CHAPTER 32

Megara sat at the patio table, irritated that she had to waste her time on this pointless lesson task. Every few minutes she coughed, leaving black specks on her handkerchief. She barely listened to King Damien’s speech aimed at the Adian brat.

“Today we have a very important lesson in store for you. It is all about Wisdom, the mark that looks like a sturdy chain. What would the world be like without wisdom? We would all be fools, Tovi. Fools about life and love and success. Wisdom is one of the keys to our perfect little world,” King Damien began as they finished their breakfast. “I have brought Megara here today because she is the absolute finest example of someone who lives a life brimming with the fruit of wisdom. By the end of the day you will have a much better understanding of our world and your place in it. Now run along, you two. There is much to learn!”

Megara stood and began walking down the path toward the courtyard carrying a small sack. She wished Tovi would hurry up so they could get this lesson over with. There were much more important things on her mind.

The night before had proven to be most informative for Megara, and she was trying to decide what to do with her new information. Struggling to fall asleep because of her chronic cough, she had gone out to her balcony to get some fresh air. Movement in the courtyard below caught her by surprise. Looking closely, she realized it was Xanthe and Tovi arriving at Xanthe’s house, just next door. Curiosity awakened within her, and she was consumed with the need to know what they had been up to. Staying in the shadows, she moved to the far edge of her balcony, only twenty feet from Xanthe’s open window. She heard their entire conversation.

What would she do with this knowledge? What would King Damien think when he found out the future Queen Xanthe had the heart in her palm? Megara’s insides purred with satisfaction. But for now, she must focus on her pupil.

Without any sort of introduction, Megara began to speak, looking straight forward and walking at a brisk pace. She could have been talking to herself for all the acknowledgment she gave Tovi.

“The key to understanding Wisdom is accepting that life will never be the way you want it. Others will always be better than you. They will have the things and people you want. There are not enough men, meals, drinks, or gold to make you happy. You must give up nonsensical dreams of happiness. Happiness is a mirage, something to forever chase and never reach. There will always be pain, heartache, misfortune, and loss. There will never be enough of anything for everyone.”

They stopped on the corner of two dingy streets in the Bottom Rung. Children ran through the alleys wearing threadbare shoes. Bakers and merchants called out to passersby in coarse language. Megara watched Tovi closely. The Adian’s eyes seemed to be caught by a group of men in gray uniforms who were sweeping and clearing trash from the gutters outside of a worn-down building with a swinging green sign.

“Look at them, Tovi. They are not worthy of any position in this entire kingdom except cleaning the muck off these streets. That is their role. It is their identity. They are worthless without their ability to work. Do you think they want that life? Of course not. But it’s all they get.”

Megara clapped her hands loudly. The commotion around her stilled, and all eyes turned in her direction. A woman with hot pink hair came out of the closest building, and a small girl peeked around her skirt.

“You, woman, come here!” she called. The mother, with her daughter still clinging to her, walked a few paces into the street, looking unsure and glancing several times at Tovi.

Megara opened the small sack in her hands and drew out several heavy gold coins. In a suspiciously sweet tone she asked, “What would you do with these if I gave them to you?”

“I—I don’t know. Probably new clothes for my children. Some extra food for the pantry.”

Megara turned toward the small girl and bent down so they were on eye level. “Do you want this, child?” She held her laden hand out.

The little girl pulled her fingers out of her mouth and tentatively reached toward the sparkling coins. As she was about to touch them, Megara pulled her hand back and straightened up. “Too late. I’ll keep them.” She put the coins back in the sack and turned to Tovi. “That is how life works. When something seems too good to be true, it is. When things look to be going your way, they aren’t really. All we have in life is what we’ve earned and a tiny bit of luck.”

She looked closely at her student. Tovi was very quiet, but her eyes were scrunched in anger. “Do you feel sorry for them?”

Tovi remained quiet, eyeing the people that had gathered along the street.

“Answer me!” Megara demanded.

Tovi waited a beat and then swung her glance up to Megara. “Of course, I do, but not as much as I despise you,” she said quietly, grabbing the sack out of Megara’s hand and tossing it at the feet of the pink-haired woman before Megara could register what was happening. “You’re miserable and loathsome. I’d rather be a fool than die a little bit every day for the sake of your wisdom.”

Megara brought her face so close to Tovi that she could see the details of the little purple star in her eye. Every nerve in her body prickled with a mix of sickly shame and enraged pride. But she refused to show it. Not to this wretched Adian. “I know things, Tovi. Things that will break you. You’ll be sorry you didn’t play along with this little lesson. I have other ways to teach you. Soon enough you will understand wisdom.”