Kiri watched in silence as the Elders flocked inside the meeting chamber within the Grove. She stood beside Lefaljac and kept her gaze to the floor. Her plan had seemed a lot simpler the day before. In and out, not getting caught by Lefaljac. Definitely not saved by her.

Sharina, the second eldest greeted Lefaljac as she entered but ignored Kiri. Renili merely acknowledged her presence with a simple nod. They took their positions by sitting cross-legged in a semicircle around her.

Lefaljac left her side and took her place at the center of the three Elders. “You know why you stand before us?” Her voice was calm and low.

“I’m ready to accept any punishment you give me.” Kiri fell to her hands and knees before the council. “No matter how long, I will redeem myself.”

“You disobeyed our previous punishment. Why should we believe you would take a new one more serious?” Sharina asked, squinting at her. Despite being over ten thousand years old, her face was a mirror image of beauty, with a sharp chin and glossy hair.

“The human lives at stake seemed more pressing at the time. It was never a question of whether I accepted your judgment or not,” Kiri said.

“On my way to Tamulan, I happened across Tibane.” Lefaljac folded her hands over her lap. “Would you mind explaining yourself? They told me that you attacked and then left her ensnared by the side of the path. I had to free her from your roots.”

Kiri felt heat sicker into her cheeks. She forgot about her after the hectic drive to Tamulan and the encounter with Zafira, she was a little too shaken to mention it to Lefaljac. “That is only partially true. She attacked me. I tried to avoid hurting her and decided to pin her to the ground in hopes of reaching Tamulan undetected.”

“Only to then break into Zafira’s private quarters.”

“Yes,” Kiri let her shoulders slump. The Elders speaking out her misdeeds made her more embarrassed. “But Zafira—”

“We are aware of what Zafira did,” Renili began. “One wrong does not right another. We must respect all life if we are to live in true symbiosis. What you did, not only endangered yourself, but may provoke her to further action.”

“I understand.”

“Do you truly, Kirilamei?” Sharina leaned forward with her hands on her knees. “You have great potential. I hope you come to terms with your role in the universe and how you can better all life.”

“In light of this, I will double your service in the Grove,” Lefaljac said, raising her forefinger. “And, we will put the human into your care.”

“What? I can barely stand to look, let alone speak with him. I was in their world and saw with my own eyes the damage done. While I can’t agree with her methods, I must admit that they are not good creatures. I can’t sit beside him and pretend that he is our equal.”

“We understand your concern,” Lefaljac said. “I have seen Zafira’s claims. We can not judge over another’s existence but protect all life universally. You will look after this Yohanshmitt until the cove reopens and ensure he returns home safely.”

“That could take days!” Kiri raised herself upright, hand balled together at her chest.

“Yes. Which is why I trust you, as his savior, to continue. Humans are not adept to the world as we are. Without our aid he won’t be able to survive until then.”

Kiri lowered her gaze and voice. “I accept this council’s judgment.”

“Very well,” Lefaljac said, turning to the other members of the Elder Council. “Then we must shift our attention to Zafira. Her actions of late are unacceptable.”

Sharina nodded. “We must invite her to a hearing and have her stand trial. We can’t let her go unpunished.”

Kiri decided to stay in case her services may be further required but sat on the far end of the clearing. It was her first hearing in attendance where she, at least partially, was not the subject of debate. A minor victory.

Renili sighed. “There’s little hope in her returning to our ways. If she comes to a hearing, we must seize and ensnare her for eternity.”

“Seizing an invited guest! We can not stoop to the same lows.” Lefaljac took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I’ve known her since she was a seedling and watched her take on the role of Warden. There is good in her. We will send out a missive and bring her before us. She will return to our ways, I know it.”

“And if she doesn’t?” Renili said in a low voice allowing for the others to follow her trail of thought. “We must consider sealing the cove.”

“Lock ourselves away from the universe?” Sharina objected.

“She’s stronger than me,” Renili admitted. “Stronger even than you Sharina. We can not allow such power to go unchecked.”

Lefaljac held in as she considered her words. “It would have to be done after the human returns to his world and only as a last measure should we be unable to further control Zafira. A universe without our guidance is better off than a war waged by our kin.”

Sealing the cove! Kiri’s heart sank at those words. There were thousands of worlds out there. Hundreds they could access at various points in the year. Wardenship was the center of her ambitions. A dream she could forget if they sealed the cove.