(August 2021) READER SHOUT OUT: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for the very, very generous gifts you gave in July. I am always a little embarrassed when readers give extra on top of paying for my content. I am truly humbled. I want to say a special thank you to these readers whose generosity made my jaw drop: DaoistDavPrw, PBMamaRae, Nessa52283, MoonGoddess21

*****

AARYN

Aaryn wasn't sure how she'd done it, but at some point while that all listened to the others tell their stories, Elia had snuck in and taken a seat next to Gar.

The male didn't look happy about it, but he also didn't move, though there were spaces he could have taken. Aaryn was glad.

He watched Elreth as the other two they'd brought specifically to show her how a disformed's life was changed—improved—by the Outsiders told their stories of difficult childhoods, abuse, neglect, and finding a place among them. As he'd known it would, her compassion came to the fore when she faced these people. Just like it had when he was young. She wanted to save them from their pain. And now she was finally in a position to do it.

He prayed she would have the strength her father hadn't had, to truly draw a line for the people of Anima and give the disformed their place in the Tree City.

But as the last of them—a serpent named Bhoer—came to the riskiest part of his story, he saw Elreth's eyes sharpen.

"…I gave up on the Anima. I went to the human world. And it's better over there for us—we don't risk shifting. They can't tell the difference between us and a normal human, but they sense that something is different, and they like it!

" the snake said, his low, quiet voice little more than a hum.

"I had given up. I'll be honest. But then I heard that you'd taken dominance and that… that things might be getting better soon. Anima is my home. I would rather live here. But I have to ask you to give us a place among the people where we are not shamed!

"

Elreth tipped her head.

"I would never shame you for your birth, and I agree that you should not be shamed by those who would… but you're telling me you left us. You defected?

"

Bhoer glanced at Aaryn from the side, but he'd already told the male to be honest. He knew Elreth wouldn't like this part, but he also knew it would do the trick to show her how desperate some of them were.

"Yes,

" he told her.

"How?

" Elreth said, her jaw tight.

"How did you get through safely? And return? I am warned the traverse is… difficult even for the best of us.

"

Bhoer looked at Aaryn again, but everyone startled when Gar was the one to speak up from the back.

"I've been teaching some of them how to cross.

"

There was a sharp intake of breath from several present. Elreth went very still in her seat, her eyes fixed on her brother.

Aaryn prayed this would be one of the moments when Elreth remembered her love for her brother.

"You've been doing… what?

"

Gar cleared his throat.

"I crossed when I was sixteen. I learned what it's like, and how to do it safely.

"For the ones that want to go, or at least, want the option, I've been training them on how to cross safely.

"

Elreth took a deep breath, her jaw rolling.

"There is no safe way to cross the traverse.

"

"Yes, there is—but only some people are capable of it. I know it. So does Gahrye. Between us, we can identify who is capable of it, and get them through.

"

Elreth's breathing picked up, Aaryn signed to her, 'I am here. Stay calm. Let them tell you.'

Her eyes didn't slip to his fingers, but he knew she'd picked up what he said.

"You have been… helping my people defect from Anima?

"

"No,

" Gar said,

"Though I'm sure that's been the result at least a few times. But we've been helping people see how valuable they are and giving them an outlet. A way to rest in a place where they are admired instead of abused.

"

Then Elia spoke up.

"Elreth, this goes all the way back to the months I spent in the human world when I was pregnant with you. We never intended to make this a threat to the crown—quite the opposite. We are preparing people to be an asset in case it is ever needed. Giving them a purpose. It is a secret, but a small one. And had the time come to use it, we would have given it to your father. But now, if you ever need the resource, it will be given to you.

"

"You would… give me my own people?

" Elreth asked, and Aaryn could hear the tension in her, the rising anger.

'Breathe,' he signed, and held the signal for a time. Elreth's eyes did drop to his hands that time. Then cut up to his eyes.

Silently, he pleaded with her to listen and understand.

"You need to know that we were only hiding this for the safety of the disformed,

" Aaryn said quietly.

"Not to keep it from you.

"

Elreth started to snort, but caught herself. She looked at her mother.

"You have been training people for twenty years and hiding it… for their own good?

"

"No, not for twenty years. This is something we developed over time. And the training really only began in earnest in the past couple of years. Before that we only ever had two or three prepared at a time. But as the disformed population has grown, more and more have proven to be capable of it—even more capable than their parents, in truth. So… we will train anyone we measure as both strong and willing—as long as their loyalty is to the crown.

"

Elreth rolled her lips in like she was holding words back.

"And how do you measure the loyalty to the crown of people who are deceiving the Crown about what they do?

"

"We were not deceiving,

" Aaryn said firmly.

"Only hiding.

"

Elreth made a tiny sign—both fingers and thumbs pinched together then pulled away from each other, 'splitting hairs.'

Aaryn gave a tiny shake of his head.

"Every trained disformed has known from the first day that should their skill ever be required by the throne, it would be asked of them to give it freely.

"

"And yet, some of them have simply left?

"

"Yes, but they could have left within Anima as well. That they chose the human world isn't relevant.

"

She gave him a look that told him they would speak of this again, then she turned back to her mother and brother.

"Tell me why I shouldn't name you traitors to the throne when you provide the means by which some of the people leave us without any discussion or recourse from the throne?

" she said, obviously far more calmly than she felt.

Aaryn's stomach went cold.