"That's it," Nela said, "You're all done."

Edeline opened her eyes, having to blink a bit as she adjusted again to the sunlight. She was not about to admit it, but she could not bring herself to watch the First Ascension. Even now, she could perfectly recall the feeling of the knife slicing into her ear, all while she sat there obediently. Unable to resist. Unwilling to resist.

She would have to do better than the childish display of pretending it wasn't happening. They had avoided talking about it around her too much, but Edeline knew her brother was going to get his ears shaped eventually. She at least owed him the respect of being there for that, regardless of how much it still pained her.

"Thank you. Thank you so much." The mother of the last child was giddy with joy, so much so that Edeline would have thought the woman was the one receiving the rite.

"Not a problem. The grace and glory of the Fae go with you." Nela waved the pair off, and the remaining Elefae dispersed.

It had taken Nela half the day to get through with all the First Ascension rites. Initially, it had seemed there would not be that many, but more and more had come as word spread throughout Faehaven. Edeline guessed there had been nearly two hexty children, all of varying ages, in total that had their ears shaped today.

"Shit, I'm so tired," Nela admitted, joining them. "Never want to do that many again in one day."

"I don't blame you." Myron placed a hand on one shoulder.

"Wouldn't other Elefae be in the same position as these?" Edeline felt it had to be said. "If we end up there, there might be no other options."

Nela groaned. "Next time I'm splitting it across three days."

"Only three?" Edeline asked.

"Apprentices would take four or five days." Nela didn't hesitate with her answer. "Three is how you know I'm good."

Edeline chuckled. Her own discomfort aside, she could not deny Nela had accomplished a lot today. It made her envy Nela a little. Striking down enemies with spells of lightning was impressive, but it hardly lent itself to inspiring people in the same way as Nela's healing skills. It made it easier to see why Hamond had been drawn to attempting to become a healer.

"So you're done?" Jelinia spoke up. Edeline had been keeping a closer watch on her, to prevent any more surprises on the girl's part.

"For today, yes," Nela said.

"I see. Alright." Jelinia sounded disappointed.

Nela did not miss that. "What's wrong? You can't...shit, I was going to tell you that story! I'm sorry! I forgot all about it!"

To be honest, Edeline had also forgotten. From his expression, so had her brother.

"No. It's...nothing." Jelinia started to turn away.

Nela stared at the girl. "Don't tell me you're asking what I think you're asking."

"What?" Myron sounded as confused at Edeline felt.

"That...you...why..." Nela stammered, before taking a deep breath. "Why do you want to be an elf?"

Edeline supposed she should have expected that to be the request.

Jelinia turned, trembling slightly. "I...wanted to be your apprentice and become a healer. My mother and father never let me learn anything, even when I asked. So I thought this would be the best chance, but...I'd have to be an elf first. Right?"

Indeed, Jelinia was about the age when a child would be apprenticed out. Of course, her father probably thought that with him declaring himself as Lord Verdan, his daughter would be above such things. But the sons and daughters of lords had their own education to see to, something Edeline knew quite well.

Nela stood there, small and pale. "I wish I could help you, but..."

"But what?" Jelinia insisted.

Edeline did not know how to answer. Jelinia staying with them would prove far too dangerous for the girl. Leaving her to remain in Faehaven might also be just as dangerous. Unless they-

"Quite curious indeed," a rumbling voice filled the clearing.

The air shimmered, sparkling and rippling as the form of the sphinx appeared. A spell to make yourself invisible, then? Edeline could think of more than a few uses for that.

Ugotlas was not paying them any attention though. The sphinx's focus was on the section of raised earth the Witch of Wrath had created earlier. One corner of it had since collapsed, spilling dirt onto the grass, but the remainder still held up. Edeline figured that a good rain would probably make it fall apart completely.

"A fascinating spell," he said, glancing sideways at them, "And it was not one of you who cast it, I suppose."

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How she was supposed to respond to that, Edeline did not know.

"What do you want?" Myron asked warily.

"What do I desire?" Ugotlas stared Myron down with contempt. "To begin with, I desire to not be addressed with needless questions, but I suppose that I can tolerate that indignity for the moment. I already told you that I have matters to see to in Kelshir."

"You asleep or something? This isn't Kelshir." Nela crossed her arms.

"So your observation skills tell you that, but not my state of awareness? You ought attempt to improve them."

Edeline had heard enough of this insulting nonsense. "If this is how you treat people, it is no wonder the Elefae here were unwilling to help you."

"Unwilling, or unintelligent?" Ugotlas's dark eyes fell upon her. "I offered them the greatest of gifts, their continued existence, and they refused my offer."

"You threatened them then." Nela took a step forward, fists clenched.

"I did no such thing." The sphinx's gaze shifted again, this time to the walls of Kelshir. "Though I have not entered the city, I have cast my gaze into its streets and halls. I know what they plan there."

"Planning what?" Hamond spoke up.

"They're going to destroy Faehaven, aren't they?" Edeline asked, catching on.

"That, and more. One after another, they have been pursing what few allies the people here have remaining. That process is all but complete. Within the next few days, they will strike with a killing blow."

"No..." Nela grew pale, as Myron stepped up to support her.

"My offer was simple. I would defeat their enemies' efforts on the field of battle, and in turn they would aid me in gaining access to the city. Yet still, despite sharing this knowledge with them freely, they would not agree. Utter imbeciles, to not see the value of the aid of one of the Sekhmati."

Edeline could practically feel the dark tone of building frustration in those words. While Ugotlas had been less than polite, she did feel somewhat sympathetic towards the sphinx. It really did seem a reasonable exchange of favors.

At the same time, the elders would still have held on to the desperate hope that placating Lord Kelshir and the knights would keep them safe. Of course they would not believe a sphinx that came with warnings of doom and no actual evidence to support such. Less than a year ago, Edeline would likely not have believed such either.

"And now, by purest of chance, their attack on the nearby settlement led you here," Ugotlas continued, "Neither are you the only weretheka to have ended up in this place."

"Weretheka?" Edeline asked.

"Of course, you would know it better by another word. Thaumaturge, I believe you call it. Speakers of power, masters of spells." Ugotlas turned his attention to Hamond. "I am slightly surprised that your companion did not tell you of this, I must admit."

It had to be a Remuati word, which Hamond would not know due to his upbringing in western Hyarch. Edeline was not about to discuss that particular matter with the sphinx. In truth, Jelinia did not need to hear of it either.

"Regardless, I can assume your arrival and remaining here means you intend to protect the place. What you gain from this, I do not know, but with the other one here as well, I have nothing now to offer them."

"Two guardians would be better than one," Myron pointed out.

"Perhaps, but the people of Faehaven will not make a deal. Unless...you have a proposal to offer me?" The sphinx's smile grew very wide, unsettlingly so.

Myron at least seemed unshaken. "We're not in any better position to get inside the city than you are. Furthermore, I can't agree to help you with whatever business you have inside Kelshir without knowing what it is."

"Is that so?" Ugotlas replied, "Very well. I can share this much. In Kelshir there is a certain library, a repository of books. I believe it contains information I seek."

Edeline started to wonder what the chances were, only to realize they were fairly high. There were not that many reasons for a sphinx to come this far south to Kelshir. There were fewer still that would not be met with an invitation to freely enter the city. Barring seeking a specific individual, the library should have been their first guess.

"That makes this simpler then," she said, "Part of our business in the city also involves visiting that library."

"Perfect." Ugotlas said, tail suddenly waving in the air. "We both stand to benefit from this. Assist me in entering the library, and I will fight alongside you to defend this place."

"Very well," Myron said, a bit of reluctance in his voice. "We accept."

"Excellent. I, Ugotlas of the Sekhmati, swear as a member of the Kashun Abuati, that I shall uphold these words. Let the eyes of the heavens judge me if I fail."

Edeline was a little surprised by the formality of the oath, but she knew they had to answer in kind. "In the name of Aether, I, Edeline, also swear to fulfill this deal."

"So it is done, then." Ugotlas lowered himself down on his front paws, in what could only be a bow. "I shall meet you later, to discuss any strategies you may want to employ. For now, though, I take my leave."

Turning in place with a light grace that surprised Edeline, Ugotlas walked off in the direction of Faehaven without another word.

"Starting to think he doesn't care about any of us three," Nela told her, sounding cross, "Just you. So I wouldn't count on him doing anything if any of our arses are in danger."

"I will keep that in mind." Was it the manner of sphinxes, or just Ugotlas specifically who was concerned about...her talent with...

She had not told Ugotlas about that.

He knew anyway.

Edeline was not the type to utter foul language, but now she was very tempted. How had she missed that? Aether, if ever there was a reason to back out of their agreement...but no. She had given her word on their behalf, and she would at least keep it, even if Ugotlas could not be trusted.

"What's wrong?" Hamond asked.

"She's right," Edeline admitted, shaking her head. "We'll need to be careful dealing with that sphinx going forward. I...I did not think it through."

"Well, we're all probably fools for speaking to him anyway," Nela said, with cheer that Edeline knew had to be false. Or maybe not, since Nela was turning to face Jelinia. "Anyway, moving back to what we were talking about before the man-cat showed up..."

Edeline gave her a dead stare, which the Elefae ignored. Who in any sound state of mind would call a sphinx a "man-cat"? Nela, apparently.

"I'm ready." Jelinia's words showed no sign of wavering.

"Hold on." Nela raised a hand. "If I do this, there's no changing your mind later. You will be Elefae for the rest of your life. Are you completely sure you want this?"

Heavy silence followed. Edeline recalled standing in front of what remained of her father, the battered body with a shattered mind that had been Lord Hallowscroft. Then, as now, the weight of a decision that would haunt one for a lifetime regardless of the path taken hung in the air. Even the wind was quieted and stilled.

Without a word, Jelinia nodded with finality.

Nela took a deep breath. "So be it. One more time, I guess. Just remember to hold still." She pulled out the knife.

Edeline immediately closed her eyes, as the discomfort clawed its way back through her mind. Spells of such power in her arsenal, enough to consider facing the knights down, and yet she was still not strong enough to keep watching the rite.

Some day, she promised herself. Some day.