Aftermath

[Lylessa Uluki]

((NPC Post))

Dash wasn't quite sure what to say. Her knowledge of relationships was quite limited.

"Like I said, I don't really know about sex. But maybe it'll be different when it's with someone you love. He'll do all those things-- he'll hold you, and listen to you, and make you laugh-- but maybe you'll like sleeping with him too. It isn't just that sex will be special, but that it's all special, all of it together. Maybe. I don't know. I don't believe in 'too late.'"

It wasn't exactly optimism that fueled Dash's belief. It was survival. If Dash had allowed herself to consider that it might be "too late," she would have taken her own life long before she ever had a chance to escape from the general. You couldn't think that way, or the weight of it would crush you.

Before she had a chance to try to put that into words, there was a cursory knock on the door, not so much a request for entry as an acknowledgment someone was outside, so as not to startle the room's occupants when the door opened. A moment later Zee slipped in.

She smiled and said, "Hi Kaydee," then directed her attention to Dash. "Where are Mama and Papa and Martin?"

"Mama and Papa are in a room down the hall, because Kaydee is sleeping here tonight. Martha is watching Martin tonight."

Making those comments after their previous discussion, Dash thought she might as well have hung a sign on Uluki and Rollick's door that said "having sex," but Zee didn't seem to pick up on it at all. "Is Mama alright? She looked sad."

"She's fine, she's just tired."

"What happened to her shoes?"

"I have no idea. I guess she lost them in the shanty town."

"Is Aorle back yet?"

"I don't know. Probably." Exhausted by her sister's string of queries, Dash stretched and yawned. "I'm tired, though. Let's just go to sleep. In the morning you can ask your questions again to somebody who actually knows the answers."

Zee nodded agreeably. That was one thing you could say for Zee-- she was almost always agreeable. Kaydee also stated no objection, and in fact looked about to fall asleep where she sat.

The three girls settled into the comfortable if somewhat improvised bedding. Zee was sleeping soundly almost immediately; Dash could hear her soft, steady breathing in the dark.

"Goodnight, Kaydee," Dash whispered. "I'm glad you're here."

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki woke up alone, so cold. She reached out for Rollick, but he wasn’t there. His side of the bed was no longer warm to the touch. He must have been gone for awhile. Uluki would go look for him, would make sure he was alright. Her bare feet were cold against the floorboards, and the thin fabric of her black dress provided little protection against the chill. She could see her breath in icy little puffs.

Then the solemn figures stepped out of the shadows, forming a circle around her.

They were back. Uluki hadn’t seen them in awhile, but she knew better than to think they were going to leave her in peace. Tonight they were joined by two new companions. As always, Uluki recognized the faces. Julen and Kaydee. Uluki couldn’t help but register surprise at that. All the others were among the dead. She had never before been tormented by the living.

“I’m sorry…” Uluki said weakly, pre-emptively, knowing it wouldn’t make any difference.

Julen laughed, not a pleasant sound but a painful one, like iron grating on stone. His face seemed sharper somehow, as if being drained of all kindness had changed the physical shape of his features. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? You left me alone. You didn’t help me when I needed you. Do you know what it feels like to be hurt that badly? Have you ever been an inch from death?”

“Yes.”

“Then how could you let it happen to me? Every blow those men struck me, I curse you for. Every drop of blood is on your head.”

“I know,” she said miserably. “I’ll make it better. I’ll heal you.”

“Too late. Too damn late. You can’t fix this. You can’t undo what happened.” There was no anger in his voice, just a stony detachment. “I hope you burn in hell,” he told her calmly.

“I’m sorry...”

“You bitch.” Kaydee’s eyes were cold and her voice was hard and angry. “You heartless bitch. How could you let him do this to me?”

“I didn’t know…”

“You were too preoccupied, you mean. What were you doing today? Giving orders to the soldiers? Pretending to be in charge? Maybe making your stew? Is your stew worth what I suffered?”

“Of course not.”

“I was dying today, Uluki. While you were playing house safe in your fort, he was killing me. Are you going to offer to heal me too?” she mocked. “You think your magic can just wipe away the harm he did to me?”

“No, but I could try to help...”

“I don’t want anything from you.” She took a step back from Uluki. “I thank all the gods you aren’t my mother.”

“I’m so sorry...”

Kaydee’s eyes closed and she dropped to the floor, which was now the ground. No… not just the ground… the street. The new dress melted away, and she was naked again. Bruises now covered her exposed skin. She wasn’t alone. Zee and Dash lay beside her, also naked and beaten and bloody. “Mama?” Zee asked, half conscious, looking up at her with pain-filled eyes.

Uluki reached out to them, desperate to take all three of them in her arms, to protect them, to heal their wounds and then keep them safe from anyone who might hurt them. She was too far away, though. Snyde was closer. He was a shadowy, faceless figure, but Uluki knew it could be no one but him. As he leaned over the three injured girls, she knew with a gut-wrenching terror that he was going to hurt them more, maybe kill them.

“Stop!” she screamed, clutching at the end of his cloak and attempting to drag him away from them. “Please, just stop it!” She knew he wouldn’t listen to her, but she wasn’t strong enough to pull him away. She tried to claw at his shadowy face, but he effortlessly dodged her hands. “Stop!” she shrieked, once again tugging at his cloak.

He laughed at her. “There’s nothing you can do, little fool. Kaydee is mine, and she always will be. None of you can claim her from me.” To emphasize his point, he grabbed Kaydee by the hair, and Uluki saw the knife flash in the moonlight.

“No!” Uluki lunged at Snyde. “No! No! No!” She wrapped her hand around the blade, pulling it away from Kaydee’s throat, feeling the blood drip down her arm as the sharp metal sliced through her skin and muscle. She couldn’t overpower Snyde, but as long as she kept her hand around the knife, he couldn’t cut Kaydee with it. She clung to his cloak with her left hand so he couldn’t push her away, and kept her right hand curled around the blade. It was slick with her blood, but she held on tight as she repeated the words like a litany. “No! No! Stop! Stop! Stop!”

“Uluki?”

“Stop! Stop!”

“Uluki, dear one, it’s alright.”

Uluki opened her eyes to see Rollick’s concerned face looking down at her. She was sweat-soaked and had partially pulled off the blanket, and was lying with her bare chest exposed as she twisted the heavy fabric in her hands.

Rollick met her eyes, and once he saw awareness and recognition in them, he wrapped the blanket back around her and lifted her into his arms. “It’s alright. You’re safe. It was just a bad dream.”

“Did I scream?” She still felt frightened, shaky.

“Yes, and you definitely showed that blanket who was boss. It’ll know better than to mess with Uluki in the future.” His words were light, intended to help her relax, but there was worry on his face.

“I thought it was Snyde. I’m fine now,” she reassured him. “But don’t… don’t leave me, alright?”

“I won’t.” He stroked her hair and kissed her.

“You won’t let me go? You’ll keep holding me?”

“Of course, love. I’m here. I’ll keep you safe.”

She knew he couldn’t protect her from her own nightmares, but hearing in his voice how much he wanted to made her feel infinitely more secure. She buried her face against his chest as though hiding from the world, and just let him hold her.

[Falcon Bertille]

As morning spilled its golden light into the warehouse, something jostled Rosemary awake. At first, she tried to ignore it and crawl back into the warm comfort of sleep. But the movement persisted. So, finally, Rosemary opened her eyes.

By nature, Julen was a restless sleeper. Rosemary often found herself awakened at odd hours, and she’d grown accustomed to the ritual of sitting beside her sleeping husband, keeping watch over him as he struggled through another dream. Back when they’d first been married, she’d wanted to rescue him from his involuntary visions. But rousing Julen from his slumber only served to yank his dreams into the waking world. They clung to him like cobwebs, like ghosts haunting his deep brown eyes. It was better to let him pass through them and leave them behind.

So this morning, as she’d done so many times before, Rosemary simply watched while Julen’s eyelids twitched. She tried to guess what silent, half-formed words pushed at his lips. She wondered about the secret realm that lay inside him, the one place she couldn’t go, couldn’t share.

Until, suddenly, Julen cried out -- a muffled moan of terror and pain. At the same moment, he thrust his arm into the air, as if trying to shield himself from some invisible blow. Startled by the severity of his reaction, Rosemary forgot her usual restraint. “Julen?” Seizing his shoulders, she gave her husband a firm shake. “Julen! Wake up!”

Julen’s eyes snapped open. For a moment, he just stared at her, blinking in the morning light. Rosemary could hear his breath, ragged gasps of air drawn and released too quickly. Then Julen lowered the arm that his dream had caused him to raise. Running his hand through unruly brown curls, as if bringing order to them could bring order to his own thoughts, he forced a smile. “Hey. Was I dreaming again?”

“You sounded like you were having a nightmare.” Rosemary made no effort to disguise her concern. “What was it? Do you remember?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Julen shook his head. “No. It’s gone.”

Rosemary knew that wasn’t true. She could see the cobwebs and ghosts. But she also knew that pressing Julen for details would get her nowhere, so she simply reached over and took her husband’s hand in her own. “Well, if you do remember any of it, you can tell me.”

“I will,” he promised. Gently, Julen kissed her cheek, then sat up, causing the cloak that they’d slept beneath to slip down from his torso. “Rosemary? Would you do me a favor?”

Rosemary, too, sat up. “Sure. What is it?”

“I should probably continue laying low for a little longer, just so it doesn’t look like I recovered too fast. But I need to talk to Aorle and Uluki. Could you go see if either of them is around? And if one of them is, could you ask them to come up here to see me?”

“No problem.” Rising from their improvised mattress, Rosemary pulled on her dress. She wished that she had a brush for her hair, but all such toiletries remained in their room at the bakery, since they hadn’t planned to spend the night in the warehouse. So Rosemary just did the best that she could with her fingers and resigned herself to looking like she’d been caught in an unexpected gust of wind. Meanwhile, Julen also got up, before putting on the pair of pants he’d been brought the previous night. They were a bit long, with legs that went so far down that they entirely covered his feet. But at least they kept him decent.

After bidding her husband a fond farewell, Rosemary went in search of either person Julen wanted to see. She, too, had something she wanted to ask them.

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki didn't think she'd be able to sleep again after her nightmare, but after awhile her exhaustion overcame her and she sank into a light, dreamless slumber.

She awoke briefly during the night, not because of the terrors that haunted her sleep, but because she was cold. Feeling her shivering against him, Rollick retrieved their clothes. Her dress was still damp, so he brought her his own sweater instead and helped her pull it on. Once he was also dressed he took her in his arms again.

"You still aren't going to let go of me?" she asked in a voice heavy with sleep, and he replied equally sleepily that he wouldn't.

When she woke again it was morning, and to her surprise she felt fairly rested.

True to his word, Rollick hadn't let go of her. His arms were still around her as he slept, and he was propped awkwardly in a sitting position against the wall. She'd been very comfortable leaning against him, but she suspected his neck and shoulders would be rather stiff when he awoke. She didn't have to wait long before he began to stir. Uluki moved off him, allowing him room to stretch.

"Any more nightmares?" he asked immediately.

"No, none. You scared them away like you promised."

"More like you scared them away with your triumph in the battle against that blanket. The nightmares probably never knew a Duskling could be so ferocious. You really... ow!" He rubbed his neck, apparently as sore from his sleeping position as she'd predicted he'd be.

"Let me." Uluki lightly pushed his hand away. She stood behind him while he remained seated on their improvised mattress, as she worked the knots out of the muscles in his neck and shoulders.

"Gods, that feels amazing. You've got very strong hands, Duskling."

"That comes from kneading bread dough. You've got very knotted-up shoulders, Human."

She continued to rub those shoulders until the tension in his muscles was completely gone. He started move to return the favour, but she shook her head. "I'm not sore. I'm not the one who was smushed up against the wall all night, I'm the one who got to use that smushed man for a pillow."

He laughed and kissed her. Uluki's dress had dried fully as they slept, so she offered Rollick his sweater back, but he declined. "I'm not cold, but I'd be willing to bet you still are."

Uluki nodded to confirm that. She slipped the sweater off briefly to pull on her chemise and dress, then layered it back over them. She was glad not to have to give up the warmth, though she could only imagine what she looked like wearing a sweater that drooped down past her knees. She combed the tangles out of her hair, then turned to face him. "Do I look too silly to go out?"

"Of course not. You're beautiful."

Uluki was about to protest the lie, but then she realized from the look on his face he actually did find her beautiful in spite of the silliness of what she was wearing. Uluki decided there was no accounting for taste.

"I should go check on Julen and Kaydee, then, if I'm reasonably presentable."

It wasn't that she was concerned about their injuries, which were completely healed. It wasn't their bodies that worried her, it was the trauma their minds had suffered. She wanted to check how they were faring emotionally after their ordeal.

"I thought I'd bring the girls breakfast in their room," Rollick suggested. "That way Kaydee won't have to be up and about yet, but she won't need to eat alone. Kaydee doesn't know me, but Dash and Zee should be able to vouch that I haven't poisoned the food."

"Good idea. I can bring breakfast to Julen and Rosemary too. I'll go get Martin first, though."

She did so, and thanked Martha profusely for watching him. Martha said she was glad to any time, and winked knowingly. Uluki blushed, turning her cheeks a little purple.

Part way back Uluki saw Rosemary, who appeared intent, as though she were looking for something... or someone. Uluki's stomach lurched, worried something had happened to Julen. She didn't think she'd told Rosemary where she was sleeping, which had been foolish of her. What if Julen had needed a healer again during the night?

"Good morning, Rosemary. Is everything alright? How is Julen?"

[Falcon Bertille]

Uluki’s greeting drew a smile from Rosemary. “Good morning, Uluki. Julen is doing very well. In fact, he’d like to speak with you.”

Rosemary fell into step beside Uluki as they started walking toward the room where Julen was waiting. “If you don’t mind, I have a few matters that need your approval. Julen’s been renting a room behind one of the local bakeries. I want to run back there this morning, to get him some clothes. And I’d feel a lot safer if Krarug came with me.” Rosemary was no coward. However, she also wasn’t incapable of learning from her husband’s mistake. “I know there’s still much to be done here, and I don’t want to tie up one of the warriors for any longer than necessary. But until Snyde has been dealt with, I think it’s better if none of us go anywhere alone.”

“The other thing is just an idea I had. When I came here from Shim, I brought my sewing supplies, so I could work on making a gambeson for Julen. But that’s finished now.” Rosemary thought about mentioning the second gambeson that she was fixing up for Rollick, then decided against it. She would keep that secret until she was actually ready to present it. “Anyway, I’m a good seamstress, and it’s silly for me to just sit idle all day. So I thought you could ask Aorle if there’s any money available for buying fabric. If there is, I could sew clothes for some of the refugees. Those poor girls you brought back last night were barely wearing anything at all.”

By that point, they’d reached the door to the room where Julen and Rosemary had spent the night. But before Uluki went inside, Rosemary still had one thing she wanted to say. “Uluki? Thank you for keeping your promise. Thank you for bringing my husband safely back home to me.” Rosemary glanced down the hall in either direction, to make sure that no one was approaching, and then clasped Uluki’s hand. “Thank you for everything you did for him. I am in your debt.”

After speaking, Rosemary lingered a moment, in case Uluki had anything further to say. Then she went looking for Krarug.

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki nodded at Rosemary's decision to bring the Orc with her. "I think it is quite sensible for Krarug to accompany you. Keeping you safe is a worthy use of his time."

It was of particular concern given who Rosemary was. Uluki doubted there was another person in the world Julen would be so sorry to see hurt... and Snyde would realize that.

"I'd been thinking about the idea of sewing clothes too. I thought perhaps rather than simply sewing things for them, though, that we could teach them how to sew as well. That way they'd have the skills as well as the clothes, and they would be better able to provide for themselves in the future. I was thinking of other things they could learn too... maybe knitting and gardening, and even treating small injuries. Perhaps that's something we could both give some thought to. I'd be grateful for your expertise."

Uluki squeezed Rosemary's hand as it grasped hers. "I was glad to be able to bring Julen back. No talk of debts. Someday I'll need you to help me, and you will... not because you owe me, but because we're friends. That's why I helped Julen. There are no debts between friends."

"I hope you'll have a safe walk to the bakery and back."

Bidding Rosemary goodbye, she knocked on the door, continuing to balance Martin on her hip so she'd have a free hand. "Julen? It's Uluki. Rosemary said you wanted to see me?"

[Lylessa Uluki]

((NPC Post))

Rollick rummaged around for suitable breakfast for the girls-- bread, and the leftovers of Uluki's stew-- a rather unconventional morning meal, but it should be nutritious enough. Kaydee looked far too thin, even the little of her visible while she was wrapped in that shawl, and Rollick always worried that Dash wasn't eating enough. He knew that was irrational; Dash ate as much as she wanted, as much as a normal person. She couldn't gain weight because they'd made her that way, and he couldn't change that no matter how much extra food he coaxed her to eat. Still, her fragility worried him. At least Kaydee should be able to reach a more healthy weight before long...

Using an extra bit of wood as a makeshift breakfast tray, he carried the bowls and bread upstairs and knocked. After a moment Zee opened the door, and once Rollick had set the tray down he gave both his girls a morning hug.

He wasn't quite sure how to greet Kaydee. Would she expect a hug too? Would she feel left out? On the other hand, he didn't even know her. All he really knew was that she had worked as a prostitute, and that she'd been beaten and traumatized. Surely attempting to touch her, even in a non-threatening and friendly way, was the worst thing he could do. He didn't want to scare her. Instead he simply nodded to her a little awkwardly and said "Good morning," which he hoped she would consider sufficient.

"Papa, are there really such things as angels?" Dash asked abruptly, taking Rollick by surprise.

Rollick wasn't a religious man, and he didn't consider himself a particularly wise or intelligent one. Surely others would know better how to answer the question. How could someone like him know the truth about supernatural beings? Rollick looked at his two sweet daughters, and thought of Uluki and their baby. "Yes, I think there are," he said simply.

"Do real things ever happen in dreams? Or maybe you just think it's a dream, but it actually happened?"

Rollick was on even shakier ground with this one. He wasn't quite sure what she was getting at. "I don't know much about dreams, Dashie. You should ask..."

He was a breath away from saying "your mother," but stopped himself. Uluki was a wise woman, and would surely know the answer to the question. She'd just had that horrible nightmare, though, the one that made her scream, and Rollick didn't think this would be a good day to broach the subject of the reality of dreams with her.

"...You should ask Aorle. Your mother had one of her nightmares last night and I'm not sure she'd be up to talking it, but I think Aorle would know something about those matters too."

"I think Aorle was in my dream. I didn't see him, but the angel was asking about Julen, and I think it was because Aorle was worried. I know it just sounds like a silly dream, but it seemed... real somehow. Not like any dream I've had before."

Rollick was not inclined to dismiss Dash's instincts, which tended to be quite accurate. "Were you scared in your dream?" He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer to this. Please, please don't let something be trying to invade her mind...

To his great relief, Dash shook her head. "No. The angel was nice. I think she was sad, though. I liked her. She just wanted me to help her."

Rollick nodded. "You should talk to Aorle. Maybe he can tell you more about your angel. He'd certainly know better than I would."

[Julen]

“Uluki? Come on in.” Julen couldn’t help being a bit glad that Rosemary had found Uluki before Aorle. On one hand, it had been over a day since he’d last seen his friend, and he genuinely missed him. On the other hand, he knew that he’d really made a mess of the situation with Snyde, and Aorle wasn’t going to be happy about it. Julen had resolved to accept whatever judgment Aorle passed on him. But that didn’t mean he was looking forward to it.

As Uluki entered the room, Julen felt slightly foolish to be meeting with her while dressed in only a pair of overlong pants. Then again, Uluki had seen him wearing considerably less last night, so it was probably too late to cling to formalities. “Thanks for dropping by.” Julen glanced around for a place for them to sit, but the room lacked any such conveniences. Instead, Julen folded his arms behind him, and leaned back against one of the walls. “Rosemary told me that Aorle left you in charge, so I’ll try not to take up too much of your time. But there are some things we didn’t get a chance to talk about.”

Julen still wasn’t sure how he felt about Aorle putting Uluki in charge during his absence. Aorle had only known the fairy for a few hours before deciding that he trusted her more than he trusted Julen? That kind of stung. Of course, as events had proven, Aorle definitely made the right choice. Aorle, Julen decided with a touch of humor, was somewhat annoying that way.

“First of all, I want to thank you. You kept a cool head, you did what I should have done, and you saved my life as well as the life of an innocent girl. Beyond that, you took a grave risk by using magic to heal us. At the moment, I can only repay you by doing my best to help keep your secret, but I’m profoundly grateful.”

“Secondly, I want to assure you that what happened yesterday wasn’t your fault. You didn’t have a chance to send someone with me. When I got the message that Kaydee was in danger, I ran out of here so fast that I even forgot my gloves.” Behind his back, Julen flexed the fingers of his sword hand, as if to reassure himself that he could once again move them. “I accept full responsibility. I endangered myself. I endangered Kaydee by not mounting the most effective rescue effort that I was capable of. I endangered you by putting you in a situation where you needed to break the law. I endangered everyone here by making an enemy before we were fully ready to deal with him. I’m sure that Aorle will have a few choice words to say about all that, but I wanted to apologize to you as well.”

Lowering his eyes, Julen stared at the ground. He wasn’t sure what would be the most unpleasant duty currently available -- midnight watch, serving as a training dummy, perhaps something to do with the latrines -- but he felt certain Aorle was going to assign him to it. At least, Julen hoped that was the worst that happened. Some part of him was afraid that Aorle would decide he’d been too reckless, endangered too many people, and would send him home. Such a thing would break Julen. But he couldn’t deny that he deserved it.

“How is Kaydee? I know she can’t be okay, not really. Not after the life she’s had. But is she holding up alright?”

[Lylessa Uluki]

Hearing Julen’s reply, Uluki pushed the door open a little nervously. She scarcely noticed the overlarge pants or the lack of other clothing. A healer routinely sees people in various states of dress and undress, and what he was wearing barely registered with her. Instead, she scrutinized his face, trying to see if it was still like in her dream. To her relief, she saw no evidence of the hard demeanor with features like knives. He actually seemed glad to see her. She relaxed.

As Julen leaned against the wall, Uluki sat on the floor. Martin practiced standing and balancing holding onto his mother’s hand, but she gave her attention to Julen as he spoke.

She couldn’t help noticing the expression that passed over his face when he mentioned her being left in charge. It didn’t look like anger, but she suspected it might be hurt.

“You’re probably wondering why Aorle did that, why he put me in charge instead of you. It wasn’t because he doesn’t trust you. I’m sure he trusts you more; he doesn’t even know me. It certainly isn’t that he likes me better. It’s because I’ve taken care of refugees before. That was where we used to live. I had to organize things for the whole community, because there was no one else to do it. I told Aorle that. That must be why he left me in charge, because he knew I had to do this in the past.”

Uluki was very uncomfortable with all this talk of repayment. Why couldn’t they see she had just done her duty? She wasn’t used to being thanked for her healing, not by anyone but her family, and they appreciated lots of things she did. Usually people who had seen magical healing before simply expected it, and would sometimes even complain about the speed and quality of her services. Uluki didn’t mind. That was a healer’s life, a healer’s calling. She had done nothing extraordinary.

“You don’t owe me any debts, Julen. No one does. I was happy to help you, and I’ll help whenever you need it. I don’t want people to repay me. I just want you to be my friend, you and Rosemary and all the others.”

“I’m grateful that you aren’t going to report what happened. Kaydee said she wouldn’t either. I need you to promise me something, though. If they find out… if they come for me… promise you won’t try to fight for me, and that you’ll do your best to stop the others from fighting for me either. I knew and accepted the risks, and if I have to die, I don’t want to take any of the rest of you with me. Rollick especially… someone will have to remind him that the children need him. He’d give his life for me— he almost did a little more than a day ago— and it won’t be easy for him to let me go. If it comes to that, though, he’ll have to. You’ll all have to. I hope that will never happen, but I’ll be able to sleep easier at night knowing that if it does, you’ll remind the others what needs to be done. Can I count on you to do that?”

She was quite surprised by the apology, especially after her dream. “You did save Kaydee. Just knowing someone cares can be the difference between life and death, the difference between giving up and holding on. I’m not just saying that to make you feel better. I have no doubt that you gave Kaydee strength. I have no doubt you kept her alive. I don’t know what Aorle will say, but I will tell him about your bravery and compassion. He values both those things. I think he’ll understand your good intentions. The main thing is you’re alive, and so is Kaydee. I’m so glad you're both safe, and I’m sure Aorle will be as well.”

Uluki wasn’t sure what to say in answer to his question about Kaydee. “She’s doing as well as could be expected. In spite of all that she’s been through, her heart isn’t hard. She hasn’t given up. She still cares. Those are all very good things. That makes me think that, with time, she’ll be able to put the past behind her. It won’t be quick or easy, but I have a lot of hopes for Kaydee.”

“She seems to be responding well to one of my daughters. I hope she and Dash will get to be friends. I think it would be good for them. For both of them. Dash… well, she hasn’t had an easy life either. It’s hard for her to… not many people understand. Maybe Kaydee will.”

“I’ll do everything I can for Kaydee.” That idea struck Uluki as almost laughable. What exactly did she expect she could do? “Not that it’s worth much. I feel helpless. There’s nothing…” Uluki sighed. “I wish I could erase the bad memories and the past hurts. I wish I could have taken that beating for her, that somehow we could have magically exchanged places and Snyde could have done it to me instead of to her. Or instead of to you...”

“I can’t change what happened, though. That’s frustration of being a healer. It only goes so far, you know. Healing does, I mean. You can patch things up, but you can never…” She shook her head in frustration. “I can never change what you and Kaydee suffered, much as I wish I could. I doubt I can be of any use to Kaydee at all. Still, I promise I’ll do my best to help her.”

[Julen]

Julen nodded when Uluki reminded him of her work caring for refugees. Now that he thought about it, he remembered that she’d mentioned as much to him during their earlier conversation. Julen’s fight with Snyde had managed to knock the information out of his head, but as it returned to him, he understood the basis of Aorle’s decision. “I’m sure you’re right,” he acknowledged. “Your previous experience makes you the more logical choice. And, in case I’ve made you doubt it, I have no problem taking orders from you. You’ve done a fantastic job getting things running around here. I wouldn’t have known to do half the things you’ve done. Of course, with the possible exception of young Martin, I probably know less about setting up a base than anyone else here. This is all very new to me.”

Uluki’s modesty regarding her healing surprised Julen. Even after dealing with Aorle, it was still hard for him to not be awed by such a marvelous ability. “I’m afraid you have to be patient with us,” he apologized. “The common people of this region rarely see a gift like yours. Those few who do have any magical talent are either imprisoned or they become battlemages and rule us.” Despite the seriousness of the subject, Julen chuckled. “Be grateful that you weren’t the first person to heal me. When Aorle mended a cut on my cheek, I dropped to my knees before him. At least I’ve become a little more jaded since then.”

“But Rosemary and I are your friends, regardless of whether you heal us or not. I guarantee that.”

Julen nearly laughed when Uluki thanked him for not reporting her use of magic. Even if she hadn’t saved his life, he was hardly in a position to drag anyone else before the Judges. But her request quickly sucked all mirth from his heart. Julen admired her selflessness, her concern for her family and friends, but it still seemed so wrong. They were all bound together now. That meant they should fight for each other -- didn’t it?

“I’m not sure I should promise that,” Julen admitted. “And even if I did, I’m not sure how much good it would do. I’ve never been able to make Aorle do anything. The men will follow his orders, not mine. As for Rollick...well, all I know is that I would not let them take Rosemary, not while there was still life in my body. Of course, you have children. That changes things.” Julen smiled sadly at Martin, glad that the infant could not understand the threat facing his mother. “If anything ever does happen to you and Rollick, please know that I and Rosemary would be more than happy to...”

Julen trailed off, aware of how creepy that sounded. The childless couple waiting, like a pair of vultures, ready to snatch up the remains of someone else’s family. But he’d broached the subject, so all he could do was stumble on and try to make his meaning clear. “Please understand that I will do my utmost to keep both of you safe. And if anything were to happen to you, I know that we could never take your place. But Rosemary and I would do our best to make sure your children still had some sort of family for as long as they wanted one. I hope that helps you sleep a little easier at night, even if I can’t promise the other thing.”

“It’s just that the possibility of someone getting arrested for the illegal use of magic is a complicated issue.” Julen wondered if he should explain just how complicated. Unsure, he let the subject drop, in order to give him time to think about it.

So, talk turned to Kaydee. Julen hoped that Uluki was right, that he had managed to help Kaydee in some small way, but he couldn’t escape the nagging sense that he should have done more. However, it cheered him up to hear that she’d bonded with one of Uluki’s daughters. Having a friend her own age would surely help with the long struggle that awaited her. And Uluki would be looking out for her, too. That was good.

“I think all of us feel pretty feeble when faced with suffering like what Kaydee endured.” Julen certainly sympathized with Uluki’s sense of helplessness. “But if Aorle has taught me anything, it’s that we have to keep trying, even when the task seems impossible. Because the price of not trying is certain failure.”

“As for what happened to me...” Julen shrugged. “I’m a warrior. Sometimes warriors take a beating, either on the battlefield or off it. I just need to get used to that.”

But when Julen closed his eyes, he was lying on the ground again, too weak to defend himself, too weak to aid the person who needed him. Fury and shame flared up inside him, twin fires feeding each other with their unquenchable heat. He hated the man who had done that to him. He hated himself for allowing it to be done. Again and again, Julen replayed the events in his head, rearranging the details so that he killed Snyde, rescued Kaydee. But no matter how many times he erased his mistakes in the fantasy, he couldn’t erase them in real life. “Strength, not self-pity,” Julen whispered to himself through clenched teeth. He knew Aorle’s opinion about people feeling sorry for themselves. “Strength, not self-pity.”

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki had to agree, however reluctantly, that Julen was right; no one would be able to prevent Rollick from trying to save her, and the others also seemed the type to fight for friends, even new friends. The best thing she could do to keep them safe was to try not to get in trouble at all.

When Julen offered to look after her children if anything happened to her and Rollick, her eyes filled with tears-- not tears of fear or regret, but of relief.

"Thank you. I can't even say how much... thank you. Rollick and I have talked about that so many times, worried about it so much. Back where we used to live we had a plan for where the children would go if we died, but here, we weren’t sure. It’s so much to ask. Many people would happily accept a baby, even one who was half-Fae, but the older girls… we didn’t know. Most people seem to want small children. The girls are wonderful, though. They’d be a benefit to any family. I hope that Rollick and I can be their parents as long as they need us, but I’m so grateful that you’d be willing to step in if… if needed. It’s such a weight off my mind. Thank you so much for your kindness.”

"Before you make your promises, though, you need to know what you're agreeing to. My daughters have not had easy lives. They’ve only lived with us for a few months. Before that, they had no family. They were forced to be soldiers, treated like things. You need to know you would be inheriting those old wounds, along with some potential enemies. The danger is minimal. We’re fairly sure they’ve completely lost track of where the girls are. It’s only fair that you know those risks before you promise me anything, though. Know the risks, and know the hurts that are still healing. I can assure you that Dash and Zee are worth it, but you should be aware what you’re offering to take on. Any questions you have about them, I’ll be happy to answer. You deserve to know.”

Uluki hadn’t planned to tell him any of it yet, but it seemed the time had come. She couldn’t allow him to take an oath when he didn’t know the terms.

“That’s why Kaydee’s suffering affects me so deeply,” she admitted. “In a way she reminds me so much of my daughters. I know that’s silly, but I can’t help feeling a little maternal. I’ll try not to be too obnoxious,” she added with a smile.

The more Julen spoke, the more Uluki worried for him.

"Warriors do sometimes take a beating," Uluki agreed carefully. "But sometimes it's the heart that is truly wounded, even after the body recovers. Even warriors feel pain inside, and there's no shame in that. It's humanity, not weakness. You don't have to pretend it isn't happening, that you don't feel it. Sometimes you have to talk about it to banish it. You don't have to talk to me, but I think you should talk to someone. I know it may be an awkward thing to broach with Aorle... or even Rosemary... but you should consider talking to my husband. Rollick will understand, and he won't judge you for it."

Uluki knew for a certainty that was true. She'd seen the same look in Rollick's eyes after he'd been forced to live with the evil god in his body. It wasn't the pain, it was the loss of control. The feeling of something being done to you, something you couldn't prevent. Uluki suspected the strongest people felt that even more keenly than the weak did. She didn’t know anyone stronger than her dear Rollick, and she knew how he had suffered.

She also knew speaking of it had helped Rollick banish those memories. He'd wept once— only once— about the horrors done through his unwilling body and inflicted on his mind. He laid his head on her chest as sobs wracked his body, seeking comfort in her, and she had held him and murmured to him and told him she would always be there for him. Then the storm passed, and he was ready to put it behind him. He had acknowledged his feelings, owned them, and they lost their power over him. She'd felt so helpless then too, so unsure of what to say, except to reassure him how much she loved him. Maybe Rollick would have better advice for Julen, who would now have to confront his own demons.

She couldn't quite hear the words Julen whispered, and she didn't think she was meant to. He seemed to be speaking only to himself. She simply said quietly, “No one doubts your strength, Julen. I hope you won’t torture yourself to try to prove it to us.”

[Julen]

Julen felt relieved that he hadn’t scared or upset Uluki with his offer to care for her children, should the need arise. And he appreciated her honesty. As Uluki explained the dark history that lay behind her adopted daughters, Julen began to understand some of the difficulties he might face if events ever led him down that path. But none of those potential trials weakened his resolve to do what he’d promised.

“Thank you for being so open with me. I’m sorry that your daughters suffered such terrible things, and I wish I could assure you that I have the wisdom to help them continue their healing.” A wistful smile curved Julen’s lips. “When my whole world was my farm, I felt very wise. I knew how deeply to plant a seed, knew how much water and light was needed to make it grow tall, knew when to harvest what my toil had earned me. What else did I need to know? But as the world has opened up to me, I’ve realized how big it is, how filled with concerns other than the ones I was raised to deal with. And when faced with them, I’m not very wise at all.”

Julen shook his head. Then, he let his eyes meet Uluki’s, so that she could see his deep belief in what he was about to say. “But Rosemary and I have love. We have so much more than we need for just loving each other -- we want a family to share it with. I know love doesn’t fix everything. But if they ever need it, I promise you that Zee, and Dash, and Martin will have that love. Regardless of whatever challenges they bring with them.”

“I’m sure that while we all continue working together, Rosemary and I will get a chance to know your daughters better. And they’ll get a chance to know us. That’s a good thing, even without considering possible eventualities.”

“As for Kaydee, I think that some maternal treatment will do her a world of good. It’s got to be better than the sort of treatment she’s used to.”

That brought them around to the subject of Snyde, and what Snyde had done. The accuracy with which Uluki described Julen’s inner struggle made him feel naked. As she spoke, he couldn’t keep from fidgeting, twisting his fingers together behind his back. At any moment, he expected her to start mocking him -- she, who had been married to a warrior for so long. Surely his weakness seemed pathetic to her. But there was only kindness in her voice. So, slowly, Julen relaxed and let himself accept her compassion.

“I haven’t told Rosemary how bad it really was,” Julen confessed. “I didn’t want to scare her. I didn’t want her to think about me being hurt like that. She’s having a hard enough time adjusting to the idea of me being a warrior without throwing in any extra nightmares. And Aorle...I admire him more than anyone I’ve ever met. If he gave me a command, I would do it even if it cost me my life. But he’s not entirely human.”

With a sheepish grin, Julen realized who he was talking to. “Okay, you’re not exactly human either. But it’s different with him. He’s Angelsworn. He doesn’t feel human weaknesses. No matter how much compassion as he has, he can’t ever truly understand what it’s like to live with the shadows that haunt our hearts. If I said anything to him, he’d just tell me to snap out of it and train harder so Snyde couldn’t beat me next time. That’s good, practical advice. However, on a certain level, it only helps so much.”

“But I think...I think maybe I will talk to Rollick. Sometime. If we both have a moment.”

Julen hesitated. So much had been said in this room, so many confidences shared. Again, his mind returned to his promise to look after Uluki’s children, and how honest she’d been about what he’d be undertaking. She’d made no effort to deceive him, although it would have been convenient for her to do so. And it wasn’t right for him to deceive her. Julen knew that Aorle would want him to keep his mouth shut. But Uluki had trusted him with the secret of her healing, the secret of her daughters’ past -- it was only fair that he trust her with a secret of his own.

“Uluki, you said that I needed to know what I was agreeing to do before I promised to look after your daughters. That was true. And it’s equally true that you need to know something about me before deciding that I’d be a fitting guardian. Remember what I told you, about the issue of someone getting arrested for the illegal use of magic being complicated? That’s because if the battlemages or City Guard show up here, they may not be coming for you. They may be coming for me.”

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki was greatly reassured by Julen’s reaction to hearing the truth about her daughters. If he had seemed casual about it, had made it seem like a small thing that wouldn’t greatly affect a family, she would have worried that he hadn’t understood, and that he wasn’t taking the matter seriously enough. The fact he acknowledged that it wouldn’t be easy confirmed for her that he had the sense and good judgment to do what would need to be done. Naturally she would prefer that she and her husband didn’t die prematurely, but she was practical enough to acknowledge that they led dangerous lives. She felt far more secure knowing that if the worst happened to her and Rollick, the children would still be provided for. Unsure what more to say about the matter, she merely quietly repeated, “Thank you.”

What Julen said about maternal treatment being better than what Kaydee was used to kicked up memories of Uluki’s nightmare, even though she knew that wasn’t at all his intention. Even as he spoke, the words that filled her mind were, “I thank all the gods you aren’t my mother.” The real Kaydee hadn’t been like that, she reminded herself. She’d been kind and gentle and had expressed thankfulness for the small things Uluki had done for her, as insignificant as Uluki knew those things were. The real Kaydee would never say anything that cruel to her… and yet it wasn’t the saying of it that concerned her. Uluki didn’t want to cause any more pain. She didn’t want to inflict any further wounds on that already wounded soul. She would have to be careful.

Uluki laughed a little at the comment about not being human, but nodded to acknowledge she agreed with Julen’s point. “Being Fae does not convey any immunity to human weaknesses, I’m afraid. My mind is very different than a human’s, but I think my heart is much the same. Sometimes it would be easier if that weren’t true. Sometimes I wish I could live without the shadows. Maybe I would be able to help more people or have more compassion if I had a purer heart. But then other times… other times I think in some ways it helps. Maybe having wounds helps me understand them. Maybe people see my impurities, and realize they can talk to me, because I’m so obviously in no position to pass judgment on anyone else. I have magic to heal bodies, and that’s easy. Healing minds is harder. Sometimes I think that all the pain I’ve ever been through is a gift that helps me do that, that helps me see and heal the pain in others. But then I’m not even sure that makes any sense…”

Uluki was not entirely surprised to hear Julen was able to use magic. She’d wondered a little after their last conversation, but other worries had pushed the thoughts from her mind. “As far as being a fitting guardian, you wouldn’t be putting the children in any more danger than they’re in now, unless Rosemary is harbouring some deep dark secret. And even then…”

He’d probably already guessed this anyway. “Before, when you were talking about Aorle, you told me how compassionate he was. At the time I suspected you thought it was myself that I was afraid for, and I went on letting you think that. I didn’t mean to lie to you, but I was trying to protect the one I was really scared he would hurt. We all have darkness in our pasts, Julen— Rollick and me too, not just the girls.”

Then, once again, she was afraid. It wasn’t Rollick’s death she feared this time. Even if Julen felt murderous toward him, he wouldn’t go against Aorle’s wishes on the matter. What she worried was that the knowledge would make him look at Rollick differently, and treat him with mistrust or distaste.

“It was Rollick I was afraid for. Ten years ago, an evil god that had been trapped got released. It took over Rollick’s body, possessing him for nearly four months. He fought against it… he fought hard… and he protected a lot of people from it.”

“That evil creature is gone now, banished from this Plane, and its evil did not taint the man I married. I am completely sure of that. Rollick is a loving, wonderful man. He’s kinder to me than I imagined anyone could be. He’s helped so many people, both before and since. He’s saved my life more than once, and many other lives too. That’s what I see when I look at him.”

“Sometimes that isn’t what other people see, though. Sometimes they see only the body that was forced to be the host to evil. Sometimes they judge… very harshly.” Her expression was one of almost physical pain.

“There was a man we knew at the time, who bore a superficial resemblance to Aorle. He was called a paladin, which may be sort of like what Aorle is. He was different, though. He believed in justice, but not much in compassion. He certainly didn't have the slightest compassion for Rollick, nor justice either for that matter.”

“He said Rollick deserved to die, that his soul was forever contaminated by what was done to him against his will. He said Rollick had lost his honour. He thought… he thought the only way to purge the taint he saw was to end Rollick’s life. I wouldn’t let him do it.”

“I was afraid Aorle would want Rollick to die too. I knew we needed a place to stay, a place where the children would be safe, but I couldn’t sacrifice Rollick for that. We love him. We need him. He doesn’t deserve death. That’s why I was so afraid. I just couldn’t…”

Couldn’t face that loss. Couldn’t watch him fall again. The worst battle she’d ever seen, but what did she expect, fighting a god? Her dress soaked with his blood… that had been the end of the black dress, that and how badly she’d been burned. Even if the dress hadn’t been all but destroyed that day, she would never have been able to wear it again.

“We weren’t going to keep it a secret from Aorle forever. We were going to tell him about all of it, about all of us, once we had proven to him that we were good. He found out about it anyway, though, and he isn’t going to harm us. He still plans to allow us to remain here.”

Uluki realized she’d strayed much too far from her original point. “All this to say I’m sure the children would be in no greater danger with you than with us.”

“If those people come for you, we will do what we can to protect you. I know that’s of little reassurance, but it’s the best I can offer. I can heal anything short of death that they could do to you, and Rollick would fight beside you. He has no fear of magic users like us, which I suppose is obvious given that he loves me. He would not stand by and allow people to harm you.”

“If you don’t mind me asking… what kind of magic can you do?”

[Julen]

Julen noticed a touch of uneasiness flit across Uluki’s face when he mentioned her maternal feelings for Kaydee. Guilt? Shame? Fear? He wasn’t sure which and he couldn’t imagine why she would feel any of them. Part of him wanted to find out. But he didn’t know what question he could ask that would tell him the answer. So, for the moment, he let Uluki keep that secret.

“I feel much the way you do,” Julen admitted, in response to Uluki’s description of her conflicting emotions regarding weaknesses of the heart. “I see all the good that Aorle accomplishes. And I think that maybe, if I was pure like he is, I could do more to help. But the idea terrifies me, and I’m not even sure why. Lust, pride, greed -- I don’t like experiencing those things. I’m not proud of them. Why should the prospect of losing them scare me so much?”

Julen shook his head, unsure if he was making himself clear. “Part of it is what you said, about needing our shadows in order to understand other people. And part of it is feeling like I’d be losing myself. My sins don’t define me, but my struggle against them does. I can’t imagine existing without it. I think that maybe it’s a battle no mortal was ever meant to permanently win.”

“Aorle and I talked about this once, back in Shim. And he told me that the notion of being fully mortal again frightens him. I’ve watched him challenge the best swordsman in Thar Shaddin. I’ve watched him fight alone against six armed men. He wasn’t afraid then. But the possibility of being what I am, of feeling what I do -- that frightens him. So there you are.” Julen shrugged. “He doesn’t want to be me, and I don’t want to be him, and we both struggle on in our own way, hoping that we’ve made the right decision.”

As Uluki spoke about Rollick’s possession by the evil god, Julen listened with growing alarm. He couldn’t imagine what that would be like. For something to seize control of Rosemary, to take her from him, to force her to do terrible things...it sounded horrible beyond his ability to comprehend. Abandoning his position against the wall, Julen sat down beside Uluki. Compassion told him to put his arm around her, but propriety reminded him that they were both married to other people, so he compromised by taking one of Martin’s small hands, allowing the boy to form a bond between them.

“I understand why you were afraid. Some people do judge unfairly. Fortunately, Aorle is not one of those people. If anything, I imagine that learning about what happened has made him admire Rollick more.”

“As for that paladin, I do not believe he truly practices justice, for all that he invokes its name. There would be no justice in killing an innocent man who fought against the evil that possessed him, who did his best to protect others from it and eventually helped ensure its defeat. Harming Rollick would only be misplaced vengeance.”

A rueful sigh escaped Julen. “Here, magic is viewed with nearly as much suspicion and fear as an evil god. And those of us touched by it are considered to be just as tainted. Look at you. Because you have a wondrous gift, a gift that could help so many people, you’re forced to practice it in secret for fear of your own life. Because I can’t control what happens when I sing, I’ll never be able to coax my own children to sleep with a simple lullaby.”

“That’s my magic,” Julen confessed, answering Uluki’s question. “When I close my eyes, when I really concentrate on a song, I create pictures of what the lyrics are describing. Small illusions. Harmless things I can’t even really control. But because of them, I’m an outlaw in the land where I was born.”

Then, as Julen’s thoughts returned to Uluki’s story, his own troubles were pushed aside by concern for her. “Rosemary told me that Aorle received a letter slandering your family and threatening the life of at least one of your children. Do you think it might be that paladin? Do you think he might have somehow followed you here?”

[Lylessa Uluki]

Uluki smiled when Julen took Martin’s hand. She couldn’t help but reflect yet again that Julen would be a very good father. She hoped one day he would have the opportunity, whether through Rosemary bearing an infant or the couple finding a child to adopt. Surely they deserved that happiness.

“I’m so glad you understand about Rollick. My family is safe now, and that’s such a relief. It’s just that I also hope… I hope Rollick will be able to make friends here. That probably seems insignificant given the dangers all around us, but friends are such a source of strength.”

“We had some good friends where we used to live, but making them isn't an easy thing. Even people who are sympathetic to Rollick are sometimes uncomfortable around him. They find what was done to him unsettling, and even though he is kind to them, they can’t help but feel a touch of doubt that the evil is truly gone. Sometimes people look at him like they expect him to snap at any moment. Back where we used to live, everybody knew about the evil god, knew that it had possessed Rollick. People tended to keep him at a distance even long after it was over, which I know was difficult for him.”

“People also… they sometimes treated him unkindly because of me. Magic wasn’t illegal where we lived, but it was feared. Even more than that, humans hated and feared those who weren’t, and vice versa. At times it was all but open war. People didn’t want to see a human who loved someone like me. Someone who was Fae. They said horrible things to him… one time they threw rocks at us because they saw him holding my hand. They hated it even more that we made a baby together. They said it was a sin, an abomination.”

“I told Rollick that he didn’t have to acknowledge me when we were around other people. We could be together in private, and in public pretend we weren’t. He said no. He said he wasn’t going to pretend not to love me. He said I was worth it. I know he made a sacrifice, though. I know people treated him badly because of me.”

“So I hope that maybe… maybe here it will be different. Easier. Maybe here more people will understand, and be nice to him. I know I sound like an interfering wife, but… I hope that for him.”

She smiled when Julen described his illusions, wistful that he wasn’t able to show them to her.

“Your magic sounds like a beautiful thing, Julen. I would love to see it if… if things were different. I don’t see what harm it could do to anyone. I don’t understand why they would be afraid of it. I don’t think it’s fair that you would be treated like a criminal.”

It sounded like a more pleasant gift than hers, in fact. She wished she could make people smile and laugh, make them happy. Her trade was in blood and suffering and pain. Necessary as it was, no one ever wanted to be in a position where they needed a healer. In a different place, a place where magic was accepted, surely it would be nice to have a talent people would look forward to seeing.

“It must be hard to keep people from finding out about a gift like that. I know sometimes when I’m doing work around the house, I’ll sing a little tune to myself. I can’t imagine what it would be like if even that simple action could be dangerous. It must be a source of great concern for you and Rosemary.”

It never occurred to her that Julen might not have told his wife about his abilities. Uluki had no real secrets from Rollick, nor he from her. Neither was the secretive type, and both had learned to read each other too well to keep much hidden even if they had the desire to. Uluki merely assumed that Rosemary knew of Julen’s magic, as Rollick knew of her own.

Julen’s idea of the paladin having sent the letter was a logical one, only…

“That paladin would certainly have preferred to see Rollick dead, and I think he’d have been more than pleased for me to share Rollick’s coffin. The paladin never liked me much. In fact, I made him angry a lot of the time. He was so volatile. I could never predict what would set him off, and he had a horrible temper. More than once he made me fear for my own life, too.”

“He can’t have been the sender of the letter, though. Much as he would agree with the sentiments, he’s been dead these many years. He fell in battle. He isn’t sending notes to anyone. It seems clear that whoever wrote that letter is indeed someone from our past, though. At the time we received the letter, no one else knew those secrets. I’m afraid I have no idea who it might be.”

What would the paladin think, if he could see what her life had been like? She wished she could pretend he would have been glad for her, pleased that she and Rollick had gotten married and were happy together. She suspected, though, that he would have seen two sinners who didn’t deserve the joy they had found. The paladin had never trusted her, and had never accepted that there was any possibility Rollick had escaped the taint of evil. He wanted them dead, not happy. Yet happy they were, and he was… somewhere. With his god, she supposed. Whichever god that was.

She sighed with frustration. “I can think of no likely suspects for the letter writer. A mage sent us here by accident, trying to send me back to the Astral Plane… but he had nothing against Rollick or the children. He claimed to be trying to free them from the Fae who had entrapped them, and they got caught up in the spell only because he didn’t do it right.”

“Other than that… we certainly aren’t loved by everyone, but I don’t know of anyone with a strong enough hatred to pursue us halfway across the world. Everyone I know of who disliked us would probably consider having us out of the way sufficient.”

“I just don’t know, Julen. I really don’t.”