Chapter Seven

                                    

                                          
This text has been translated to a language you can understand
When I went to collect Ezra the next evening, he was already awake and ready. His robes were on and he was pacing around his room, brow furrowed. Fritillary was laying with his six feet tucked under his belly, watching Ezra with a calm look on his face. 
Both of the two princes looked my way when I walked in, though Ezra's gaze was whose I met. 
Trace, I'm so nervous, was the first thing he said to me, walking straight over. 
I gave him a timid smile, my ears falling back. A lot is going on these past couple days, huh? You've been nervous a lot. 
It's not funny, he groaned. Can I even do this? Run the whole city for a night?? 
I'll be by your side the entire time, I reminded him. We can do this together. 
I didn't tell him that I was battling nerves of my own, and that I had been up pacing not too long ago as well. I didn't tell him that I was worried about failing this test, and that I was aware of the rarity of my situation tonight and the privilege I had to be tested like this. 
I didn't tell him that I considered tonight the main, and possibly only opportunity to prove myself worthy of moving up through the ranks in the Mound, and that this would be the deciding factor in whether I would one day be on the council. 
I didn't tell him that I thought that if we failed tonight, we might not ever live it down. 
No, that would be terrible to tell him. 
So instead I said, there's nothing we can't handle together, your highness. Everything will be okay. 
His wide, golden eyes stared deeply into my yellow ones, and then his body relaxed a little, his tail dropping to the floor. 
Okay, he said slowly. Yeah, you're right. I can do this, especially with you by my side. 
Across the room, Fritillary rose to his feet. 
You two are so sappy, he said with a yawn. It's not like you'll be banished from the Mound if things go wrong tonight. 
But it's a TEST. Ezra turned to his brother as the small red Ca'lav made his way over to us. Nobody wants to fail a test. 
So? It's going to be fine. Fritillary stopped next to Ezra, then dipped his head and leaned it against Ezra's shoulder. Just be you, Ezra. 
Ezra's antennae pointed slowly downward, and he sucked in a deep breath. Okay. Yes. This is going to be good. As long as I don't mess up. 
Fritillary sighed, then stepped away from his brother. Let's go to the changeover meeting. You're hopeless. 
We should be going,  I agreed, and stepped aside so the princes could walk past me into the hall. 
We walked in our usual formation: Fritillary in front, and me and Ezra bringing up the rear, walking side by side. 
Ezra didn't say much tonight, though, as we navigated up and down the halls. His expression was thoughtful, with a tinge of worry. 
It'll be okay, I assured him privately, dipping my head down to look at him. 
He nodded, and I felt his tail brush up against mine. Thank you, Tracey. 
I could only give him a thin smile, my heart skipping a beat at the unexpected contact.