He raised an eyebrow. “As anyone with a scrap of sense should.”
“Wait a moment,” Gareth said, holding up a hand. “The Lemaire estate is clearly being protected by something—something strong enough to deflect the Knotwood, which suggests elemental abilities. And that power belongs to Caiathos, not Neave.”
“No,” Mother said, quiet but firm. “The presence tugging my heart toward Vauzanne is my sister. I would bet my life on it.”
And our lives too?I very nearly said. For wasn’t that what she and all the other gods had done, in their carelessness and arrogance, all those thousands of years ago? They had Unmade themselves to create our imperfect world, left us open to eventual invasion, and created Kilraith and Ankaret. And for what? To bask in their own splendor? Or had their acts been as thoughtless and automatic as breathing?
My body grew hot with anger. I released Gareth’s hand and clasped my own firmly in my lap until the feeling passed.
“Keeping the Knotwood away from Briarcourt like that,” Gareth began thoughtfully. “Philippa... Kerezen...” He shook his head a little. “Is that something you would be able to do?”
She looked at him, amused. “Perhaps.”
“Even though you are the goddess of the body, not of the earth?”
“I truly do not know. I’ve not yet tried such a thing.”
“And you shouldn’t,” Father said quickly. “You’ve risked enough as it is.”
Farrin bristled, glaring at both of them. “Shehas risked enough?”
Father blinked at her, abashed.
“He’s right,” Ryder said. He gently put one of his huge hands on the cushion beside Farrin’s shoulder, not quite touching her. “Kilraith hasn’t found her yet. She should remain here and live as quietly as possible. Clearly this is the safest place for her.”
Gareth was staring at the floor, distractedly scratching the back of his head. “If it isn’t Neave protecting Briarcourt, then it’s obviouslysomething else...another god. We don’t know where Jaetris is, or even if any scrap of him is left intact after Mhorghast.”
“So, if not them, then it would be either Caiathos or Zelphenia,” Gemma said.
“Or Kilraith,” I muttered, thinking quickly. “Either by himself or with another god he’s controlling, as he did Jaetris. Maybe the Lemaires have allied with him. They’re one of the most powerful families in the world, yes? What if in exchange for protection from the Knotwood, they’ve offered to hide Neave for him?”
Talan looked grim. “Their house guards number in the hundreds, and by all accounts, their arsenal rivals the Lower Army’s.”
“I can’t think of a better place to hide a god,” I agreed.
“While opening their home to strangers for these balls?” Father mused. “I can’t imagine Kilraith would allow that.”
“He’s rather busy elsewhere, I expect,” Gemma said dryly.
“And he’d no doubt be delighted by such parties,” Talan said. A shadow of memory flitted across his face. “Humans prancing and preening in front of each other, every dance and conversation a potential key to their survival. I’m surprised he can manage to tear himself away.”
The longer the conversation went on, the more restless I became. I rose from my chair. “Whatever is there, we have to investigate it. If it’s not Neave—”
“It is,” Mother said patiently.
The tone of her voice made me want to punch something. “If it isn’t Neave,” I said, ignoring her, “it could be another god or an anchor. No matter what it is, we can’t leave it with the Lemaires.”
“It will take weeks to reach Briarcourt,” Farrin said. “I can’t in good conscience be away from Fairhaven for that long.”
“That reminds me,” said Gareth. “Have you made any progress in your search for Ankaret?”
A shadow of sadness flickered across Farrin’s face. “No. I can’t devote many resources to it at this point, but I’ve got three spies surveying the continent inch by inch. They come back every week with reports of misery and ruin, Mistfires and Miststorms, but nothing about Ankaret. I’m starting to think General Haldrin was right, that her last words were simply those of a dying creature. Don’t people say all manner of absurd things on their deathbeds?”
Farrin’s voice was flat, careful, like she was trying to quash any tremor of emotion. For a long moment, everyone was silent.
Then Mother, looking sorrowfully at Farrin, said, “I think I can get all of you there, at least across the ocean and to Westry. I probably shouldn’t venture closer to Briarcourt than that.”
Ryder stared at her. “Are you mad?”
