There’s a note of threat there, as if she might lay claim to the lands if we aren’t careful.
“The story is the same as the ones from our lands,” Lady Cassandra says.“A beautiful woman with dark hair and violet eyes came into the village.She found one of the people there.She whispered words into his ear and took him away into the forest.”
“One of the people?”I say.
“A young man named Gar,” Lady Cassandra says.“They tell me he used to talk to the creatures around the village.”
I swallow back sudden discomfort.Being able to understand animals and speak with them is one of the most minor talents of beast whisperers like myself, the first sign that someone might possess such magic.For most people, the power doesn’t develop beyond that, but even so, there’s no denying the similarity.
"This is Selene Ravenscroft," I say becausesomeonehas to say it.“She’s escalating, coming this way.”
"We can't know that for certain," Domitian says across the chamber.
“The description fits her,” I insist.
“But it could also fit other people,” Senator Yarrow says.“She was in Arboria.Why would she come back.”
“We need to investigate further,” I say.“We need to be ready for the threat Selene represents.How far is this village?”
Lady Cassandra considers the question for a moment or two.“A day’s hard ride, no more than that.”
I stand."Then we should head there.We should look at this village and try to find where Selene Ravenscroft has gone.We should take guards to try to capture her."
“You want us, the Senate, to go to some village?”Domitian says.
“Tree Edge,” Lady Cassandra says.“Its name is Tree Edge.”
Domitian waves that away like it doesn’t matter.“We’re senators of Aetheria.We need to focus on the city.This event is unfortunate, but if someone has persuaded some young man to leave with her, that’s hardly a matter for us.”
I look around, hoping to find support.I look to Rowan.
“You must see how dangerous this could be,” I say.
“Ifit’s what they claim,” Rowan replies, “then itmightbe a problem in the future.But these are the fringes of our lands, and I’m the first senator.I can’t just leave to deal with rumors that an exile has returned.”
I look around for any other support.I look to Marcus, but Marcus is also shaking his head.
“There are too many problems here in the city,” Marcus says.“We’re making progress, but we can’t afford to be distracted.If I were to leave now, too many things would fall apart.”
"Then I'll go alone if I need to," I say.
No one protests that.If anything, Domitian and those around him look pleased, perhaps knowing that even a day without me in the city is a day in which they can advance their own agendas.
In that moment, I understand why Rowan doesn’t feel able to leave.Aetheria has so many complex factions, so many different elements pulling in different directions, that stepping away risks things here shifting in ways I won’t want.
But I also can't just stand by while Selene Ravenscroft targets those like me.If she really is out there, taking beast whisperers, then she's a threat on a scale that could harm many more people.I need to find out what's going on and stop her if I can.
I walk from the senate chamber, heading for the ante-chambers beyond.I can't quite believe that no one has supported me in the Senate, even as I understand all too well the reasons why they haven't.
Lady Cassandra comes through with the rest of her delegation.She doesn’t look happy.
"Your republic is full of fools," she says, in a tone that dares me to challenge her on it."They don't see real threats because they're too busy squabbling with one another."
“Are you including me in that?”I ask.
She smiles tightly.“You’re more interesting.But even you’re caught up in the petty politics of this place.There’s a reason Arboria has a queen, not some council of bickering nobles trying to run it.”
It seems clear she still isn’t convinced by Aetheria’s system of government.
