“It has not been clear to me, from the moment of our arrival, whether the vampires intend to sew discord among the ranks of the people of the outpost, or simply do so without conscious effort. Like the tree wolves, they seem to tolerate most of us, and favor only a few.”

~ Bek Trent, M.A.S.O

How long had it been, Cevora wondered, since they had faced each other like this – heir to the throne of Alti, and the kivgha sworn to protect her. Illian’s dark eyes were tired. Just tired. There was no way for her to overlook it. But he could sleep soon.

“Why have you called us here, princess?” Illian asked, eyes moving to Bek, who watched them both in perfect silence. Bek’s bronze eyes betrayed nothing of his thoughts. If he wondered why Cevora had asked them both to come with her not to the meetinghouse, but to where Illian would be quartered, it did not show in his face.

“Today, we convened to discuss Izathral, Illian.” Illian looked unsurprised, if not happy. “I will take up the sword,” she said.

“Of course,” was all he said. Cevora exhaled slowly.

“It’s necessary, Illian.” He regarded her, his meaning as clear without words as Faei’s golden gaze on her face. Never once had he said otherwise. In this, at least, he would not argue with her, not even for her own safety.

“Bek,” she said, eyes not leaving Illian’s face, “I called you both here to discuss Silver. I want to know who she really is.”

Two pairs of eyes fell heavily on Cevora’s face now, eerily alike. Neither of the men before her spoke for several long minutes. It was Illian who finally said, “Bek, speak freely. I also have questions…”

Bek’s face was shadowed, the look of someone who carried a silent rage. Cevora was beginning to think he had as many secrets as Illian, and secrets just as dangerous.

“What do you want to know?” Bek asked them levelly.

“Where did an Atlantian learn a ceremonial bow used by those who have been brought before the mur in one of the court’s investigations?” Cevora asked immediately.

Bek was silent, his eyes no longer on her. His gaze was on the woven rug between them, deep in thought.

“I don’t know,” he said finally. Cevora frowned, seeing her expression mirrored on Illian’s face.

“Sori said she was too far to hear what Silver said to Holtson when she tried to kill him. I was not. Estilo. Ruv shivatju. An antiquated phrase, and one I have not heard in a long time: ‘Rest now. Death comes for you.’ It is used only in executions for treason against the srinn of Alti,” Cevora added unhelpfully.

Illian clearly also had not heard. His mouth was open slightly as he turned to Bek, as if there was more he wanted to say. “Bek,” he prompted instead, “have you heard this phrase?”

“No.” Bek’s answer came immediately.

“Where could she have heard it?”

“You said it’s an antiquated phrase. Perhaps she read it in a book,” Bek answered.

“I’m not concerned with where she heard it,” Cevora bit coldly, “I’m concerned with why she suddenly became an entirely different person.”

“She was ill—” Bek began.

“Bek,” Cevora interrupted him harshly. Silence fell as he met her gaze. She could not read into his expression the way she did with Illian. “If Sara did not have other tasks to attend to, I would have called her here tonight as well. That was not illness. It was not delirium. You know this.”

“I do,” he agreed calmly. “I’ll be honest with you, Cevora, since Illian has given me leave…” his eyes strayed to Illian, who said nothing. “I’m also from the MASO, and I was sent to investigate her. We don’t know who she is, only that she was pursued by the Zara, has stolen the identity of someone who’s been dead for decades, and did not manifest her power until a few months ago.” Cevora felt her eyes widen as he spoke. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Illian also listening intently; he had not known this.

“She was living a peaceful life before the Zara found her, one that I believe was meant to continue. Whoever put her there removed her memories as well. The Zara, magic, everything she must have known. No one knows who she is, least of all Silver,” Bek finished, eyes narrowed into the space between them.

“Does Sara know this?” Illian asked heavily.

“No,” Bek replied without hesitation.

Cevora was speechless, thinking of everything she knew about Silver. A part of her was angry that the girl was fooling them all, and a part of her sympathized. What must Silver be thinking, through all of this?

“The dreams that she took to Sara…” Cevora said uncertainly.

“They’re not about her past, as far as we know. Sara claims that Silver has the ability to see something that would upset the spirits. I don’t know if I believe that, but Sara is convinced,” Bek explained.

“Of course she is,” Illian asserted, resting his chin on his fist in a way he only did when he was exhausted.

Cevora set her jaw, looking between them. They certainly both had the air of the MASO. After a moment, Illian reached down to pat Faei’s head, and she wondered if the wolf had said something to him. He was no beastspeaker, but there had always been an uncanny relationship between him and that wolf. Seeming to know her thoughts, Faei flicked his ears at her, sighing contentedly.

“What happens,” Cevora asked softly, “if she remembers everything? Whose side will she take if the Juran no longer suit her?”

“I find it unlikely that memories from more than a decade ago would change her allegiance,” Bek observed, eyeing her thoughtfully. Cevora did not like that look.

“But it could,” she persisted.

“Do you think the dragons would permit it?” Illian asked carefully. “If she betrayed the Juran, she would also betray Seijelar. She would betray Elorian. I have the sense that neither of those two things would go well for her. I’m more interested in what Sara believes. It could explain both how Silver survived the Ruveris Plague, and why the vampires have such a strong interest in her. More than anyone, you must realize they have strong beliefs when it comes to the realm of spirits, princess.”

“We discussed her mysterious survival today as well. It seems we’ve come to the conclusion that she expelled the magic that made her ill, and the plague is caused by some curse whose origin we don’t know. Before you arrived with Dirk, Sara was working with the vampires to formulate a series of spell circles that will draw the magic from her patients. She’s trying to cure our plague victims now the way she would cure those afflicted by a curse,” Cevora explained.

“At least we have something to try,” Illian said, rubbing his brows. “We’re fortunate Silver survived.”

“Are we?” Cevora asked sharply. “In the end, we know nothing about her.”

They both stared at her once more, in tandem. She let out a frustrated breath.

“Cevora kuirsrinn, sometimes knowing how little we know is enough,” Illian said softly, watching her as she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. Those words were like a code between them. He did not want her to know more.

Secrets. So many secrets. And Bek was in on the game. Her thoughts must have shown on her face, because he smiled slowly, knowingly.

“We have over six hundred people here,” Illian continued after a moment, “let’s not concern ourselves overmuch with just one person.”

“So long as Olrier has an interest in her, she’s instrumental in our alliance with the vampires,” Cevora disagreed. “Tomorrow, the vampires will join us as we discuss the state of Alti. If something happens to Silver, it will affect you as well.” She let her eyes settle on Bek for an instant. “I can’t lose you both, not after Olrier made a public display of his preference for you tonight. He’s too clever for my liking.”

“I’ll keep Silver in line,” Bek said, seeming to think that was enough. “She’s only trying to deal with everything that’s happened in her life recently, Cevora. Silver has no bad intentions.”

She noticed he did not use her title, and she was sure from the look on his face that he was well aware of it. Silver never called her properly, either, and Cevora was beginning to wonder if it was really an Atlantian quirk, or something else.

“If I’m to discuss the state of Alti tomorrow, I have preparations to make tonight,” Illian prompted gently. Cevora waved her arm, dismissing both of them as she stood. She did not like their answers, nor did she like the way Bek glanced back at her as he left. Illian remained a moment longer, looking after him.

“What is he hiding, Illian?” she asked, staring at the door. Illian ran a hand through his hair, turning away from the doorway to face his room. He had brought supplies, folded into heavy leather bags he had enlisted several people to carry from Zarius’s back, and he went to them now.

“Trust him, princess, and if you can’t do that, trust me. I brought both him and Silver into this because I believed they would be invaluable to us. So far, I’ve not been wrong.”

“I don’t like relying on someone I don’t trust personally,” Cevora observed.

“You don’t trust Silver? Sori seems to.”

“Sori does not have to concern herself with cleaning up the mess for six hundred people after she is betrayed by someone she’s placed too much faith in,” Cevora argued.

Illian glanced back at her, pausing with a roll of parchment in his hand. “In the school of kivgha, princess, we learn early on that a sword can cut its master as easily as his enemy. That does not mean we trust our tools any less. We simply respect them. Any one of the people I’ve brought to the outpost could betray us. Any one of them could decide to kill you in the king’s name. Silver is one of the ones least likely to do that, whether you believe me or not. What I’m saying is this,” he said, straightening and coming to stand before her once more.

“Use them. Use her. Silver will fight for you. That strength she displayed against Holtson is yours to use. Know in the back of your mind that it could turn against you, and direct it against your enemies. You can’t expect that your allies fight for you, Cevora kuirsrinn. You must make them. You wield your subjects, and if you wield them well, they will never harm you. Do you understand.”

She did.

Illian took her hand gently, raising it to his lips as he had done only on the day he swore to die for her, if he had to. Brushing his lips against her knuckles, he then pressed his forehead against her fingers as he said, “Everything I do, princess, I do with your safety in mind. If you need to trust just one person in this kingdom, trust me. As srinn of Alti, that is the only weakness you will ever be allowed.”