ELRETH

After dinner Aaryn had headed off with the disformed to meet Tarkyn and see if his people were right for this task. Elreth had spoken briefly with the woman's council, filled them in on their suspicions, and asked Huncer to have the History Keepers look into the past for any record of humans on Anima that hadn't been brought specifically for the Rite. She knew there was a human queen several hundred years ago, but she thought she vaguely remembered a human tribe at some point as well.

She wanted to know if that was right, and how it was possible.

Then she'd gone to her parent's tree intending to ask her Father to fill her in on anything he knew about the traverse and humans coming through—after all, he'd had patrols in place to check the portal every week—but their tree was empty and dark, and they hadn't been at dinner.

Elreth suspected they'd gone to the Weeping Tree, but if that was right, she didn't want to disturb that. She'd speak to her father later. Or in the morning.

She shuddered as she walked the trail back towards the Tree City. The Security Council were reconvening in an hour. Even though they wouldn't be there yet, she wanted to get back and be ready. Maybe sniff that carcass again. Something about it had smelled a little wrong and she hadn't been able to analyze it to see if it connected with Hannah somehow.

Which reminded her… she had to determine what she was going to do with the human female that was already here! She groaned and dropped her face into her hands.

Too many balls to juggle, too many conflicting needs—or not conflicting enough. Here she was planning a fist to take this human hunter prisoner, while she had another human free and happy—ready to mate an Anima—in a cave on the hill. And she hadn't told the Security Council.

What would they do when they found out she'd hidden that from them?

But then she frowned.

She was Queen. She was Alpha of All. Clan Leader.

She could do whatever the hell she wanted.

She snorted the air from her nose, but her heart wasn't really in it. Even though she knew that she could, indeed, do whatever she wished. She also knew that was the fastest route to a challenge and likely losing dominance if she proved to be harming the Tree City or WildWood—just as she would have challenged any Anima that put them at risk when she wasn't in power.

She sighed heavily.

Too many needs. Too many problems. Too many questions.

She needed to talk to Aaryn. And Gar. And her dad—and her mother, for that matter. And Hannah and Marryk. And…

Elreth swore. The list was endless. She would go to the Security Council building, check the carcass for traces of Hannah, just in case there had been a deception about when she'd arrived. And once she was certain that wasn't a part of this picture, she'd call for Gar. By the time she was done with him, the council would be meeting, and hopefully Aaryn would be back…

She prayed the disformed had proven themselves and would be allowed to help on this sortie, at the very least. She couldn't imagine Tarkyn keeping them out of it if they were as skilled as Aaryn said. But if they weren't, if he didn't have an objective measure of their skill…

Elreth shook her head. She just went around in circles. Every decision hinged on another that hadn't been made yet.

When she finally made it to the Security Council building she was deep in thought and didn't bother turning on the lights as she entered the building. She didn't need the light and there was something peaceful about keeping the building dark. If no one knew she was in there there was less likelihood that she'd be interrupted before the Council started to arrive.

She needed a few minutes to just breathe.

She crossed to the table where the carcass still lay, it's rotting stench hazy in the room, but she ignored it and leaned down to scent any traces on the animal itself for who had touched it. She could smell several Anima there, including Tarkyn and Aaryn. And Gar.

Gar's scent was the thickest since he'd been the last to touch it. But she remained surprised by how much his scent was there. Too much.

He hadn't just turned the body over or moved it, he'd been handling it for a while.

Why was he so interested in it? And why hadn't he spoken about his interest when they were asking him questions?

They'd focused on the weapons, she supposed. And the humans. But she'd noticed Gar's intense interest in the Pricklepig when they all returned to their seats. Then she'd become distracted with plans. Gar had remained near the table for the rest of the afternoon. He must have been handling it for much of that time to leave so much scent on it.

Elreth leaned down again, dragging her nose along the side of the carcass, and the back of the neck—the natural spot for it to be handled and carried.

And that was when she got that tangy, stinging scent again. She'd put it down to the human world—there was a trace of that scent in Hannah's clothing as well. Aaryn had mentioned that anything—or anyone—that came back from the human world seemed to have absorbed this unnatural stink.

So was that how humans smelled? No, it couldn't be. There was nothing of that scent on her mother, or herself. Though she wasn't sure if she carried any of the human scents since she'd been born a shifter.

Frowning, she forced herself to put her nose almost to the skin of the carcass and inhale.

Yes, it was definitely there. That tangy stink, Gar's touch, and someone—or something—she couldn't identify. Was that the scent of the human that had killed it? Or something else?

"You can stop trying, you won't identify it. I've never smelled it before. And I've spent weeks over there.

"

Elreth almost leaped to the ceiling, before whirling, one hand on her chest, to find her brother sitting in the single, plush chair in the dark corner of the room. She couldn't believe she hadn't noticed him!

"What are you doing here, Gar?

" she growled.

"You said you needed me. And… you're right. You do.

"

"You already told us about the weapons. Thank you,

" she said carefully.

"But you're right. I do need to speak with you. I need to understrand what you've been doing. For real. The whole picture. The whole reasoning behind it. Take the stick out of your ass and just tell me, Gar. Something's going on and now all of Anima is at risk. You need to tell me what you know—and what you don't.

"

"I will,

" he said softly, his deep voice rumbling just like their father's, though with a different tone. Gar always sounded slightly petulant compared to their dad. Elreth was surprised. Gar rarely gave up a chance to fight. But before she could ask, he continued.

"But… you have to promise me you won't tell Dad, El,

" he finished.

She went very still.

"Why?

"

"Because if you do, he'll probably kill me.

"

Elreth sucked in.

*****

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