They all stared at her. Ysira pointed at the diminutive armored man, now lurking in the shadows behind Ogden. “He’s one of them, isn’t he? What’s he doing here?”
“He can be trusted.” Ogden hesitated. “I’m sorry I never told you the full story, but it wasn’t all mine to tell.”
“Circumstances have changed,” Urien said. “Ysira—I’m so pleased to finally meet you.”
He extended a four-fingered hand. Ysira tensed, unsure what he expected from her. Ogden muttered to Urien, “Not a localcustom.” He raised his own hand—gloveless, the first time Ysira had ever seen it that way—and paused as her gaze traveled over the shimmering metal.
It was her turn to stare, torn between curiosity and horror. “There’s a great deal I haven’t told you,” Ogden admitted.
“It’ll have to wait,” said Seth. “For the last time—whathappened?” He met Ysira’s eyes. “Ged thinks you killed Damir and Casandra.”
“They gave me no choice,” Ysira said. “They tried to kill me and take Neri back to Ged. Isn’t that what we were all trying to avoid?”
“Ged said Casandra was burned,” Jacen spoke up, finally seeming to remember how. “That wasn’t you. That was the demon, wasn’t it?” His brow furrowed. “Is that what happened to the Gatekeeper’s arm?”
Seth’s shoulders sagged. “Gods.”
“None of that was intentional,” Ysira said. “Neri is learning to control it. Eneva can be difficult, but she’s very knowledgeable, and she agrees he needs to understand how to use this power as safely as possible.”
“That’s nice. You want him to embrace this world-ending powersafely.” Seth rubbed his forehead. “After what I saw in Zivora, I understand. I do. I know Neri will be at the center of the conflict ahead, whether I want him to be or not. But . . . Jacen’s explained integration to me once or twice.IsNeri integrated?”
“Not yet.” Ysira suppressed a wince as hope flared to life on Seth’s face. “All I ask is that we leave Neri the option of an exorcism,” he said.
“Jacen could do it.”
“Possibly,” Ysira allowed. Jacen said nothing, but she nodded at him. “I’m hoping you might help, regardless. They don’t have many telepaths here, let alone Tier Six. Another of the valak canchannel extradimensional energy, and she’s been able to teach Neri a bit, but no one can make much sense of Naxal.”
Eneva had an irritating habit of sending every telepath that crossed her threshold through the Trial of the Gate, with abysmal results. She had explained to Ysira, somewhat condescendingly, that these weredesperate times.Ysira was less surprised than frustrated that she’d tried to force the Trial on Jacen when he might well be the only one strong enough to commune with Naxal.
The priest looked as if he’d been beaten to the very brink of death and barely crawled away. He had a manic energy about him—movements too quick, dark-circled eyes darting about like he thought he was being followed. More interestingly, he was sober. He also no longer wore his double-circle medallion.
“Now,” said Ysira. “Where is Ged?”
“We don’t know.” A shadow fell over Seth’s face. “I don’t know what you’ve heard from Zivora, but Ged . . . He killed my father.”
Ysira did not have it in her to be sorry but assumed a sympathetic sort of expression for Seth’s sake. Ged would turn up again. He always did. She would worry about that later.
Ogden clapped his metal hands with uncharacteristic enthusiasm. “So! Are we finally cleared to enter the city proper?”
“We’re set up in the old library.” Ysira directed them through the door, back the way they had come. The militiamen stood ready to guide them to the Shrouded City.
But Seth lingered behind and stopped Ysira before she could follow. He was looking at her with a truly audacious blend of pity and tenderness, such that she knew what he was going to say.
“You told Neri?”
Ysira addressed the space beside Seth’s head. “If you’re going to pass judgment on how I’ve handled this?—”
“No.”Seth drew back as though wounded and added more emphatically, “No, I’m not. I’m just sorry it had to be this way.” He seemed to struggle internally. “For what it’s worth, all those years ago, I should have helped you. I always cared about you. I still do.”
Ysira gave a tight nod and started to follow the others. Seth caught her by the arm. His callused hand was strong and terribly gentle. He lowered his voice. “I should have done more. Gods, after everything I’ve seen . . . I should have done so much more, in so many ways, I don’t know where to begin.” His face contorted. “I never asked. I should have. Did Ged— Did he—” He couldn’t finish.
“No,” said Ysira. “He did nothing to me against my will.” “But?—”
“Seth?” Ysira said through gritted teeth. “Drop it.” There was nothing she wanted to discuss less, and for now, he seemed willing to honor that. But he had a tragic, distant air about him as they left the Gate chamber side by side. She did her best not to see it.
The oppressive sandstone labyrinth opened on a cavern suffused in red light. Its ceiling was a mass of crystals, like the split-open face of a massive geode, sustaining vast, tilled fields of rich volcanic soil—crops of corn, squash, and barley. Far from the sun’s evil gaze, these plants flourished unlike any in Zivora’s agricultural district. Seth took it all in with a shocked expression.
Scattered workers made their way through the fields with tools and baskets, and a few stopped as they passed. Ysira caught a pair staring at her, only to quickly pretend they hadn’t been when she looked their way.
