Tarrin glared at her shortly, but said nothing. "Have the Aeradalla arrived?" he asked.
Keritanima nodded. "About five hundred of them," she answered.
"Five hundred?" Tarrin asked in surprise.
Keritanima nodded. "They've caused quite a stir, and it's been hard explaining why they're here. Most of them are flying over the ocean, under the story that they're making sure that no ships attack Suld by sea."
"That's a rather thin excuse, Kerri. The whole world knows that not even a rowboat can get past a Wikuni fleet."
"Sometimes a good reputation can be a liability," Keritanima sighed in agreement. "The rest of them have been scouting the Dals and being very careful to scout the ki'zadun without being seen. Truth be told, they're why the Rangers have suddenly gotten the upper hand against the Dal supply lines. The Aeradalla tell them exactly where to go."
"I only asked for fifty."
"I guess you're a very influential speaker," Keritanima grinned.
"Have one of them come to Aldreth," Tarrin said. "I only need one."
"There are Aeradalla all over western Sulasia, as far east as Marta's Ford," she told him. "I'll make sure one of them gets there by tomorrow."
"Good. I'll need some aerial scouting if I'm going to take Torrian."
"Take Torrian? By yourself?" the Keeper asked in surprise.
"I'll find a way," Tarrin said grimly, flexing the claws on one paw in an ominous manner. "The Dals have killed my friends, innocent villagers. They're going to pay for it."
There was a loud, sudden banging at the door. The three of them looked as Szath leaned against the door more and more, then suddenly cried out as the door opened against him. The massive Vendari, who could have probably picked up a full wagon, was brushed aside like a child as the door split from the stress of being jammed between his immovable object and the irresistable force being applied to it. Tarrin took a step backwards, fearful that his secret was out, but it was Triana standing in the doorway, brushing some dust off her tawny-furred arm. That made Tarrin laugh. Triana wasn't even impressed with a Vendari.
"Cub, I've gotten very short with you for making these visits without coming to see me," she said hotly, striding past the startled Vendari. Szath reached for his battle axe, but a quick gesture from Keritanima stayed him. That probably saved his life. Not even Szath would be a match for the powerful Triana.
It shouldn't have surprised him that Triana knew. Triana seemed to know everything.
"Mother," he said with a nod of his head. "I'm sorry, but I didn't realize you wanted to see me."
"I always want to see my cubs," she said with uncharacteristic gentleness. "I see you took them off. You have no idea how happy I am to see that."
Tarrin looked down at his bare forearm. "I never really had a choice, mother," he said ruefully. "I had a pair of very determined goddesses making sure that I wasn't going to leave the desert with them on."
"The question is, cub, do you need them?" she asked intently.
"No. Not anymore," he said after a moment, which made Keritanima sniffle. "Mother, you have no idea how cross I am with you right now."
"And why is that?"
"I'm in Aldreth," he said bluntly, glaring at her.
"Oh. Ah, well, it was going to happen eventually. Did you kill her?"
"Not yet, but I'm thinking about it," he growled. "Why didn't you tell me!"
"It wasn't my place. It was Jesmind's secret. It wasn't my place to give it away."
"Damn propriety!" he shouted at her. "I nearly had an apoplexy, mother!"
Triana laughed, the stony mask breaking from her face.
"What are you talking about, brother?" Keritanima asked curiously.
"Jesmind left me because she was pregnant!" he said indignantly. "I have a daughter I never knew I had!"
Keritanima looked at him, then at Triana, then she burst out laughing. "That's just too rich!" Keritanima gasped. "I knew you had it in you, Tarrin! Congratulations!"
He ignored that rather base, crude innuendo, continuing to glare at his bond-mother.
"That information doesn't leave this room," Triana said dangerously, looking at the Keeper.
"I wouldn't endanger Tarrin's child, Triana," the Keeper said mildly. "I understand the danger."
"I absolutely have to tell Allia," Keritanima sniffed, recovering herself. "She'll keep it a secret, and she deserves to know. I guess that makes me Auntie Kerri," she giggled.
"She's just like you, Kerri," Tarrin said accusingly. "She's a cunning little devious sneak. At least I can thank you for showing me how to deal with girls like you."
"And what is this little Kerri-to-be's name?" Keritanima grinned.
"Jasana," Tarrin told her.
"Is she cute?"
"She's adorable," Tarrin said with a bit of fatherly pride.
"It's nice to hear this, but let's get back to Torrian," the Keeper said. "You can't just go and attack an armed complement, Tarrin. It's crazy."
"Sometimes crazy works," Tarrin shrugged.
"But you're too important to be risking yourself like that!"
"My importance has nothing to do with you, Keeper!" Tarrin snapped at her. "What I'm doing has nothing to do with the Tower! So don't ever think that I'll even listen to you!"
The Keeper shrank back in her chair, a hand going to where Tarrin had branded her, and fell silent.
"I've done well enough so far without the Tower and without you, so shut up," Tarrin said to her hotly.
"Cub, you're getting too full of yourself," Triana told him. "I'll put some humility back in you when you get here."
"You can try, mother," he said with a challenging glint in his eye. "I'll just add it to settling up with you over not telling me about Jasana."
"Bring it, cub," Triana suddenly grinned. "You won't be the first cub I've spanked, or the last."
"Let's keep the warfare out of the Tower, thank you," Keritanima said primly, standing up between the two towering Were-cats. "It would help us if you break the Dal supply lines, and have the Selani attack the Dals whenever they get there. They don't have to wait. In fact, the sooner they do it, the better."
"Alright. I'll figure out some way to tell Sarraya-"
"No, I'll tell Sarraya," Triana said. "I can get the message there in moments."
"Alright. With the Dals defeated, having the Sulasian army pull back to Suld wouldn't be reaching. It would be the logical thing for them to do-at least a portion of them. The rest would go out and restore order and pick off the Dal stragglers."
"But they won't do that," the Keeper reasoned. "They'll hide close to Suld, then be at hand when we need them."
"Exactly," Keritanima agreed with a nod. "If Tarrin can cause enough chaos in their rear areas, it'll interrupt the flow of information to the ki'zadun, and that will hide the Selani until it's too late."
"I can cause as much chaos as you need, Kerri."
"Good. Go for the throat, brother," Keritanima grinned. "Completely cut the Dal army off from its support."
"I can do that," he said confidently.
He was about to say something more, but he became aware of something powerful touching him. That power sought out his own, sought out a joining, but Tarrin realized almost immediately what was happening. It was Jasana! She had touched him, and somehow, she was trying to Circle with him! Tarrin's Illusory image suddenly distorted as Tarrin diverted a great deal of his attention to choking off that attempt. "Tarrin?" Keritanima called in sudden concern. "What's wrong?"
"Quiet!" Tarrin snapped, closing his image's eyes and concentrating all his attention on Jasana. Her power was incredible! And what was worse, she was already able to use her power! She wasn't unrealized, as he thought, she simply didn't have the mental capability to use the power she possessed!