Hireth walked off the stage as they applauded her, and the man and woman standing with Eric and Illius quickly embraced her.
“Hireth, you were lovely!” the woman exclaimed. “Thank you so much for coming.”
Hireth nodded, wiping a few tears from her cheeks. “It’s… a nice goodbye,” she told the woman. “And a nice way to… celebrate Porta.”
“You knew her, didn’t you?” the woman asked. “You were in Dotric at the time…”
Hireth merely smiled.
The woman seemed to understand. “Do you have your lanterns yet?”
Hireth shook her head.
“Well, here you go.” She led them over to a table with a few candles burning on it. “Write whatever you want on them. We have a few more speakers, and then we’ll light them all.”
“Anything?” Hireth raised a mischievous eyebrow.
“Who’s gonna know?” The woman smiled.
“Alright then.” Hireth took a pen and a paper lantern before looking up at Eric and Illius. “Aren’t you guys gonna help?”
“Sure.” Eric walked over. “What do we write?”
“Whatever you want to,” Hireth said. “Something that would scandalize the patriarchy.”
“I got this.” Eric smirked.
“Aion help us.” Hireth started to write on hers. After a moment, she straightened up. “What’ve you guys got?”
“One second, Illius needs some help with his.” Eric reached for Illius’ lantern.
“No.” Illius pulled it away.
“Come on.” Eric tried to elbow him out of the way.
“No!” Illius still objected.
Eric snagged it, dashed around the table, and started to write on it. Illius set his pen down in defeat.
“I hope that was worth it.” Hireth looked at him, minorly amused, as he straightened up.
“You go first.” Eric pointed at hers.
Hireth held up one side. “Hex the patriarchy.” Then, she turned it around. “The biggest lie ever told was about Porta Thwaites.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Eric asked.
“It’s just what I think she would need to hear.” Hireth brushed it off. “What’s yours?”
“Your husband is gay,” Eric read off. “I hope it lands in some lady’s front flower bed and she thinks it’s a secret message from a neighbor or something.”
Hireth sighed. “Alright. Whatever. And the other side?”
“He looks great in pink.” Eric smirked.
“Beautiful.” Hireth turned to Illius. “And yours?”
“Better a witch than a bitch,” Illius said softly, biting his lip softly and stealing glances at Hireth.
“I like that one.” She smiled. “And the back?”
“Uh… any therian is…” Illius broke off and looked helplessly at Eric.
“Any therian is sexier than your white ass,” Eric said proudly.
Hireth snorted and then put her hand to her face, stifling a laugh.
“See?” Eric nudged Illius. “She loves it.”
“You’re a dumbass.” She shook her head and led them back over to the man and woman and the other speakers.
“Ready?” the woman asked brightly. “We’re just about ready to light up.”
“Let’s do it,” Hireth said.
“What did you all decide to write?” the woman asked. “Something scandalous, I hope?”
“Oh, definitely.” Hireth rolled her eyes at her nephew with a soft smile.
The woman giggled. “Terrific. Let’s do this.”
Hireth shook open her lantern and summoned orange magic to the tip of her finger. Illius took a moment and looked back at the sea of people gathered around them. Lights bobbed in and out of the crowd as everyone lit the paper lanterns and held them up in the sky.
“Illius.” Eric took his lantern and handed it to Hireth, who lit it. He gave it back to Illius, and for a moment their hands touched. Eric smiled in the firelight—one of those mischievous, I-got-you-and-you-know-it grins.
“Let ’em go.” Hireth pushed hers up in the sky and watched for a moment as the sea of lanterns took off. Illius stared, taking in the sight as the lights billowed and bobbed in the breeze.
“What’s that?” The woman next to them held up a rune-covered communication device to her ear. Illius saw a flash of green magic as a transmission came through. Must be homemade—enforcers’ devices certainly didn’t have noticeable magic like that. She shot a nervous glance at the man beside her. “We have to go now. There’s a big group of enforcers headed our way.”
“That’s my cue.” Hireth pulled her hood up over her face and motioned to Eric and Illius. “Let’s go.”
“Godspeed.” The woman embraced her again. “In all your travels. We’ll miss you.”
“You as well.” Hireth returned the embrace and rushed Illius and Eric off, leading them through a side gate. She paused as they reached the main street; she peeked beyond the park, further to the right. Wagons and torches rounded the curb as enforcers started rolling in. “Go home,” Hireth told Eric and Illius, her hands gathering green magic as she turned back to the park.
“What are you doing?” Illius darted in front of her. “I don’t… Please don’t go.” He couldn’t lose her. What if they put her in a cell like him? If they caught her, what would happen?
“Illius…” Hireth hesitated and turned back. “Fine, let’s go.”
They walked as quickly as they could in the opposite direction. Hireth looked back as the park-goers and the enforcers started to clash.
“You’re not here to start a war,” Hireth mumbled to herself. “They’ll be fine.”
They turned a corner to cross the river into their own neighborhood, and the sounds started to fade.
“I feel like a coward,” Hireth muttered.
“What would you tell me if I said that?” Eric asked her.
She didn’t hesitate. “You’re not a coward to pick your battles. Always live to fight another day.”
Eric just gave her a look.
“Point taken,” she said.
The rest of the streets looked deserted, and they reached the bakery safely.
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