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hers. “Your new life begins today, young pledges. Do not disappoint your Queen.”
    Tali’s mouth went dry as she struggled to keep her face neutral.
    Telendor stepped forward again and pulled the Blade of Tequende from his sheath. “Leave now, those who would be servants.”
    Tali swallowed a gasp as almost a third of the crowd filed out to the edges of the room to join the gray-clad servants who stood in a stance of humiliation, arms crossed, heads bowed. Zarif had
been right: those who left were mostly girls and Earth Guilders. Quietly, they exited the room to take the Pledge of Service elsewhere. Probably the kitchens, thought Tali with a twinge of guilt as
she caught sight of Brindl among them.
    “Those who remain will bend their knees and repeat after me,” said Telendor.
    Tali dropped to the cold stone floor along with the remaining pledges.
    “Tonight I pledge my life to the service of my Queen.”
    The voices around Tali echoed in unison, sounding both young and old.
    “I will uphold the Oath of Guilds but foreswear my own for the greater good.”
    Telendor signaled them to rise. “Stand now and serve your realm with honor, pledges of Alcazar. From this day forward your allegiance belongs not to your guilds, but to me. May the Gods
protect you.”
    As Tali stood, she instinctively raised her fist in response to the blessing—a raised fist, symbolizing the sun, the sign of the guild she’d just sworn to forsake.
Stupid,
she said to herself, though she wasn’t the only one to make the mistake. All around her, Moon Guilders touched fingers to forehead; Earth Guilders, hand to heart. Apparently, shedding the
habits of their guilds would require more than bended knee.

T hroughout their history, Tequendians have remained socially organized by their own creation myth, which goes as follows: In the beginning,
    Mother Earth Machué gave birth to two children, the Sun God Intiq and the Moon Goddess Elia. To Intiq she gave the gifts of resourcefulness, creativity, and craftsmanship. To Elia she gave
    the gifts of wisdom, beauty, and art. For herself, Mother Earth kept the gifts of strength, humility, and steadfastness. The human children of these three Gods populate the realm of Tequende,
    providing for themselves according to their gifts. The Sun Guilders work as artisans and traders, builders and merchants. The Moon Guilders employ themselves as scholars and doctors, poets and
    artists. The Earth Guilders, in turn, provide the bulk of the realm’s labor as farmers and miners, stablekeeps and nursemaids.
    —M. DE S AAVEDRA ,
The Rise of Tequende: A History

T he servants in gray returned just as quickly as they had left, and now bustled throughout the Great Hall, arranging the long wooden tables and
benches that had been stacked along the walls. Commander Telendor and his four centurios were already seated at a table on the platform, joined by various officers and guards of the Alcazar.
    “Shall we sit together for supper?” Tali asked Chey and Zarif.
    Chey gave Tali a quizzical look, then shook his head. “No, thank you. May Machué bless your meal.” He nodded politely to her and Zarif before turning toward the table behind
him and seating himself among a group of fellow Earth Guilders.
    Tali looked at Zarif, who shrugged and gestured to a table next to them, where pledges from their own guilds sat in a mix of white and colorful costumes. The discussion at the table had already
turned loud and animated, and Tali found herself thinking of Nel, and how impossible it would be to read so many lips at once. For a time she allowed herself to shut out the sounds, as if she were
inside Nel’s silent world, and focus on the corncakes and potato stew placed in front of her. Though the food was plain, it was filling, and Tali spooned it into her mouth until every last
bit was gone, only vaguely aware of the introductions and conversations taking place around her.
    “And what do you think, Tali?” Zarif