ELRETH

Watching her brother talk about this was humbling. There was something different in him—something more steady. He was still Gar, but this Gar was sure of himself, protective, and thoughtful. It was like all the things she'd loved about her brother came to the front, and that juvenile, stupid streak in him had faded to the back.

It was humbling. Aaryn's words the night before echoed in her head and Elreth could see that he was right. Really right. That even though her brother had issues, it was clear that here and now—doing this—was where he was supposed to be. That he was strong and smart and wise and… and a lot more like their father than she'd ever given him credit for being.

Elreth swallowed this uncomfortable truth and regretted that he'd never thought he could show this side of himself to her before.

She looked at her father and he caught her eye. His scent was boiling with a thousand different feelings. She wondered if some of them were the same as hers.

"Okay, so, we have to be careful in the human world not to reveal ourselves,

" Elreth said a moment later.

"What else? What are you teaching the disformed—if they don't know that being a Protector is a real thing, what are you telling them? Why do they want to go? What do they think they're protecting?

"

Gar looked at their mother, but she shrugged, so he answered.

"We tell them that they're being prepared to help the crown in the event that there's ever a need for the royals to travel to the human world,

" he said reluctantly—then looked a warning at Elreth when she smiled, because of what she'd said earlier.

"So, they're already mentally prepared to take us across?

" she said.

"Interesting.

"

Gar growled.

"The scenario we've described is that both our parents have had reason to traverse—our father when he was a child, our mother as an adult—and you, if you count that, since you went with mom when she was pregnant. We told them we're preparing people so that the royals can come and go safely if it's needed—including others to help them. That there can be safe communication between the two worlds if there's a need for some of us to be over there.

"

Elreth nodded.

"Clever.

"

"And real,

" Gar shot back.

"But still not to be taken lightly.

"

"I wish we'd known when I was over there. I wish we'd had this when I was gone from your father,

" their mother said softly, hugging their father's arm and rubbing it with her hand.

"Yes,

" he agreed, though his voice was low and tight.

"That entire time would have gone easier if we'd had the means to cross safely. But it was necessary. Part of the Creator's plan. I have to keep reminding myself of that. Believing it,

" he said firmly.

Elreth took a deep breath.

"Okay, so they believe they're being trained to help us. What, exactly, do you have in place? What is this group doing? Do they just learn how to do this, then… what?

"

"They learn how to do it, and they train. Always. Ongoing,

" Gar said quietly.

"Like soldiers. It's why we've taken those that show a talent for it into tracking and scouting as well. They are prepared to not only take you or our parents over there, El, but to guard you while you're there, and to help hide you, or protect you when you are.

"

"That's good to know,

" she said, meaning it, but Gar took it as a threat that she was going to cross.

"That doesn't mean it's safe! Only that it isn't as risky as it once was!

" he growled.

"There are too many risks to count—not just the crossing, not just the weapons of the humans, or their discovery of us… you have no understanding, El. Their lives are completely different. They do not live as we do. And Anima in the human world can be injured or killed out of pure ignorance. We have to train them to understand the structure of that society and how to function within it. It isn't a little thing!

"

"I can vouch for that,

" their father rumbled.

"My first few months in the human world, especially, were incredibly unsettling as a child. And my guardians struggled too, though they'd been educated. The humans really are as numerous as the leaves on the trees of the Wildwood, Elreth. It is intimidating when you begin to grasp it. Thinking that that kind of force might come against us…

" he trailed off, shaking his head. Their mother hugged his arm again.

"If you're serious about learning about this—if you're serious about maybe crossing yourself, which I say is a terrible idea—

" Gar said,

"You have to take some time to understand what you're walking into. And if you get over there, you need to take some time on the other side to learn from those that have stayed there, that really understand it. They'll have even more caution for you than I do,

" Gar growled.

"Okay, okay,

" Elreth said, putting her hands up in surrender.

"I'm teasing a little bit, so stop snapping your teeth at me. I'm not going to make this decision lightly. But I do find it interesting that the disformed believe that this is what they've been trained for. It seems like a provision under the circumstances… don't you think?

"

Gar turned to hold her eyes, his own sparking with anger.

"It feels more like an excuse for my adventurous sister to decide she can be reckless. And since she's Queen now, that seems like pure stupidity to me.

"

The irony of her brother making that statement dropped Elreth's jaw, but behind her Aaryn chuckled. When she turned to glare at him, he just kept laughing.

"It's all true,

" he said, looking at her, his brows high.

"I mean, you have to admit… he's making sense.

"

Even her father chuckled then.. Elreth didn't see what was so funny.