ELRETH

It struck Elreth in that moment that her parents were people. Flawed people. Not that she'd ever denied the fact… but she'd always had so much trust in them. So much certainty of their good hearts and desires to do right, that when they got things wrong she'd just blindly trusted them to make it right.

But now, here, in this moment…

Was it possible her mother was completely wrong about what she'd been doing? And her father had been so blindly trusting, that she'd been able to do it without any interference?

Was Elreth going to have to save the Anima from her own mother? From her father's besotted ignorance?

What the hell was she missing? And why wouldn't her mother tell her about it?

Elreth pushed her hair back off her face as her parents looked at each other again. She wanted to snap at them. What were they saying to each other with those deep looks and tight silences? Why was there so much subtext to this conversation that should just be information sharing?

What weren't they telling her?

"Dad, can I talk to Mom, please?" she asked wearily a moment later when it became clear neither of them was going to add more.

"Sure, honey." Her father pushed himself out of the couch with a sigh, his massive frame looming over her even from the other side of the low table. He turned those deep-thinking eyes on her and gave a small smile. "I know it's hard, El. I know you feel like you're floundering—and maybe you are. But things will become clear eventually. They always do. Don't let your doubts overwhelm your senses. Listen to the instincts the Creator gave you. You'll get there, and you'll look back on this time and just feel sorry for yourself, because you'll know it was all working out for the best."

Elreth snorted. "I don't know about the best—"

"Ultimately, it all ends in the best for you, Elreth. Just not the easiest. There's a difference. Anything worthwhile is rarely easy."

Elreth frowned, but her father just leaned down and kissed her mother on the cheek, then slipped past her and started for the stairs. "You know, my hearing's still pretty good," he said quietly without looking at either of them. "I wonder if you want to go the cave with El?"

Her mother blinked in surprise, but nodded. "Sure. Yes, you're right. Then you can sleep," she said, pushing to her feet.

Elreth hadn't really thought about that, but she supposed it didn't make any difference. Maybe if she got her mother talking Aaryn would pitch in what he knew, too.

"Sure," she said, though neither of her parents had asked her. "Let's go. Sleep good, dad."

"Thanks, El. And since I gather you probably won't sleep tonight, I'll just pray for you to still have energy in the morning."

Elreth snorted. "Thank you." There was something comforting about the fact that her parents understood her role so well.

She led her mother to the door and outside into the dark night, and found she could breathe a little easier. Maybe the cave wasn't the place to go after all. Elreth was feeling cooped up and tense. "Hey, did you want to go for a walk with me?" she asked her mom quickly.

Her mother shrugged, "Sure. I don't mind."

"Thanks. I've spent a lot of time sitting around today.

Without even talking about it they both headed for the trail head, then turned off as they got deeper under the trees, towards the Weeping Tree.

"So, where are you at with all this now?" Her mother asked finally.

Elreth had been considering how to start this conversation, but in the end she just blurted out, "So you didn't tell Dad about the human coming through? And that's because it was a disformed that brought her?"

"I didn't tell him because I wasn't sure how many people knew and whether you'd want me to," her mother said dryly. "But I think he knows anyway."

"What? How?"

"Your father has a remarkable network of eyes and ears, Elreth. Very little goes on in the WildWood that he doesn't know about. He'd always kept people close that were good at discovering information, but even more since the wolves. It's… it's the way he deals with his own trauma, I think."

"But… he's not King anymore," Elreth said, uncomfortable with the idea of her people still reporting to her father.

But her mother snorted. "You really think it was the official channels that he used to use? You'll learn quickly, Elreth, that with the exception of those who are close to you as a person regardless of your role, those that help you because it's their job, are driven by politics. They might like you, might even be loyal. But they're just doing their job. It's the people that look out for you no matter what you offer them… those are they ones that you can trust. And those are the ones that never leave, no matter what happens to you."

Elreth walked on for a moment, chewing on that. "So… Dad still has spies?"

"Not spies. Your father has people who know people, and they care about him. They respect and admire him. And they trust his judgment. Often they come to him for personal advice. But they tell their stories, so he learns what they know. Some of them are watching out for you, too."

"Watching out for what?"

"To make sure that the elders aren't rolling over you. To make sure that you aren't being manipulated."

"I'd like to see them try," Elreth growled.

Her mother tsked. "Your pride will only make you blind, Elreth, don't give it in to it. All of us can be manipulated at times—or deceived. It's good to have people watching our backs."

Elreth sighed and put her face in her hands as she walked, frustration making her teeth clench. "Always so much wisdom, Mom. But you're hiding things and… You know, for the first time back there I wondered if you were even right?" She clenched her teeth. "What if you brought all this on us with your little... rebellion."

Her mother whipped her head sideways to glare at Elreth. "I have never rebelled against the crown. Never! I would not do that to my Mate, and you know it, Elreth, so you watch your mouth!"

Elreth blinked, shocked by the vehemence of her mother's response. "If that's true, then tell me what's going on. Why you'd be a part of setting up humans to come into Anima without the knowledge of the crown—Dad doesn't know about the ones that came in before, right?"

"He knows of some of them, but not through me," her mother said cryptically.

Elreth wanted to throttle her. She stopped walking and turned to face her mother on the trial, her arms folded.. "This mysterious shit ends here," she snarled.