RETH

Something cold and dead settled in the pit of his stomach, then a twitch in his peripheral vision turned his head. He found Behryn staring at him, eyes haunted.

It slammed home to him, then, that this was where his best friend had been living for who knew how long? How long had his mate been asking him to choose?

Then he looked at Aymora, who he thought would have defended Elia, but whose jaw was set in the way that meant she wouldn't be moved.

Aymora believed Elia should do this?

Reth leaned forward in his chair, clawed both hands into his hair and tried desperately to think past the buzzing in his head.

Was he letting his fear control him? Aymora, who knew Elia's care and her body—and who did not like to take risks—was telling him to do this. Brant, who called Elia his daughter, was telling him to do this. To ask it of Elia.

"Have you considered asking her?

" the elder lion said quietly.

"She is a Queen, Reth. She is your mate, but she is, at her heart, a Queen. She knows the people need her—perhaps better than they do.

"

Reth rolled his head on his shoulders, still looking up from the floor. His heart pattered rapidly against his ribs and his skin felt hot.

He couldn't think clearly. Everything within him fought this—but was that because it was truly a risk to her, or because he simply feared ever letting her step into anything without him? Was it only his own fear of losing her?

"Reth?

"

He sighed.

"I do not disagree that the people need this,

" Reth muttered.

"I am… unhappy about the timing.

"

"You said yourself we don't know if it's permanent. We can't risk that once she delivers she can no longer shift. Plus, it could be weeks until she delivers, according to Aymora. We do not believe we should wait so long,

" Brant continued.

"The people are on edge now. The need for a unifying symbol is now.

"

"Yet you put off the decision about the wolf?

" Reth asked dryly, still not looking at him.

"Actually, with Elia displaying for the people, we are agreed that it would be better for the wolf to be gone, and his presence no longer a reminder or fuel to the rebel fire. And we are agreed that banishment is the best way—it will avoid painting him as a martyr to any that still hold faith in a rebellion. What we have not yet decided is whether to make his banishment public, or inform the people after the fact.

"

Reth chewed that over. His heart rose that Lerrin would not be killed—at least, not by the crown. He did not doubt the wolf's life was in grave danger if it was discovered when and how he would leave the WildWood. There were those that wanted revenge.

But by the same token, he was sick at the idea of putting Elia through this—not only exhausting her with a public address, but to force her to give in to the shift… He wanted to snarl just thinking about it.

"Think of it, Reth,

" Aymora piped up.

"Elia standing as a symbol for hope, for the future, and Lerrin gone as an image of the past. It is… it will be beneficial for the people. For all of us. You can see that, I know you can.

"

He nodded reluctantly. And that was what decided him. She was right. They were right. This picture taken together, was a provision of the Creator. A way to show the Anima that they were walking forward into a life world, a new life.

It was Elia that his heart broke for. The irony—such a little thing to most Anima, the shifting. Yet to her…

"How long?

" he asked in a guttural growl.

"Until what?

"

"How long will you give Elia, how much time can we use to prepare her or… or let her rest?

"

Everyone looked at Aymora then.

"I will make the call, Reth. But I would say we need to make this happen in the next few days to ensure the tensions among the people haven't climbed too high. I have ideas about the best way—to travel her, to prepare her, to rest her before and after…

"

Reth gave a little shake of his head in disbelief.

"So we have to handle the wolf sooner than that, correct?

"

"We are still discussing that. It might be that we bring both Elia and Lerrin to a public address and display to the people at the same event. Or, we might be best to simply take Lerrin out and inform them later. That we are still measuring.

"

Reth nodded, though he wanted to roll to his eyes.

"They will kill the wolf if they have advance notice,

" Reth said, low and hard.

"If you evict him publicly it's a death sentence.

"

"I'm not as certain of that, but it is a risk, definitely.

"

"They already took a shot at him in the Prison. You think they won't send warriors after him when they know he's loose in the forest?

"

The elders began to murmur between themselves again, and Reth almost shouted at them to stop pecking! To stand up and lead!

But he knew that wasn't really their job, not in council like this. Their job here was to bring him their best advice, to determine what that advice was, and why, and then to point to the road they believed he should travel as Ruler.

Normally he was very grateful for their advice, and their help in identifying what was needed. But in this, the image grated on him.

He was King. He could, he knew, simply say no. They would not turn on him and force Elia to it. But it would create a rift among them. And now, at this time, he could not afford that. They had to lead into unity, not division.

He looked at Behryn again, whose eyes were shadowed, and who had barely spoken today, despite his usual investment in these issues of security and protection.

For a moment Reth imagined being here without him at all, and the bottom dropped out of his stomach. But then he gritted his teeth and shook his head.

Fuck.

This was a **ty situation, and a dangerous one. But it was also necessary if they were going to lead the people forward together.

"Fine,

" he said reluctantly.

"Fine. But you let me tell her when the time is right. And I'm making the call: Lerrin goes without the knowledge of the people. He needs at least 2 days head start, especially if he's moving soon, because that wolf can barely walk right now. We'll tell the people after he's gone—after they've seen Elia. And no one speaks of this plan to anyone outside of this room, at all. I will handle the wolf.

"

Brant looked around at the others, then back at Reth..

"As you say, so it shall be,

" he intoned.