CW:

A wounded old Sun Spoken getting sassed at not taking better care of herself. Some politics. mhm!

“Stupid fucking cunt.” I hiss under my breath as Zigdara steps back from the door.

She eyes me, but her expression is nothing but agreeing alongside other supportive things.

My duenna told me that my threats to the Conclave and Boletii were evenly put and reasonable. Deftly timed and well spoken. But… Still have a mucky mess in my tummy over it all and that was before coming here. Which… Like she said we could put this off. Let the stupid woman stew a bit more. But we’d agreed that more than a couple days and I would need to come and force the issue. Especially since she shooed off the women Lady Ophrit and Delphian left to help her.

And… I need to know more. Keep up my promises so that this stupid cunt doesn’t become another problem that could get in the way of everything.

A few moments pass, and Zigdara knocks again. Harder this time, which seems excessive but this house is pretty big and if Emarial is far off she could have possibly missed my duenna’s first knock.

Possibly. Zigdara knocked really loud though.

Still no answer.

“Fuck.” I huff and pull my cloak closer.

“She most likely just stepped out.” Zigdara murmurs.

But a glimmer of worry does touch her eyes.

Fuck. I hope the cunt didn’t like… fall asleep. Slip into a nap while reading or something. That doesn’t really seem like her type of stupid but…

“Could you circle the house? See if there are any lights on?” I ask.

“I’d rather not leave you alone.” She replies.

“There’s no one about, Zigdara.” I murmur back, turning to wave at the street, and pausing as I see a larger woman walking this way.

A very tall woman.

Emarial probably spotted us the second she turned down the road and looked up to the big lonely house. Golden amber eyes shine a bit as we watch her gaze move between us.

Arms still wrapped tight, that stupid sword on her back. Face haggard and worn after a few days without sleep.

But no burning of her stupidly blazing Amwella. She’s just… been staying awake all on her own.

She pauses at the bottom of the steps and regards us for a moment before huffing. “Let me get the door so we can do this away from the cold.”

I nod and step to the side, let Zigdara easily move to stand between Emarial and me while the big stupid cunt moves up to fibble with the keys. Almost drops them once, but manages to find the right one and get the door open with her single good hand.

“I’ll get a pot of something warm going, then meet you in the study.” She says gruffly as we enter and I pull the door shut.

We agree and move in that direction. I consider taking up the same seats we had last time, but take a place at the opposite side of the table while we wait.

Emarial enters in a few minutes with a steaming pot held carefully in her still working hand. After setting it on the table she grabs a few mugs and falls into the chair across from me and Zigdara. “I’d ask your preferences of seasonings, but we’re all better off without me stumbling over that.”

I nod, then stand a bit to begin pouring. “Tell me what you want and I’ll handle it.”

She goes stiff. “I… didn’t mean to imply you should fix my drink.”

“You didn’t.” I sigh. “But we don’t need you hurt any more than you already are. Which… Why did you send away the helpers Lady Ophrit provided? It must be stupid hard to do all the things alone.”

She shrugs while watching me pour her mug. “They didn’t seem needed now that I was awake.”

I roll my eyes and slide her cup across the table. “Well… Kque wanted me to tell you that’s stupid, and not to do that when we send them back. Else she’ll be the next bitch at your door.”

“I–” She begins to say something else dumb, so I fix her with a hard look, and she cuts off.

“Emarial.” I say as evenly as I can, letting my Hetaera mask cover all the anger and annoyance. Try to emulate my lover’s calm tone when she needs to talk one of us out of a dumb idea. “You’re already tired, and still in a ton of pain. A fall or mistake could lead you to passing out. Dreaming for even a bit could be bad for you.”

She winces, and it’s easy to see the fear and worry my words bring her as she murmurs. “I’ve… been careful.”

“By walking the icy streets alone? In the dark?” I quirk an annoyed eyebrow, but continue pouring the other drinks.

She glares away and grumbles. “My duties don’t end just because I’m wounded, Ina.”

“Aaaand… What duties would those be?” I ask, pushing my silent duenna her mug and settling to sit with my own.

Emarial glares at the far bookshelf for a long few moments.

“It’s as I told you. Back when you shattered the Obelisks.” She eventually answers.

“Oh? What’s made you think I’m close to doing anything but freeing those I’ve sworn to help?” I press.

She turns, then attempts to hit me with a hard gaze. But it’s so weary it just comes across as kinda sad, “Another Sun Spoken sought you out.”

I narrow my eyes. “That’s not common knowledge, Emarial. Who told you?”

“Ina, this is exactly the kind of thing you know I can’t…” But she trails off, looks down at her hands with a scowl.

“She’s nothing but sweet, Emarial. And same for her shards.” I reply as softly as I can manage. Actually quite furious that she already knows about Rahdian.

“Twinned Weavers? That’s… Ina that’s so dangerous.” She growls, but there is real fear behind her words. “You can’t know what they’re scheming. What they’re slowly doing to her when asleep.”

“I can, actually.” I shrug and lean back. “We’ve shared quite a few dreams now.”

The old stupid Sun Spoken jerks up to stare at me. “Wh– what?”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Both before and after making contact with the Zeridii, actually.” I continue.

“I… What’s her name? This girl? I… If she’s a name I recognize–”

Nope. Stopping this right here. This big cunt doesn’t get to ask about that sweet girl.

“She was claimed recently. Barely two years a Sun Spoken.” I cut her off as politely as I can. “And the magic they’ve inspired in her are things of healing. Not as flexible as mine, but we’re helping them all figure out better workings.”

“But–”

“And that’s the other funny thing, Emarial.” I barrel forward, not letting her stupid words get us off path again. “When the Weaver shards found out about the curse my Aceso laid, both got really upset that She would do that to me. And after we calmed things only one of them expressed the same anger toward men that my shard does. The other was wary of them, but not spiteful beyond all good sense. Which led to an interesting series of discoverings you, my elder Sun Spoken, either did not know or never told me. That the shards don’t all hate men.”

She goes still. “It… All the ones I dealt with seemed quite spiteful. Sun Spoken with softer shards were allowed to depart our final gatherings so long as they meant to keep their Wellsprings low. Ensure their bodies were… disposed of properly upon their end.”

I tip-tap nails on the table. “How many of them did you like… actually talk to?”

Emarial’s eyes go a bit hollow. “I… could say five. But one wasn’t speaking in a language I could understand and the other was… already falling to pieces. Barely a person. Just… a screaming monster trying to kill me.”

I ignore the comparison, then nod carefully and whisper softly. “They are all hurting. Traumatized. Stuck in dreams that do a wonderful job of keeping them from finding any kind of healing.”

I let Emarial think about that while I blow on and take a few careful sips of my drink. Watch as her mind chews on these new words.

“It doesn’t…” She finally huffs and looks away. Seeming to actually understand how stupid it would be to finish that statement and tell me that it doesn’t matter. Murmurs tiredly instead. “What do you want from me?”

“Same thing as before.” I reply, working very hard to keep my voice level. “Focus on recovering. Send for me when you want to sleep, at any point. Because healing takes a lot of energy from your body and you should be in bed most of the day anyway. And most importantly, stay out of my way if you don’t actually want to help me.”

Emarial shifts her gaze back to mine. “You told the Conclave today that the Zeridii would react poorly if Arudia didn’t follow your commands.”

I shrug. “Thought it was obvious, but It was a good idea to make sure they understood. So I did just that. Pointedly.”

“How much of it was… embellishment?” She asks, carefully. “Or a lie? Words to scare them into following your demands.”

“None of it. Actually. If anything I left out the really scary parts.”

Emarial pales as she sees the truth of my words. “You… Ina. This… I can't just...”

“Be very careful, Sun Spoken.” Zigdara growls softly.

The big woman flinches at the first words my duenna speaks to her since the last time we visited, turns to look at Zigdara, then back to me. “I do not have words for how much of a cliffside you’ve set the world to titter upon, Inamatorii.”

“Good to see you admitting your limits.” I nod back with an unkind smirk. “Because even if you hate what I did, and think my current plan is a bad one, there is no other path now. The Zeridii wants them freed, and they are awakening more and more with every passing day.”

Emarial opens her mouth to say more stupid things, but I cut her off.

“And before you try to tell me that I should convince them otherwise, even if I cared to try, they won’t budge on this now that they understand what was happening. It is very difficult to lie in dreams, Emarial.”

The old Sun Spoken slumps a bit in her chair, moves like she wants to run a hand through her hair but finds both arms still bound.

“And now you want to dream with my Shards.” She huffs.

“No, actually. I’m too busy to risk that at the moment. Right now I want to put your stupid butt to bed.” I shove my cup aside and lean forward. “But only after asking some very pointed questions. I won’t insult you by dancing around it, I need to know if you were talking with Veletross, and what you might have told her. Accidentally or otherwise.”

From the way she shifts… fuck. Should have asked Tasii to come with me. Help me get a read on this big stupid bitch!

“I…” She’s about to reply harshly, I think. Snap that it would be none of my business or something stupid. But then she sighs and looks back down at her mug. “Yes. Twice now. But not to divulge your secrets. I needed to know that… that you’d not become what I feared. Or began to fall into that.”

I avoid snapping something hateful and deserved. Wanting to keep her forthcoming mood present. “And? What did she tell you?”

Emarial shrugs. “About this other Sun Spoken. How she harmlessly pacified a barracks of duenna when they tried to stop her from coming up the mountain. About your demands and how she schemed to use her leverage and such to sway Arudia to back her goals. And…” She grins and shakes her head. “And then her envoy returned from the Conclave and I got to see Vele get more upset than I have in years. Even more when she saw me again all those weeks ago.”

“Emarial… Are they safe? The ones she’s keeping? Do I need to worry about her doing something to them?”

Easily ignoring the fissure within my own mind. Asking in Sympathy while letting the command boil with Spite.

The Sun Spoken looks up to give me such an odd look. “What? No. I told you, she’s ruthlessly efficient. Her losing them here will cost her a lot, but hurting the fertile males would get her nothing. Vele can be cruel but… never at the cost to her house. All of Arudia will hold her to account if she hurt them or mishandled their transfer to you. Even doing something to upset them could make them enemies in the future. Foes with more power and influence than they’ve been taught to handle.”

“I… did you see them?” I whisper gently. “How are they? They… they’re not being used. Right? No appointments or… or guests?”

Emarial pauses, then shakes her head carefully. “I doubt Vele would risk your anger by trying to start up their work again. Especially now. But… I bumped into a few. They’re mostly kept in a side wing. But they seemed well.”

She looks honest, so I sigh and relax a bit. Letting the idea of no women being allowed near a gaggle of monsters calm the curse. “Good. Fuck. And… when she asked you about me? Zigdara? The missing Temple child?”

“She only asked about you. Wanted to know about your past in Lyttoral.”

“And you told her…?”

“All that I knew at the time.” She shrugs. “That we met in Deledita, and I was worried you might be involved with the missing male and… wronged you. I did not give her details other than we left on bad terms, but that you barely even knew what you were. I left out all the parts with Zigdara. Our meeting in the inn here at the Academy was me making things right to get close to you. Make amends and discover what you meant to do here. How much of a danger you’d be. The rest Vele discovered when she talked to you in the Archives, and later at the Obelisks. Nothing else.”

Not terrible, buuut… also not great. Fuck. Stupid bitch should have refused to say anything. And hearing her so… so openly admit to manipulating and lying to me is… not great. Not a good thing to focus on right now.

“Do you think she knows? About my… what I was forced to do in Lyttoral? How I was changed?” I press instead.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if she suspected. She told me about how you said the Temple child died when you were claimed. And I told her that would make sense, but also leave you blameless. How it would explain Zigdara’s attachment. She… Did say she knew you were lying.” Emarial nods to herself. “But… Even that doesn’t matter. You’ve already outplayed her. In more ways than that. You’ve the affections and support of her Heiress, most of the women here at the Academy, and with the threat of the Zeridii interrupting the Gemstone workings more than before…”

That makes me pause, look Emarial up and down. “So… What should I expect from her? When I finally show up on her doorstep demanding she let them all go? Threats? An attack? Future attempts to hurt me?”

“She’ll see what she can still negotiate out of this. And…” The big Sun Spoken chuckles mirthlessly, then pauses.

“And what?” I press.

She considers her drink. “And If you’ll allow me, I’d like to be there for it. Keep the peace. Then do the same when she releases the fertile men into your care.”

I don’t even try to hide my disgust at the idea. “Why? And if you say it’s because you worry I’ll hurt someone I’m going to slap you as hard as I can before singing you to sleep.”

I’m not sure if I mean that, but Emarial only smiles painfully when she glances back up. “No. It’s to… witness. See this change happen, for better or worse. You say this other Sun Spoken is barely two years claimed? And her shards hold nothing but kindness for her?”

I nod.

She lets out a breath, like some great weight is shifting on her back and the old woman needs to adjust. “Then maybe there is hope. Not for the world or her people to continue past these last few generations, but… for the final Sun Spoken to dream well. And after you’ve freed them. These men. And are well away from these lands. I’ll let you dream with my shards. Understand fully what the spiteful regard of three dozen of them feels like.”

That… surprises me. And I look to my duenna. See that she understands what Emarial is asking. That this’ll mean she’ll be traveling with us when we leave Arudia and begin to head toward Lyttoral. Or… meeting me somewhere along the way.

“We’ll talk it over with our group.” I reply, then rise. “About both that and if we’re okay with you attending a meeting with Matron Veletross. Will even see that you’re awake to get our answer as a show of… well not trust. But expectations. For you, going forward. You’re not in charge anymore, but so long as you behave I will make sure your experiences, knowledge, and influence can be put to good use.”

I think Zigdara and I both expect Emarial to snap or growl at that. But instead she simply rises with us. Nodding. “Alright. I… can do nothing but accept that.”

“Good.” I huff and begin striding toward the bed she’ll rest in. “Now let’s put you to bed.”