Vellasera didn't need an excuse to throw a party, but it appreciated having one.
Katarina's tenth birthday had turned the port town's central square into a small festival. There were lanterns hung between the buildings on strings, food stalls dragged out of storage, and someone had set up a music stage near the fountain where three women were playing stringed instruments with more enthusiasm than skill.
Valdari celebrated every birthday, but the tenth was different. Katarina had gathered enough cultural context over the years to understand why. Ten was when a child stopped being a child in the eyes of the community. Now, she was still not an adult, not yet, but she was no longer a cute decoration.
Ten was when cultivation potential was formally assessed. Ten was when the family learned what their kid was made of.
Brynn had been vibrating about it for a week.
