Sarene felt her stomach turn. "No. I'm… going to do that soon."
There was a knock at the door, and a few moments later Eondel entered, Shuden in tow. The young undo had been out riding with Torena.
As he entered, the baron's face broke into an uncharacteristically wide smile. "We should have known you'd be back, Sarene. If anyone could be sent to hell and return untouched, it would be you."
"Not exactly untouched," Sarene said raising her hand to feel her bald scalp. "Did you find anything?"
"Here, my lady," Eondel said, holding out a short blond wig. "It was the best I could find-most of the others felt so thick I would have sworn they were made of horse hair."
Sarene looked over the wig with a critical eye-it would barely come down to her shoulders. But, it was better than baldness. In her estimation, her hair was the greatest loss incurred by her exile. It was going to take years to grow it to a decent length again.
"Too bad no one gathered up my own hair." she said, tucking the wig away until she could find time to put it on properly.
"We didn't exactly anticipate your return, Cousin," Lukel said. picking at the last few pieces of meat in the pan. "It was probably still attached to your veil when we burned it."
"Burned it?"
"Arelish custom, 'Ene," Kiin explained. "When someone is thrown into Elantris, we burn their possessions."
"Everything?" Sarene asked weakly.
"I'm afraid so," Kiin said with embarrassment.
Sarene closed her eyes, exhaling. "Never mind," she said. regarding them. "Where's Ahan?"
"At Telrii's palace." Roial said.
Sarene frowned. "What's he doing there?"
Kiin shrugged. "We figured we should send someone, at least. to make an
overture to the new king. We're going to have to work with him. so we might as well see what kind of cooperation we can expect."
Sarene eyed her companions. Despite their obvious joy at seeing her. she sensed something in their expressions. Defeat. They had worked so hard to keep Telrii off the throne, and they had failed. Inside, Sarene barely acknowledged that she felt many of the same emotions. She felt sick. She couldn't decide what she wanted: everything was so confused. Fortunately. her sense of duty provided guidance. Spirit was correct: Arelon was in serious danger. She didn't want to even contemplate the things Hrathen had said about her father-she only knew that no matter what else happened, she had to protect Arelon. For Elantris's sake.
"You speak as if there weren't anything we could do about Telrii's claim of the throne," Sarene said to the quiet room.
"What could we do?" Lukel said. "Telrii's been crowned, and the nobility supports him."
"So does Wyrn." Sarene reminded. "Sending Ahan is a good idea. but I doubt you'll find any leniency in Telrii's reign-for us, or for the rest of Arelon. My lords, Raoden should have been king. and I am his wife. I feel responsible for his people. They suffered under Iadon. If Telrii turns this kingdom over to Wyrn, then Arelon will become nothing more than another Fjordell province."
"What are you implying, Sarene?" Shuden asked.
"That we take action against Telrii-any action we can."
The table fell silent. Finally, Roial spoke. "This is different from what we were doing before, Sarene. We opposed Iadon, but we did not plan to remove him. If we take direct action against Telrii, then we will be traitors to the Crown."
"Traitors to the Crown, but not the people," Sarene said. "In Teod, we respect the king because he protects us. It is a bargain-a formal agreement. Iadon did nothing to protect Arelon. He built no army to keep Fjorden away, he devised no legal system to insure that his subjects were treated fairly, and he did nothing to care for the spiritual welfare of his nation. My instincts warn me that Telrii will be even worse."
Roial sighed. "I don't know, Sarene. Iadon overthrew the Elantrians to seize his power. and now you suggest that we do the same thing. How much of this can a country stand before it breaks apart?"
"How much of Hrathen's string pulling do you think it can stand?" Sarene asked pointedly.
The gathered lords looked at each other. "Let us sleep on it, Sarene," Shuden requested. "You speak of difficult matters-ones that should not be entered into without careful meditation."
Agreed," Sarene said. She was looking forward to the night's rest herself. For the first time in almost a week, she was going to actually be warm as she slept. The lords nodded, rising to go their separate ways. Roial hung back for a
moment. "It looks as if there is no reason to continue our betrothal, is there, Sarene?" "I don't think so, my lord. If we take the throne now, it will be through force, not manipulation of politics."
The elderly man nodded wistfully. "Ah, it was far too good to be true anyway. my dear. Goodnight, then."
"Goodnight," Sarene said, smiling fondly as the aged duke left. Three engagements and no weddings. She was amassing a poor track record indeed. With a sigh, she watched Roial close the door. then turned to Kiin. who was fastidiously clearing away the remains of her meal.
"Uncle," she said. "Telrii has moved into the palace and my things have been burned. I find myself suddenly without lodgings. Might 1 accept your offer of two months ago and move in here?"
Kiin chuckled. "My wife will be seriously annoyed if you don't. 'Ene. She spent the last hour preparing a room for you."
Sarene sat on her new bed. wearing one of her aunt's nightgowns. Her legs were pulled tightly against her chest, and her bowed head was sorrowful.
Ashe fuzzed for a moment, her father's face disappearing as the Seon returned to his normal shape. He was silent for a long moment before saying, "I am sorry, my lady."
Sarene nodded, her bald head rubbing against her knees. Hrathen had not been lying-he hadn't even been exaggerating. Her father had converted to Shu-Dereth.
The ceremony hadn't been performed yet: there were no Derethi priests in Teod. However, it was apparent that as soon as Hrathen finished with Arelon, he intended to travel to her homeland and personally collect her father's formal oath. The oath would place Eventeo at the bottom of the Derethi hierarchy, forcing him to submit to the whims of even a simple priest.
No amount of raving or explaining had changed her father's resolve. Eventeo was an honest man. He had sworn to Hrathen that if Sarene returned safely, he would convert. It didn't matter that the gyorn's trickery was behind both her curse and restoration; the king would honor his promise.
Where Eventeo led, Teod would follow. It would take time, of course: the people of Teod were not sheep. However, as the arteths Hooded her homeland, the people would give ear where they would have given only fists before-all beeause they knew that their king was Derethi. Teod had been changed forever.
And he had done it for her. Of course, he claimed that he also knew it was best for the country. No matter how good Teod's navy was, sheer numbers insured that a determined Fjordell campaign would eventually punch through the armada. Eventeo claimed he would not fight a hopeless war.
Yet, this was the same man who had instructed Sarene that principle was
always worth fighting to protect. Eventeo had sworn that truth was immutable, and that no bartle-even a hopeless one-was in vain when defending what was right. But, apparently. his love was stronger than truth. She was flattered, but the emotion made her sick. Teod would fall because of her, becoming just another Fjordell state, its king little more than Wyrn's servant.
Eventeo had implied that she should lead Arelon to do as he had done, though she could tell from his voice that he was proud when she refused. She would protect Arelon, and Elantris. She would struggle for the survival of her religion, because Arelon-poor sickIy Arelon-was now Shu-Korath's final sanctuary. Where Arelon had once been a nation populated by gods, now it would serve as the final haven for Domi Himself.