Back at the palace, a Naming Ritual was held in secret.
Only the innermost circle attended. The child had not yet been born, but tradition demanded an offering.
Aurelia placed a bloodstone in the flames and whispered a name the spirits gave her in a dream:
"Elian."
The flames flared silver, and the air shivered.
In the silence that followed, Soraya asked, "Is it a boy?"
Aurelia smiled faintly. "Not even the spirits know. That's what makes it dangerous."