ELRETH

Elreth needed to move. There was a tingling need inside her to be on her feet, to let her body shift and move and…

How could her mother expect her to just accept this on her word?

She leaped to her feet and began to pace back and forth in front of the couch while her mother sat in the chair that faced it, a soft but beaming smile on her face.

"You're really freaking me out here, Mom," Elreth growled. "The disformed didn't even tell Aaryn about this. He knew there were defectors. He didn't know some of them were coming back with humans in tow."

"Only the ones with True Mates, and only those that have already been identified as… as having good hearts," her mother said firmly.

"I can't believe you told Gar about this and you won't tell me."

"I didn't tell Gar," her mother said, the smile suddenly falling from her face. "He discovered this all on his own. I was forced to… to accept that he was a part of it." Then her eyes cut up to meet Elreth's. "You won't understand until you're a mother—which I pray will happen for you quickly—but believe me, when your children grow and are no longer under your care… it's terrifying. Easily the scariest thing I've ever been through."

"That's what you said about Dad fighting the wolves when you were gone," Elreth pointed out.

"That was the most frightening up to that point in my life," her mother agreed. "But… it's just different when it's your children. Your father, if he'd been killed, it would have killed me. But he was an adult, and the King. I knew he was doing exactly what he should, even if I hated it. When it's your kids… it's just different, El. No matter how old you get, no matter how much of a Queen, or a Dominant you are, I will never stop seeing you as my daughter—to be protected and guided and… just trust me. When your kids start making their own way, it's terrifying."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Do," her mother said sharply. "But that's not what's important right now."

"Yes, it is, because you've told Gar this—the why's of this, and why it's good. And he's just as certain as you are, and it seems like neither of you are even considering the potential implications—"

"Oh, we considered them, don't you worry about that. I lived through war, El. You haven't yet—and I pray you never have to. But that only makes me more certain this had to happen—no matter the consequences. The alternative could be worse."

"What could possibly be worse than annihilation at the hands of the humans?"

"That's exactly what you should be asking yourself," her mother answered seriously. "I pray it never comes down to a choice, but if it does, Elreth, you hear me on this: If this goes bad and the humans show up… what might have happened would be worse."

"That can't be!"

"Yes, it can."

"Tell me how!"

"I can't. For your own safety, and the safety of the Anima, I can't."

"Oh, so now you have some shred of concern for the people?" Elreth snapped.

Her mother pushed to her feet and stalked over to put a finger under Elreth's nose.

Elreth had almost a foot of height on her mother, and was stronger. But when her mother came at her with that look on her face, one finger waving like that, Elreth was suddenly ten again and about to get a spanking.

"Don't you ever, EVER imply that I do not care for the people, Elreth. Don't you EVER."

"I'm sorry, Mom, this is just so—"

"No, you listen to me, young lady—the Creator is here. He is real. And He has a plan. And trust me, I'm the first to understand how scary and frustrating it can be when He moves without telling you why, or even that He's going to. But time after time after time I can tell you I have seen His hand at work. And in this He has chosen to share His plan with me. So I will not waver. And you… you just pray. You pray for the safety of the people, you pray for wisdom to make the right decisions as Queen. And you pray that you don't ever get tempted to throw that accusation at me again, because if you do I swear I will kick your ass."

Elreth blinked. "Are you… dominating me?"

"Not yet. Do you want me to?"

They stared at each other, Elreth shocked, her mother deadly serious.

"I think this is the weirdest conversation I've ever had," Elreth sighed.

Her mother slumped and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, sweetie, trust me. It's going to get WAY weirder than this," she laughed, "But it's okay. Your mate loves you. I love you. Your father loves you—even your brother, though he'd kill me for saying so. Do you know he got worried about you going off with Aaryn alone when you hadn't been mating for long? He was afraid you'd get scared or Aaryn would do something that hurt you and he thought you should have someone… anyway, the point is, don't tell him I told you that he cares about you, because he's just Alpha-male-bullshitty enough to lie and then he'll never talk to me about how he's really feeling again, and that would kill me."

Elreth gaped at her mother, then groaned and slumped back onto the couch, dropping her face in her hands. "I don't even know what to think right now, let alone what to say."

Her mother took the seat next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "You do what you always do, Elreth: You work with the information you have. You make the best choice you can. And you pray thanks to the Creator that He's got the power to clean up your messes if you get it wrong."

"He can't clean up the extinction of the Anima because I screw up and the humans come through with their guns or whatever those things were called."

Her mother leaned her head on Elreth's shoulder. "You might be surprised, dear."