“Her name is Elspethe Turlach.” A voice from behind them commanded their attention, and Sephine inclined her head to the speaker. Gin turned around to the familiar voice, knowing that she was looking at D’Ayna Turlach, Elspethe’s ancestor. “I ask that you spare her, Ginolwenye of the Trees, Nature Walker—because she saw the error of her ways and assisted us in capturing the wizard and protecting the Orb of Ikara.”
“Of course I would spare her if it was up to me.” Gin looked from Ayna’s shade to Sephine. “What does she mean, Mother?”
“This is the test, my child. Who will you spare? Who will you return to the world of the living? Who will you punish? It must be the three of you together that make the decision, but I will warn you that others are waiting in the darkness to try to sway your decision.”
“We already know the answer, Sephine.” Sath stepped up to the forefront of the trio. “Nothing would give us more pleasure than to see Taeben die over and over again.” A sniffling sound from behind him caught his attention, and when he turned, he saw tears on Nelenie’s normally stoic face.
“What’s wrong, Nel?”
“Ginny—sorry. Gin, I know what Ben did to you, and what he has done here, but he took care of me in the time between my exile and our capture by Lord Taanyth. After I was forced away from my family, he took care of my sister… I cannot help but think that if he could have a second chance, he could make amends for -”
Gin looked up at Nelenie. “Do you know what he did to me? Do you know what he did to your sister after you escaped from Bellesea? Are you that far removed from our life, from our friendship, that you do not know?” Sath watched the exchange, amazed at the fury that blazed in Gin’s eyes. “Nel, I love you like a sister, you know that I do, but I cannot allow him to live again. My own feelings aside, he is a danger to our world, and as a Guardian, I cannot permit him to be the one we choose for release.”
“So, you would release the Ikedrian there instead?” Nelenie’s face grew crimson with anger. “Why not just give Father Ikara back his orb, while you’re at it? She knows too much, Gin. She has been inside your mind. We cannot trust her.”
“You’re thinking like a soldier, Nel, not like YOU.”
Sath stepped in between them and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “We have to agree—all of us. If we release one, we kill the other. What has the wizard ever done to redeem himself? Nothing.” He shifted his gaze to Nelenie. “I understand your feelings, Nelenie. I was similarly conflicted over a female once—someone I grew up with and thought I knew, but I was wrong. She gave me my son, and I am forever grateful, but she willingly caused me and Gin pain beyond explanation. I know that you have feelings for the wizard, but this elf you see before you is not the one you knew—just like the Anni that I took as my mate was not the same Anni I grew up with. Do you understand?”
Nelenie sniffled again but nodded her head. “But they are both dangerous. How can we release the Ikedrian with all of her knowledge of us and the Void and the orb?”
Gin smiled sadly. “She is a Turlach, and their line is intertwined with mine, with the line of the Nature Walkers. She may be the last of House Turlach now, and we have to trust that she has inherited the fair-mindedness of her House and will continue the work of her ancestors.” Nelenie nodded and stepped back behind Sath.
“Are you all right?” He put his arm around her and rubbed her shoulder with his hand. “You look pale to me.” Gin pushed his arm off her shoulders and nodded. She wrapped her arms around her torso for a moment as she turned back toward the goddess who had moved over to the still suspended Taeben and Elspethe.
“Have you made a decision, my Guardians?” she asked. At a twitch of her fingers, the two began to rotate in their brilliant prisons.
“Aye, Mother,” Nelenie replied, leaving Gin and Sath behind her as she stepped forward and took a knee. “We have chosen to spare the Ikedrian, Elspethe. The high elf, Taeben, is too much of a danger to the world to release. He must remain as a powerless shade in the Void.” Gin moved close to her friend and put her hand on Nelenie’s back for support, and Sath made a similar gesture with his arm back around Gin’s shoulders.
“Nelenie, you are going to become an amazing First Caeth. Tsarra would be proud. Rajah, you have kept my Nature Walker safe and close, as I asked you to do.”
“You did not have to ask, Sephine, as I told you before.”
“I know, Sathlir. That is why I kept leading your paths toward each other,” Sephine said. “Now -” The three of them stared at her blankly as she turned back to her prisoners and raised her arms in the air, speaking a language that none of them had ever heard before. For a moment, the two writhed in pain, and then both of them disappeared in a blaze of green flame. Gin ran toward the empty beams of light, but Sath caught her arm and held her fast. That was not what they had decided! Taeben and Elspethe were both gone from the world forever. Sath grinned despite himself as Gin looked sadly at the spot where the Ikedrian had been. Her heart ached for the female who had been under Taeben’s control. She only hoped that she was finally at peace.
“That was not our agreement, Mother,” Nelenie said, eyes blazing. The goddess smiled down at her.
“Ever the keeper of justice, my Caeth. The Ikedrian has been returned to
