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*****

ELRETH

It was stupid under the circumstances. There were so many things of such magnitude happening, she shouldn't have had any reservations about calling on any Anima. But as she and her brother and mate left the royal cave, Elreth's stomach churned with nerves, and she had her ears attuned to any sound.

Were her parents fighting? Were they going to fall back into that dark, separate place they'd been weeks ago? She felt like she was twelve years old again—the only time she could recall her parents fighting in a way that kept them angry for more than a few hours. And that had been nothing compared to what they'd gone through before she and Aaryn walked the Flames and Smoke. But it was that same, creeping dread in her stomach, that same tense air of waiting, ears perked, for any sound of conflict or anger.

But there was nothing.

As they approached the tree, she could see Gar's frown deepening, but when they got to the door and Elreth knocked, the only sound was the low murmur of voices inside.

"At least he isn't roaring,

" Gar muttered from behind Elreth. Elreth slapped his arm again. Then the door opened and her father stood in the gap, looking at each of them.

"I see the family emissaries have arrived,

" he said dryly.

"Actually, no,

" Elreth said quietly, letting him see the apology in her eyes.

"This is purely ruling business. I need… I need Mom to help me get ready.

"

Her father's brow creased, but he opened the door to let them in. Their mother sat at the dining table, the only lantern in the tree that was lit was the one directly over it. She leaned on an elbow on the table, her entire body slumped with weariness. But she turned and sat up when they walked in, like she was bracing herself.

The guys stopped to mutter with her father as they stepped inside, so Elreth hurried over to her mother's side.

"Are you okay?

" she asked quietly.

Her mom took her hands and forced a smile.

"Of course. I told you, this stuff just takes time, Elreth. Nothing would ever come between your father and I permanently.

"

Elreth nodded, squeezing her hands.

"I'm sorry, I know this is a rough time, but I need your help.

"

"What is it?

"

"I need to get ready to cross the traverse. Aaryn is going to be my Protector. Gar's going to train him. But we need to move as quickly as possible and… Gar said you need to tell me about the human world and how that's all going to work, just in case there's a problem when we get there. I have to find Kalle and Gahrye. I have to learn what they know—and see if they have any clues about how this human got through without any of us knowing.

"

Her mother took a deep breath and her smile flattened.

"Okay,

" she said.

"Sit down.

"

"You're doing WHAT?!

" her father's voice boomed from near the front door.

Her mother rolled her eyes.

"He's not at his best tonight. I can hardly blame him. All of this has been a real wound to his pride and he's been taking it without complaining. But I knew it would hit him eventually.

"

"Elreth—

" her father thundered towards them. El turned to face him and folded her arms.

"If my brother can submit when he's the one who has to train me, I think my dad can do it too,

" she said.

"I'm not arguing about this. I have to get over there and understand who and what we're facing. I already knew that, but hearing everything tonight just cemented it. And don't tell me you wouldn't have made exactly the same decision under these circumstances, I know you would have!

"

"Yes, but I'm—

" he caught himself and broke off.

Elreth raised an eyebrow.

"You're what?

"

The little muscles at the back of her father's jaw twitched.

"I was going to say, I'm a warrior. I've been trained to fight.

"

"And I haven't?

" Elreth snipped.

Aaryn stepped forward then.

"Not the same way, El. You're strong, but you haven't battled. Not really.

"

"And you really think this is a battle that has to be fought with the body? Because from everything I'm hearing, it sounds like it's a problem to be solved with the mind.

"

"Until the moment your enemy shows up in the flesh,

" her father reminded her.

"And then what? If you're on that side, El, you're putting yourself into their hands.

"

"If all it takes for me to fall into their hands is being on that side of the traverse, we can't win this,

" she growled.

"You all are deciding that because I am female, I can't defend myself or apparently, fight well enough to keep myself safe in the event of a battle. But if it comes to standing and fighting for my people, I'd rather do it over there—if we win, they never come through!

"

"And if you lose, they have nothing and no one standing in their way.

"

"Except you and Gar,

" she returned pointedly.

Her father's face got tight. Then pained.

"El… please…

"

"Don't,

" she warned him. Her mother stood behind her, at her shoulder. Her mate and brother stood behind her father.

"Don't make this about our family. Don't make this about me and you, or you and mom,

" she said quietly. Then she looked at Aaryn.

"Don't make this about us.

"We all knew, we've known our whole lives that being royal, being the ruler, means taking the risks so our people don't have to. We walk into things they don't know and can't control, and we protect them. I am not your daughter, or your sister, or your mate right now. I am your Queen. I am the dominant of these people, and I am certain that the only way to see this clearly is to get over there and speak to those who are at the source. To see the enemy for myself, and to understand the portal and how we might protect it better. So you all have a choice: You can help me and stand with me, and make this easier and less likely to kill me.. Or you can fight me and I'll do it anyway, because that's my job—and I do not need your permission to do what the Creator put me here to do.

"