"With respect, Greimasg'ah," the lead figure answered. "I join this pursuit at the request of the Covarleasa."
Her voice was thick with anElvish accent.
Brot'an exhaled harshly, and Sgaile's shoulders sagged just a bit.
The trio came closer, and Leesil clearly made out the sharp features of En’nish within her cowl. Her eyes remained on him as well.
Magiere inched forward. "What is she doing here?"
"No one can deny her," Sgaile admonished, with barely suppressed frustration in his voice.
"She acts on behalf of the Covarleasa," Brot'an added. "The 'selected and trusted adviser' of Most Aged Father… Frethfare."
"And you're going to let her come with us?" Magiere demanded.
Leesil didn't understand the bizarre command structure these Anmaglahk followed, but he was sick of it. Were they expected to hand over the search for Wynn to this vengeance-driven woman?
Brot'an's passive gaze remained on En’nish. "She will not interfere in a task not given to her."
En’nish looked up at Brot'an in hesitation. In spite of his calm tone, his words sounded like a pointed reminder of her place.
"Yes, these visitors are most certainly Sgailsheilleache's responsibility," En’nish answered.
She nodded to Brot'an with respect. Her two companions did likewise.Whatever their twisted rules, Brot'an appeared to hold sway over all present.
"Get rid of her," Magiere demanded.
"Remember your place… human," Brot'an replied quietly, the last word selected with care but spoken with no malice. "You are a guest here by exception. If not for your companion's imprudence, we would all be at peace this night."
"Let it go," Leesil whispered to Magiere."For now."
Privately, he wondered at how Freth, and likely Most Aged Father, had learned so quickly of Wynn's disappearance, and why En’nish was the one sent to intercept their search.
Brot'an stepped past Leesil and out ahead. En’nish and her companions moved from his path. Sgaile followed more slowly, ushering Leesil and Magiere forward, keeping himself between them and En’nish. They caught up to Brot'an, and Leesil looked over his shoulder as En’nish and her followers fell in behind Osha. The young elf breathed a bit too deeply for so little exertion, and his eyes wandered nervously.
Leesil heard a chirping whistle.
They reached the far side of the tree-ringed depression, and Brot'an stood before the forest proper with his hands cupped around his mouth. He let out a birdlike series of chirps, waited a moment, and then issued another shrill call.
A longer whistling chirp answered him from the forest.
"Urhkarasiferin has found a trail," Sgaile said, as Brot'an took off at a run into the trees. "Stay close, and do not wander."
Most Aged Father lingered in that place between consciousness and slumber. He had listened to Leshil and his companions in their quarters, but the effort wore him down. He withdrew his awareness as their conversation waned and Leshil went off to bathe. But he had learned things about each-their personalities, their fumbling grasps at plans, and their nature for deception. Magiere disturbed him in particular.
She was filled with a strange agitation. She warranted more consideration and observance until he was done with Leshil. So much complication arose from humans. The world was polluted with their chaos and frailty.
Most Aged Father was so weary he did not hear Frethfare's footfalls until she entered his private chamber in the great oak's heart-root. She bowed. As always, he was pleased by her presence.
Until she rose up with dark concern plain on her face.
"There is trouble with the humans," she said, settling upon one teal-dyed cushion of sheot'a cloth. "I do not believe Sgailsheilleache has firm control over them."
Her criticism of a fellow anmaglahk was disturbing. Most Aged Father valued all the Anmaglahk, but he took greater pride in a few, such as Freth-fare. Sgailsheilleache was another, with his fierce devotion to his people and his strict sense of justice. Most Aged Father had known from the first time he set eyes on Sgailsheillache that the boy was Anmaglahk. Barely thirteen years old,he was only two moons past his name taking when he submitted himself for acceptance to the caste. He showed no fear at the prospect of training.
Taking Frethfare as Covarleasa had been a choice of careful consideration, and Most Aged Father valued her counsel. But he still expected good reason for her words against Sgailsheilleache.
"One of the humans with Leshil-the small one-has gone missing," she said. "The majay-hi in their company has vanished as well. The human is believed to have gone into the forest, or so En’nish reported. Sgailsheilleache has gathered a hunting party to go after her, but he took Leshil and the pale woman with him. I have sent En’nish with two others to join them."
Most Aged Father could not speak. He tried to sit up and failed, and the effort cost him.
"How long?" he demanded.
"Sometime after nightfall.I am not certain."
He was too tired for this foolishness. Of all his children, Sgailsheilleache and Frethfare had done this.One unable to control the humans and the other compounding this new complication. En’nish, who grieved the loss of her future mate, was the last who should be given any purpose involving Leshil.
Most Aged Father had been concerned when Sgailsheilleache chose Urhkarasiferin to help escort Leshil. En’nish was under the elder anmaglahk's tutelage, and by caste law, the student always accompanied the teacher. Now that Urhkarasiferin had dismissed her, En’nish was best kept far from Leshil-until Most Aged Father was done with him.
"Father?" asked Frethfare. He had been silent too long.
"Do not speak," Most Aged Father admonished her. "The humans are devious beyond understanding. Give me a moment to seek anomalies in the thread of life."
He had so little strength left, but it was unavoidable. He closed his eyes, worming his awareness through the forest's roots in the earth and into brush and tree and flower wherever he passed.
Nothing came to him at first, and then he felt the majay-hi. A pack loped at a fast pace behind one of the Listeners, the great silver deer, sentinels of the forest. Outrage rose in Most Aged Father.
The little human woman rode upon the deer's back.
The pack traveled purposefully, on a steady course as they wove through the forest. He followed them, slipping ahead to tree or bush whenever they outdistanced the present place of his awareness. The line they ran began to seed him with fear.
How could they know of such a destination?
Among the pack was the one majay-hi who had entered his home with Leshil.
Most Aged Father's eyes snapped open, and he tried to sit up.
"North," he cried out. "Catch Sgailsheilleache and his charges at all costs. You will turn them back!Now!"
Frethfare spun up to her feet, startled by his tone.
Clan elders had been arriving for several days. Talk and rumor suggested they questioned his wisdom in allowing humans into the land for the first time. He could not let word of this wayward human's actions reach them as well.
And he could not allow any to reach the place they were headed.
"Go!" he cried out, his voice scratching the air. "None of them must reach Cuirin'nen'a's glade."
Sgaile burned with shame as he led the others through the trees. The fault was his alone.
He would never blame another serving under him-not even the naпve and immature Osha. It had beenhis own choice to assign the young elf as watchguard.
Osha had come later to service than most Anmaglahk, and in the following five years, the young man had failed to attract the tutelage of a teacher among their caste. He remained a novice of only basic skills. Still, Osha wished to be of service, and Sgaile empathized with a desire that would not yield to any obstacle.