The Seven Hills

Imagine, even just for a second, that you got to be the hero.

Imagine brown girl, handmaiden, lowborn, poor, someone who has always been the supporting role to everyone else — gets to be the hero. Because she has to be. Because someone has to stand up for what's right. Because if you see wrong being done and you do nothing to stop it — does that make you a part of it? Does that make you at fault for it?

Aliyah Baracnik, second child of her family, tries to keep her head down in the castle she works in. She serves the royal family, she cleans their linens, she washes their floors, she sends money home to her parents so that they can eat. She doesn't want to be the hero. She wants a quiet life. She doesn't know what she will have to do to earn it.

Her father has what he refers to as 'The Sight', which he keeps a secret. Their family doesn't need an extra target on their back. Aliyah has spent her life hearing that one day she, too, will have the sight. She doesn't want it. She wants her quiet life. She wants peace. She wants love.

Imagine that she loses things she didn't know she even wanted. Imagine that the only choice left in the world, is to become the hero. Imagine this girl, dark-skinned, big hair, dirty face, "lesser-than", makes herself the hero. Because someone has to be.