“I don't know,” I shook my head. “It makes no sense to me either.”
“Gods don't need to make sense,” Keir mused. “We must have faith in her.”
“What? Like this is a test?” I asked Keir.
“Perhaps,” Keir agreed. “Or she could have a plan in place which requires our ignorance. I'm going to choose to believe in Danu until I see proof that she has forsaken me.”
“She's started a war,” I huffed. “That's some heavy proof.”
“No, it isn't, Seren.”
“Regardless of which side she has chosen,” Dylan growled, “I shall stand by King Raza and defend Unseelie.”
“Really?” I blinked in shock.
“I am an unseelie fey, Niece,” Dylan said dryly.
“I know, but you're also a Thorn,” I noted.
“A Thorn who has no interest in ruling, nor any interest in seeing my sister rule,” Dylan said. “I-”
“I need you here, Brother,” Keir interrupted Dylan's fabulous speech. “You hold this place together.”
“And you said you wished me to close it temporarily,” Dylan reminded Keir. “An empty building does not require any sort of holding.”
“But...” Keir floundered.
I saw the worry in Keir's eyes and realized it had nothing to do with Gentry.
“Uncle Dylan has been to war before, Dad,” I reminded my father gently. “He's not just a businessman. He'll be okay.”
“Iron arrows,” Keir whispered. “All of my loved ones are putting themselves in the path of iron arrows.”
“Moire needs to be stopped,” Dylan laid a hand on my father's shoulder. “And we can stop her if we stand together. But if we let her intimidate us with her choice of weapon, we have lost the war before it has begun.”
“If only Danu had taken us into her confidence,” Keir sighed.
“I know,” I said. “I feel the same way. I may have whined about Danu's interference in the past, but as long as she was with me, I was confident that everything would work out.”
“A goddess on your side is no small thing,” Dylan nodded. “But there's something else that I haven't told you.”
“About the elves?” Keir leaned forward.
“The elves said very little,” Dylan grimaced. “They swore that Danu was guiding them, and it seemed to be the only tune they could sing. Not even that biter could get them to talk. Though they did flinch when he informed them about blowing open their enclave.”
“So they didn't know,” I mused.
“What has that got to do with anything?” Dylan asked.
“If they didn't know, then we can safely assume that all of the elves have left Iceland,” I shrugged. “No one stayed behind to keep watch. It may not mean anything, but it seems to me that if they had any intentions of returning, they would have left some elves behind to guard the enclave.”
“That's a very good point,” Dylan lifted a brow at me.
“I have my moments,” I smirked. “But you were saying?”
“I was saying that the elves wouldn't talk,” Dylan continued. “Not until I asked them about Bress.”
“Bress?” My father and I asked together. Even Cat perked up.
