"They're still asleep?" Hamond asked, incredulous.

"Still asleep," Edeline confirmed.

Hamond sighed in frustration. Nela had seemed so eager for the whole ceremony yesterday, but now it was as if nothing could rouse her or Myron. He wasn't about to shake them awake, but neither of the two had responded to his spoken efforts to get them to rise. Any louder and Hamond knew the people in the next houses over would hear them.

It left him and Edeline to stand outside in the narrow street and watch over Jelinia, which he was sure none of them appreciated. Jelinia, showing she was still very much a child, had already asked twice when Nela was going to be awake. She wanted to hear Nela's stories more than even Nela wanted to help perform the First Ascension, Hamond figured.

In fairness, there were not that many Elefae out and about that he could see. Either many of them also chose to sleep in, or they were busy elsewhere. Hamond was willing to bet the latter was more likely, since they now had to deal with the people from Verdan as well. Other than Jelinia, none of the survivors appeared to be around either, but they at least had very good reasons to still be resting.

"What do we do now?" Edeline grumbled, her gaze wandering up and down the street. "Are we just waiting?"

"I don't think they would want to do it this early." The sun was still low enough in the morning sky that the treetops partially hid it. "And even if they show up, I have a plan."

"What would that be?" Giving him a curious look, Edeline leaned against the house's wall.

Rather than say anything, Myron just pulled out the note with Kalvarel's writing.

"You know all that is going to do is make everyone angry, right?" Edeline clearly found this dubious after yesterday's talk. "Both my brother and the elves."

"I have a different plan in mind now." Hamond smiled slightly. "I'm just going to hand the note over to Centurla."

"And how is that going to be..." Edeline trailed off, staring past Hamond. He turned to see Centurla emerging from her house down the way, her oldest daughter following.

"A warm welcome to you!" Centurla called out on seeing them.

Edeline waved back. "I hope it works then," she said under her breath to Hamond as the two approached. Not the greatest endorsement, but Hamond could understand her hesitation. However, she'd forgotten - and so had Myron - that he had worked with elves before.

"So we're waiting on the healer then?" Centurla said as she came to a stop a few paces away.

"Unfortunately, yes. They are...a little slow getting up and about today." It had been a while since he had seen Edeline trying to be diplomatic. It made sense with Myron not awake yet, but at the same time, Hamond felt it didn't really fit with her. He'd come to prefer the usual, more...unburdened Edeline. Most of the time.

"I was hoping to be done with this early. We don't want anyone to realize we're doing this," Centurla explained, face falling into a frown. "Astorel went to find a site nearby. He won't admit it, but he's grateful to your friend for doing this. It's...been hard on him too."

"I can imagine." Memories of Hallowscroft briefly came back, but Hamond pushed them back. "Anyway, before you get started, there is one other thing."

"Do you need something else? I don't think we can do much more for you. And we really do need to hurry. I can't leave the other children on their own for too long."

"Nothing that will take that long." Hamond raised the note. "I found this yesterday in that house. Since you mentioned your sister, I thought it might be something of hers."

For the second time in as many days, someone snatched that note from his hand. Hamond noted Centurla had acted even faster than Edeline did. The woman unfolded the paper, reading over it as tears began to form.

"Is that from Uncle Kal?" Udeola asked, peering up at the paper.

Uncle Kal. Kalvarel.

It was as direct a confirmation as he could have hoped for. Kalvarel had been here, had lived in that house. And more still, he had apparently called Centurla and her sister family.

Or had that been another of Kalvarel's lies?

Hamond could not be sure. Hamond could never again be sure.

For now, he had to fake ignorance. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"No." Centurla wiped her eyes clear. "I suppose I should explain. My younger sister was married to someone named Kalvarel."

Hamond silently nodded.

"He worked as a scribe for the Aetheric Order in Kelshir for years, since he was a youth. We...everyone liked him. So when our families arranged the marriage between him and Dinyla - my sister - we all celebrated. Even Astorel was happy for them."

A memory of him and Kalvarel came to mind, them and friends sitting around a table in a dimly lit tavern room, laughing as they played cards. Whether it had all been a deception or not, they couldn't be faulted for seeing Kalvarel favorably. No more than Hamond himself could.

"We didn't know, but...he'd made enemies. One day, he just vanished, fleeing from here and leaving my sister behind. A few days later...the knights came looking for him, saying he had betrayed the kingdom. Not finding him, they...they took Dinyla."

Edeline muttered something, with the word "coward" audible.

Either Centurla didn't hear, or was paying no attention to Edeline. "We...found out later they hung her."

It did tragically agree with the slaughter at Verdan. Something was very wrong with the Aetheric Knights, with so much blood on their combined hands. Hamond wasn't familiar with the Order's doctrine, but he'd bet against it including teachings encouraging freely killing innocent men and women. Myron or Edeline might know more, once he had the chance to bring it up.

"You never told me that." Udeola said in a small voice.

"I...I'm sorry, my girl." Centurla swept her daughter into a hug, an embrace that Hamond suspected was just much as for the mother's benefit. "This was supposed to be your day...and I..."

"Lying to your child?" Edeline's harsh words cut as deep as any sword.

"Edeline," Hamond said gently, hoping he could calm her down. He had expected a brief reaction from handing the note back, not a full story that left Edeline seething and Centurla grieving. He couldn't do much about the latter, but at least he could help ensure Edeline didn't unnecessarily lash out.

Edeline took a deep breath, then looked over at Centurla. "Right. My apologies."

Centurla let go of her daughter, rubbing at her eyes again. "I've been told everybody's got their own burdens. The older I get, the more I see that's the truth of it. Thank you again though...for taking on part of ours."

"Thank Nela, not us," Hamond told her. In all honesty, he could have performed the rite himself - and had helped do so before - but he'd made the decision to avoid using healing magic unless absolutely necessary. It had become clear to all of them his knowledge of healing was limited, and he did not want to give anyone a reason to assume he was an expert.

That he had believed himself to have some skill, and had tried to build a reputation as such in Hallowscroft, ashamed him even now.

"Wait a moment." Edeline was looking around, up and down the road. "Where is Jelinia?"

Coming to attention, Hamond realized with horror Edeline was right. Jelinia was nowhere to be seen. Quiet as always, she had slipped away while the two of them had been distracted. She could be anywhere in Faehaven, drawn to wherever her curiosity led.

They had to find her, and fast, before Nela got up, and-

A creaking noise heralded the door of the house they had stayed in swinging open. Hamond spun to see a still-sleepy Myron, outfit a bit disheveled, standing in the doorway. Just around and behind him, peeking out, was Jelinia.

"I woke them up for you," the girl said with a slight smile.

Hamond did not know if he should be annoyed or relieved. Probably both. "That you did."

"Nela should be out in a moment," Myron said, stifling a yawn.

"Nela is coming out now," her voice said from behind him, sounding just as tired.

She looked as much too, her hair loose and draped messily over one shoulder. Normally Nela tied it back in a horsetail, although there were occasional days when she let it hang down. Hamond couldn't tell if this was one such day, or if Nela had not had the time.

"Not sure I want you doing the ceremony looking like that," Centurla remarked.

Nela drew back. "Shit, we're doing it now?"

"As soon as my husband gets back," Centurla said, "So you might want to hurry and go get...that mess straightened up." The woman waved her hand at Nela's hair.

Nela made...some sort of noise, a garbled grunt. Then she stepped backwards into the house and closed the door again.

Myron patted down his hair with one hand. "We were not expecting it to be until later in the day. If we had known, we would-"

"Don't worry about it," Centurla interrupted, smiling slightly. "We're the ones who should've brought this up before."

"In fairness, we did not mention it either," Edeline admitted.

"We could have planned this out better," Hamond agreed. The emotions spilling out last night between Centurla and Astorel wouldn't have made it simple. Then again, nothing about their present situation was simple.

"There he is," Centurla said, face brightening.

Astorel had rounded the corner, calm as he made his way to them. "Found the place. It's a clearing just a little ways away. Should be out of earshot of anyone here."

"Wouldn't it be easier to do it inside your home?" Edeline asked.

"It's part of the rite," Hamond explained, "The First Ascension is held outdoors."

"The Fae cannot see what we do otherwise," Astorel added. So he had indeed changed his mind. Better than some of their fathers, Hamond had to concede.

The door opened again to reveal a much more alert and less ragged Nela. "There, my hair's in place. You all happy now?"

"We will be, once this is done," Centurla said, "Let's go."

"Wait a moment." Nela turned to face Edeline. "While I go do this, I need you all to keep watch on Jelinia. With less of her slipping away and trying to be helpful this time, please."

"No," Edeline stated, "We're all going."

"But...you..." Nela stammered, then stopped herself. "Fine. Fine. But it's up to them if you can witness it."

"I have no problem with you all coming along to see," Centurla said. Astorel nodded.

"Alright. But don't lose sight of her. Got that?" Nela's tone made it clear she wouldn't accept any doubt here.

"We'll be careful." Myron walked over and took Jelinia's hand.

"Or you'll be dead." Nela didn't even bother to keep her voice down. The look on Centurla's face was a mix of confusion and concern.

"She's just joking," Myron added quickly. Hamond knew that wasn't quite it though. That was more vicious than Nela normally was. Protecting Jelinia was looking more and more about protecting whoever threatened the girl from Nela, he noted with some amusement.

"This way," Astorel said, starting off back down the way he had come from. Along with Centurla and her daughter, the four of them - possibly now five - followed.