Kelton sat against a tree staring at the small fire Gossamer had built. They did not take the time to fully set camp since stomachs were more tired than hungry. Kelton wasn't sure he could ever eat again. His mind kept revisiting the sword entering the Brother. He could still feel the resistance of the blade as it drove upward through the man's abdomen and into his chest. Bile rose again causing his eyes to water.

"We owe you a debt we cannot repay," Cory said. Kelton looked up, surprised his mind was so lost he didn't sense Cory and Joycelyn's approach. Joycelyn sat down next to him with a groan caused by the flexing of her wounds.

"You saved my family," Joycelyn said. "It was a great risk."

"I almost didn't," Kelton admitted. "Now all I see is doing it. Over and over." Joycelyn put her arm around Kelton and pulled his head against her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," Joycelyn whispered in his ear. Kelton didn't fight her. It felt good to be wrapped in her arms, protected from the terrible thoughts spinning in his mind. "It's horrible, what you had to do. A weaker man would have fled." She began slowly rocking him. "Not you though. You were there and saved my babies."

"It was my fault," Kelton mumbled into her shoulder.

"Shhhh," Joycelyn continued. "The Brethren have been what they are well before either of us were born. You have no blame in this. They brought it on themselves."

"I'll never steal again," Kelton vowed.

"If you hadn't, we may never have met. Imagine our fate if your sword wasn't there. No, I won't even think of not knowing you. You are part of us now."

Kelton buried himself deeper into Joycelyn. Her softness and warmth hid him from the world. Taggert and Rebecca were the lucky ones. They had a mother with such beautiful arms. Kelton let himself grow younger and tried to forget about watching the life drain from the Brother's eyes.

Kelton didn't sleep that night. He separated from Joycelyn when he felt her nodding off, letting her return to her family. The hole in his stomach returned, though she had dulled it, made it more tolerable as if she had sucked the worst of it away. He wondered who he would have become if his mother hadn't dumped him on the side of the road.

"I have kept things from you," Gossamer said as he absently poked the fire with a stick. Sleep had not seen fit to serve him either. Kelton nodded, recognizing the obvious and not overly excited about knowing more. He was sure the truth would make things worse.

"The blessing of the babes, did you see the Brother doing that?" Again, only a nod was returned.

"It has another purpose." Gossamer stood and began pacing nervously. "They are searching for others, like you. Babes who they can not sense; the unseen." He stopped, and Kelton looked up. There were others like him, besides the Brother. Gossamer's hand pulled at his lips as he struggled to come up with his next words. Gossamer sighed deeply.

"It is death to be unseen. The babes are taken and murdered before they see another sunrise. It was to be your fate, save for an occurrence that allowed your parents foreknowledge of your plight."

"They did not leave me on the side of the road?"

"No," Gossamer said. There was pain in the word. Kelton could see he struggled with his next words. "A debt owed your father left it to me to hide you from the world." More struggling. "I had to pry you from your mother's arms." Kelton stood.

Gossamer raised his hand to stall Kelton's next words. "To know them would be to sentence them to death. The Brethren are known to kill just for birthing one such as you, much less hiding the fact. I just wished you to know you were...are loved. Loved by more than me." Kelton turned away from Gossamer as fear, anger, and confusion fought for control. His Joycelyn was out there, and he wasn't sure she would still want him after all this time. He contemplated if he was selfish enough to find out.

"You tell me this now!"

"We've lived on borrowed time. It's a wonder that we've stayed hidden this long. We probably won't survive another meeting with the Brethren, now that they know you exist."

"I killed the only one who knew." For the first time, the memory of thrusting the sword into the Brother didn't hurt. It was the Brethren that separated him from his mother and father.

"The soldiers will describe what happened and people will talk. Whatever qualities you wish to assign the Brethren, stupidity is not among them. It doesn't help that some think you Kushiel's Answer. They will want to end any fable that can incite a mob."

"Then I will train harder with the sword," Kelton said, turning to his mentor. "If they wish me dead, I will not go willingly. Not to the likes of them."

"Aye, and I will be at your side." Gossamer sat down and signaled Kelton sit as well. "You have questions, and I tire of secrets." Kelton sat.

"You will not tell me who my parents are."

"That is a secret I can't tire of," Gossamer said. "Your heart is too big and the risks too high. I might as well stick my sword in your belly myself, as to tell you." Kelton nodded. After his experience with the Brother, the way he sentenced an entire family to death on a whim, Kelton was willing to accept the necessity for the time being. If he knew, his selfishness would lead many to ruin.

"What is Kushiel's Answer?"

"An old tale," Gossamer said. "You know of the time of Enlightenment when the Brethren declared itself the word of the Goddess?" Kelton acknowledged. "Kushiel was the last priest of old ways. Before Dar'quid, he was the Goddess's servant. It is said that he was a great evil, though those words come from the Brethren. I suspect something less black is the truth."

"Dar'quid died and rose again," Kelton added, letting Gossamer know he had been listening all those years.

"Aye, died in a battle," Gossamer agreed. "It is said his mate, Gwendolyn, was so distraught she cut her throat over his body to trade her life for his. The Goddess heard her prayers and granted the request. He rose from the battlefield and all who saw it, rallied to his side. For surely, the Goddess had chosen him. The story spread, and his numbers grew."

"I remember the tale."

"That's the Brethren's version. There's another depending upon who is brave enough to speak it."

"Not like we'd be any more at risk."

"No, they can only kill us once," Gossamer agreed. "It is said that after the final battle, Dar'quid had Kushiel tied to post so all could watch his demise. Distraught over his love's death, Dar'quid wished a long and painful end to his last adversary. They skinned Kushiel slowly in front of his wife as Dar'quid taunted him, though Kushiel made no sound. Sometime during the procedure, Dar'quid told Kushiel his wife would die a thousand times as a pleasure slave for his army. It is said Kushiel screamed for the Goddess to intervene and protect his wife. Dar'quid asked mockingly if the Goddess answered. Kushiel smiled and delivered a prophecy of Dar'quid's downfall. Kushiel died the moment he finished. It is known as Kushiel's Answer."

"So, some think it is meant to be the Brethren's downfall."

"Tales that old change. Words are forgotten, others added. It is declared heresy by the Brethren, though I think its ability to inspire scares them more than the truth of it." Gossamer said. "It's the Brethren themselves that keep it alive. Forbidden secrets over late night fires let people feel rebellious without raising a sword. Their dictate for silence makes it louder."

"Head of fire, the first will fall?"

"It's the first line of the tale. The one most remembered."

"You used it to scare the soldiers."

"It was better than fighting," Gossamer said with a smile. "It was Joycelyn's words. She was quicker than I was." His head tilted to one side. "Mayhap smarter than I as well."

"What happened to Kushiel's wife?"

"She was the first to wear the Wilted Rose. Dar'quid was true to his word and sentenced her to a life of pleasure service. Supposedly, Kushiel had always called her 'his rose.' Dar'quid enjoyed the irony, tattooing the wilted version on her arm and on those that followed her. They are labeled as unclean and to remove the mark or leave the nighthouse's service is a death sentence."

"Everything is a death sentence."

"It is what keeps people in line," Gossamer agreed.

"The Brother's are great fighters," Kelton said, wanting to know how Gossamer was so easily bested by a man who was only using one hand.

"Better than I had heard," Gossamer admitted. "He knew where my blade was going to be before it got there. I could swear he was enjoying it. Mayhap, his sense is stronger than yours. Quicker than a snake as well."

"He couldn't sense me."

"No, though he knew enough from me to knock the sword you threw out of the air before he saw it."

"Where do the Brothers come from if they kill all the unseen babies?" Kelton asked.

"If anyone knows, they're not telling."

"Probably a death sentence to speak on it," Kelton said. "Mayhap, they select their brides at The Choosing."

"An awful thought," Joycelyn said. Gossamer was surprised to see her standing a few feet away, arms crossed for warmth. Kelton felt her approach which seemed natural to him, no point in warning Gossamer. She smiled. "Can't seem to stay asleep."

"They are too young for it," Joycelyn added. "They don't seem the type to wait years for a bedding when they could easily take girls who have had their blood." Kelton was about to pose a question but differed to Gossamer's slight shake of his head. The blood thing was to be asked about later. He disliked being in the dark.

"Something has changed. The Brother was insistent about increasing the birthings," Joycelyn said.

"And not too particular on how it is accomplished," Gossamer added.

"It's like we are cattle to them," Joycelyn said. "It's odd though. Increasing numbers would make control more difficult."

"They moved up The Choosing. Mayhap, they want to increase it more," Gossamer said.

"Folks won't stand for it," Joycelyn said. "Kick a dog too many times, and he learns to bite back."

"It's been two thousand winters since Dar'quid became the voice of the Goddess. I figure they have long learned what people will stand. Exactly how hard and how many times they can kick that dog." Joycelyn nodded with a sigh. She sat down next to Kelton.

"We will stay here for awhile. Heal our wounds and stay out of the way of any searching. Cory says he will hunt and we have some flour we bought at the village." Joycelyn said.

"It's as secluded as anywhere else," Gossamer agreed.

"I'd like to stay too," Kelton said. Gossamer looked to Joycelyn.

"We would like that as well," Joycelyn said with a smile.