(Posted 23 Dec) MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thank you for your support this year! To say thank you, enjoy 5 chapters tonight as my gift to you!

*****

ELRETH

With dismay, Elreth watched her father turn to look at her mother.

"What?

"

"Reth, you knew I'd kept contact with Gahrye, the kids have known him their whole lives—

"

"Yes, we all know that. But… but you're talking about—

"

"I would have returned to the human world if it was needed.

"

Reth's jaw pushed forward, rolling like he ground his teeth.

"You would have defied my orders outright?

"

"I didn't,

" she said breathlessly, her face apologetic.

"I haven't. But if they'd found the humans… I would have gone to hear the story and if I'd needed to, if it needed a human to deal with it, I would have stayed to do it, yes.

"

Her father snorted in disbelief and shook his head.

"This entire situation is completely **ed.

"

"Reth, please—

"

"No, Elia, I let you bring him back in here. I let you have him in our home and risked everyone learning that he was defying me. But this? You would have left me to go to him?

"

"Only to save our entire people—our world! And it wasn't going back to him, Reth. It was going back to who had the information, to who was watching over us from that side!

"

Dad gave her a look that would have withered flowers.

"It's always come back to him. Every time. From the very first weeks of our mating.

"

Elreth was about to jump in—she'd seen her father's jealous side rarely, but it was almost always ugly when it did crop up. She didn't want her mother embarrassed here in front of Tarkyn and Aaryn.

But before she could say anything, her mother was on her feet and leaning over her father.

"Gareth Orstas Hyerhyn, you should be ashamed of yourself!

" her mother spat, her hands balled to fists and her eyes turning golden because she was so angry her beast was threatening to break through—an incredibly rare occurrence that Elreth half-hoped would happen. Her mother was an incredible lioness.

"I have never loved anyone other than you, never given my heart to anyone, and you know it! Your pride is what's hurting right now. I haven't done anything wrong. And you know it! You hate that I hid this from you? I hate that I had to! But if you trust my judgment as much as you've always said you do, then think. THINK! Would I have hidden this from you for any reason outside of the survival of our people!?

"

"Elia—

"

"Don't

"Elia

" me!

" her mother said, dropping her voice as deep as she could to mimic her mate.

"You know I love no one but you, but every time you get your leathers in a knot, you start making comments that imply I have some kind of attachment with Gahrye—it's wrong, and you know it. I've had enough!

"

Aaryn's eyes had gone very wide and Elreth fought a grin as Tarkyn found something very interesting to pick at on the thigh of his leathers. Gar was smirking outright, but he'd always enjoyed the few occasions when their mother set their father down. Elreth punched his arm and he winced and turned to her, cursing. But she noticed he didn't go back to the grinning.

Her mother leaned right down into her father's face.

"Do you love me, Reth?

"

"You know I do. With my life.

"

"Then why, WHY would you ever so much as think that I would have eyes for any other male when I can have you? And why would you accept that I have had to keep this a secret from you, but not accept that if I'd been provided information that our world was at risk that I wouldn't go do something about it?

"

"Because what you're saying is that you would have put yourself in danger, rather than letting me help you,

" her father growled. He pushed out of his chair and got to his feet, looming over their mother who had her hands on her hips and was not intimidated.

"What you're saying is you would have let another male pull you into danger without giving me a chance to address it, to protect you. If I were to do that to you—barge into danger without telling you—you'd be mad as hell at me.

"

Her mother blinked and Elreth recognized her shock.

Score one, Dad.

"I wouldn't be… barging in—

"

"Bull**.

"

There was a pregnant pause where they stared at each other and then her mother looked to the side, remembering that they had an audience. Her face fell and she put her hands to her mouth.

"I'm sorry, everyone,

" she said, her voice hushed.

"That was… unnecessary for you all to hear.

"

"I don't know,

" Aaryn said quietly, looking pointedly at Elreth.

"I kind of think we might be having some conversations like this ourselves pretty soon,

" he said dryly.

"It's good to know we won't be alone.

"

Elreth glared and signed, 'Don't make this about me.'

'But it is about you. You think you should go over.'

'I know I should. The question is when.'

Aaryn just raised an eyebrow, but again she saw the weariness on his face, the lines on his face, and the sag of his shoulders. She took a deep breath. Grieving that none of this could happen simply, easily, peacefully.

Her mother had been forced to keep secrets for two decades.

Her parents were at odds over this and her mother's commitment to her people.

Aaryn was threatening to resist Elreth if she decided to cross.

Gar, it sounded like, would resist everybody but himself and the Protectors. Yet, she'd just learned that Gahrye was over there with Kalle, both of them primed with information—and already working on identifying the humans who knew of Anima.

She was more and more certain that was exactly where their answers lay—and that there was no one who could do this investigation for her. She had to be there, had to see the evidence herself, had to understand the enemy they were going to face. And hopefully, even better, identify the way to stop them before they were crossing back.

As her parents excused themselves to go to their own tree, her mother assuring her that she would answer any further questions later, Elreth sat back in her chair her thoughts spinning.

But one thing she kept coming back to.

They had no time, and she had no patience. It was time to get to the bottom of this.

She needed to go to the human world.