original hymn doesn't fit the occasion. Half the temple will be there. Pick something lighter."

The original hymn didn't fit?

I had spent a whole month choosing it.

It was the song my parents had played at their bonding. Hearing it always made my eyes burn. They had died far too young, and I had wanted them to be present in some small way.

Caelan knew that.

So did Rosalind.

And they still called it gloomy.

Rosalind kept going in the thread.

"Elara never likes making decisions. We can just choose these things for her."

Caelan replied with one word.

"Agreed."

I stared at it without moving.

Messages streamed past, one after another.

No one noticed that I was in the thread.

No one noticed that I was silent.

I had no role in my own bonding.

I opened my private thread with Caelan.

The last exchange was still from yesterday's fitting.

I had written, I'm a little nervous.

He had sent back a small glowing rune — the temple version of a pat on the head.

After that, nothing.

He hadn't even reached out privately after I left early to ask what was wrong.

The only thing he'd done was tag me in the council thread later that night.

"What happened? Got too nervous and slipped out early?"

No one answered. No one cared.

Rosalind posted a portrait with the caption, Elara, today's fitting was perfect. The vestment is officially confirmed!

And just like that, it was forgotten.

They went back to discussing flowers, scrolls, and altar arrangements.

Suddenly, I realized I wasn't just unnecessary.

While I was packing, Rosalind suddenly called through the crystal.

When I answered, someone was applying her makeup.

"Elara, you're moving way too slow. The makeup team still isn't confirmed, so I booked one myself. I'm testing them out for you first."

I listened at Rosalind in front of the mirror and wanted to say something.

But I no longer knew what.

Two weeks ago, I had told her my closest friend would handle my bridal adornment. But my voice never seemed to reach her. She just made every decision for me.

Had I never pushed back?

I had.

It always ended with the same line.

"Elara, you're the older one. Don't make a big deal out of this."

Miles had known me longer than anyone. He always took her side.

Then Caelan stepped into my life and chased me with everything he had.

The High Priest the whole continent feared used to walk me home through the dark and tell me my quiet, dreamy ways were lovely.

I thought he liked me that way.

But after he met Rosalind, his preferences seemed to shift.

Without realizing it, he started saying that women should be lively. Decisive.

One day, I finally said it. "Can you stop being so close to Rosalind? You need better boundaries with her."

I thought he'd understand.

Instead, he laughed, ruffled my hair, and brushed it off.

"Boundaries? Once we're bonded, Rosalind will be part of the temple family too. Do you want me to treat her like a stranger?"

I went quiet.

Of course I didn't want them at each other's throats.

But the words You're the older one, so you should be more understanding had pressed down on me for years.

For the first time, they were heavy enough to suffocate me.

They had all forgotten I was only two years older than her.

I wanted someone to ask me, Do you like this?

But no one ever cared.