Dindi
Even though she felt invited, Dindi was afraid to come too close to the bears. She stayed behind a big boulder covered in moss and lichen.
All the bears began to glow with warm, golden light. Their fur changed into long blond hair and fine, flowing clothes. Their heavy limbs became slim and graceful. Their bear snouts pulled back into the faces of beautiful men and women. Wings like autumn leaves opened from their backs.
They were the Brundorfae—High Yellow fae.
They held hands and began to dance.
If sunlight, the strength of a lion, and the taste of fresh butter on a crisp pisha could be turned into motion, it would look like the dance of the Brundorfae.
Dindi's feet moved closer without her meaning to.
The golden-haired maiden with the hurt leg glanced over her shoulder at Dindi.
Then she turned back and joined the dance again.
Lower fae began to gather around the Brundorfae. The circle of dancing grew wilder. A tiny pixie landed on Dindi's shoulder.
"Come dance with us!" he chirped.
What did Dindi have to stay for?
Basket weaving? Cooking? Sewing? Working hard every day for some sweaty husband and a bunch of noisy children?
She knew what would happen. Days from now, they'd find her body—bloody and broken, surrounded by bear tracks.
That's just like Dindi, they'd say. She wandered off and got herself mauled by a bear.
Gwenika would feel more sure than ever that they should never have been friends.
Maybe even Kavio would hear about it and think she had it coming.
Hadi, Jensi, the rest of her family—they would be sad for a while, but they'd move on. She'd become a story told to scare little ones away from the woods.
No one would ever guess the joy she had felt in her final days. The undeserved happiness. Dancing—truly dancing—for the first and last time in her life. Hand in hand with High fae.
Dindi took a step toward the faery circle.
It swirled like golden fire, glowing and spinning.
The music pulsed through her—through the woods, through her blood.
Another step. Then another.
The Brundorfae opened the circle to let her in.
A handsome male Brundorfae took her hand.
She danced with them now. She jumped, spun, and leapt beside them, keeping pace. But until she closed the circle—until she took both hands—she would not be trapped forever. Not yet.
She didn't know how long she danced. Time didn't work the same in faery dances. She just wanted to enjoy this one hour, this one perfect moment.
The circle of Brundorfae danced through the woods. They moved without a clear path, whirling wildly.
This was the Circle of Eternity, Kavio had called it.
They reached a ridge between two soft, forested slopes. The dance spun like a storm.
The golden-haired maiden reached out her hand to Dindi.
"Don't be afraid," she said. Her fingers brushed Dindi's. "Take my hand."
Let go… Let go… the faery song sang.
But Dindi heard something else, low and steady beneath the wild music.
Drums.
At first, she barely noticed. Then she felt them. A firm rhythm, sober and strong, against the drunken joy of the fae.
Tavaedi drums.
The Tavaedi Initiates were dancing for the first time today.
Curiosity bit her, sharp and sudden.
What were they learning now? What stories were they dancing? What secrets were they uncovering?
If she stayed in the faery ring, she would never know.
Of course, she told herself, she would never know anyway. She wasn't one of them. She had no magic. She couldn't be a Tavaedi.
But that didn't stop the itch of curiosity.
The need to know pulled her back. She stepped away from the whirling fae, toward the steady beat of the drums.
For a moment, she stood between both worlds.
Behind her, wild faery light danced and shimmered.
Ahead, steady drumming thundered like a heartbeat.
She stepped over the ridge.
Toward the Tavaedies.
The faery music faded. The drumming grew louder in her ears.
Soon she saw bear hides hanging from posts. Behind the wall of hides, the Tavaedies danced.
She stood on a hidden rise. From here, she could see them clearly, but they could not see her.
She watched.
She could see every part of their dancing—from the feathers and painted disks on their tall masks to the tips of their toes as they kicked and spun.
When they took off their masks, she saw familiar faces—teachers like Brena and Abiono, and others she knew.
It felt like being home again. Like watching the Tavaedies perform back in the Corn Hills.
She could learn the dances just by watching. She could copy them, study them, practice them on her own.
No one had to know.
It would be so easy.
If they caught her, they would kill her.
The world shimmered. It felt like a Vision was about to begin—but no Vision came.
Instead, the real world snapped into sharp focus.
Colors glowed. Sounds blended like music. Her whole body trembled with clarity.
She saw herself as if from the outside, caught in the middle of everything.
On one side stood everyone she had ever known: the Tavaedies, the tribes, her family—even Mama.
All of them said the same thing.
You have no magic. You don't belong. You can't dance. Stay small. Stay in your place.
On the other side, there was only Dindi.
Stubborn. Foolish. Proud enough to believe maybe—just maybe—she knew better.
Maybe I'm no good. Maybe I don't have magic. Maybe I don't belong. But I will dance. Even if I have to do it alone. Even in secret. Even if I have to steal it. I will dance.
And then, the world shifted.
Not visibly—but she felt it. As if the trees, the earth, the sky itself all moved to support her. As if the wild places of the world cheered for her choice. As if the natural world was on her side.
She looked down at the dancers below.
She didn't know the tama they were dancing. That thrilled her.
But she knew many of the moves. That delighted her.
I can do this. I can learn this.
She chose someone to copy.
Why not start with Zavaedi Brena?
Dindi giggled.
Why not?
There was no turning back now. Her boat was already in the river. From this day forward, she would be living a secret, dangerous life. She would always be one breath away from being caught.
And yet… none of that mattered.
Soon she forgot everything else.
Her body followed the dance.
That was all that mattered now.