“But it would make you prepared for whatever may happen.”
Her brows knitted together, pondering this motto of Inari’s. What was his worst? Had it already happened? “I know what you risk by getting involved, what I have already risked on your behalf by revealing your presence here. Will you meet them?”
“I would not have offered if I were not willing to get involved. I know the risk, though I would say the risk of these creatures is far greater.”
“Why are you helping?”
“The Forgotten Gods are not of this realm. I cannot say I am happy they walk this earth.” He cast the leaf onto the grass underfoot. “Also, I cannot stand to see injustice. No one should die for a crime they did not commit.”
“I hope I can prevent it.”
“Such a burden should not be yours to bear,” Inari said, his voice gentle.
“If I do not, who will?”
“It should be your judiciaries bearing the weight of justice.”
Aloisia breathed a laugh. “If those three were a stool, it would fall over. The high priest is the only one bearing any of the weight.”
“Is he the one you would trust?”
“High Priest Silas is the most trustworthy of them.”
“You are foolish to trust any of them.”
“Tristan—”
“Is a priest,” Inari said, cutting her off. “Of course he trusts the high priest. That is where his loyalties lie. Just as you are a huntress, and your loyalties lie with your own. And your brother, of course.”
“Tristan’s loyalties lie with my brother too.” She wrapped her arms around herself.
“It is not the same as family.”
“Tristan is family!” She caught herself. After their argument, she hoped he would still see it the same way. “Fynn is as much a brother to him as he is to me.”
“I didn’t think you were related.” Inari frowned.
“We’re not. But, after his parents died, my parents took him and his sister in. It wasn’t for long, of course. He soon joined the Temple, as I did the guild. Our families were always close. They were a part of ours, as we were part of theirs.”
He gave a soft smile. “From his judgement alone, you would say Silas is on our side?”
“I would. I’d say it from my judgement too. He was the one who arranged all this, so you could examine the markings.”
“What of the others? Who else will I be meeting?”
“There is the Modäiti, Mother Lusana, and Magistrate Asmund Vester.”
“And you do not trust them?”
Aloisia scoffed. “Not as far as I can throw them.”
“I just want to know what I will be going into tomorrow.”
“Guaranteed, none of them will like you on account of you being a shaman and all.”
“That really helps my nerves.”
“It does?”
