"What about Narissa?" Tory asked quietly.
"Well. That—well," Lissa shook her head and walked away.
"Mom, we know she's our great-grandmother. Dad told me," Tory offered.
"She's done a lot of bad things in her life," Lissa lifted blue eyes to her tallest son. "She won't be given special treatment when she gets here. She was here before, but she was given clemency and a comfortable place to live on Le-Ath Veronis because she gave me information I needed once. She just negated all of that. If she'd contacted me right away when Toff showed up inside her perimeter, she might be getting better treatment still. Instead, she threatened Toff." Lissa tossed up a hand in resignation and turned away.
"She's been the same for thousands of years. Her willingness to cooperate in the past seems a temporary anomaly," Erland moved toward Lissa and pulled her against him. "Love, you can never predict what those with a predilection for betrayal might do."
"Seems to run in the family, doesn't it?" Lissa said.
"It does indeed, my love," Erland whispered.
"They're kissing again," Tory muttered. Tory wore a smile, though, when Toff turned in his direction.
"Here we are," Renegar the Larentii announced, as he appeared with Haldis, Sark and both sets of parents. All were dirty and much thinner than they'd been when Toff had seen them last.
"Will we really be shielded?" Sark's mother begged, dropping to her knees. "We have been hiding for days, and have been forced to hunt for food at night."
"You will be shielded," Lissa moved away from Erland and came to stand before them. "This land is yours, to farm or do with as you please. The others will not be able to cross the boundary. I warn you, though, step outside that boundary and you are on your own." Lissa gazed, unblinking, at Haldis and Sark. Her words were meant for them. They'd crossed another line already, when they'd beaten Toff.
"Clover and Laral are coming with their parents, tomorrow," Toff offered, though his voice trembled. It was difficult, after all, seeing Haldis and Sark again. His last memory of the two had been of them punching him in the face.
"Gren got to them, too, didn't he?" Sark blinked at Toff.
"Yes." Toff wasn't willing to offer more of an explanation.
"Don't make me sorry I've bent the rules for you," Lissa's voice was hard as she gazed at Sark. "If you'd killed Toff when you beat him, I wouldn't have made the attempt."
"We understand that, Lady," Sark's father dipped his head respectfully. "We have had a talk with our children, who were unaware of all the facts. They now understand things better."
"Good. Erland," Lissa turned to her Karathian warlock mate.
"Here is a supply of sun crystal." Erland employed power to bring in twenty pounds of what the Green Fae called Indis-Banuu—holder of the sun. "This should enable those coming tomorrow to help grow plants and such. And this," he gestured a second time, "is enough seed and cuttings to grow a garden." A large, wooden crate appeared. Toff blinked—the crate was nearly as tall as Erland, and twice as long. "There are gardening tools inside, plus a few other necessities. Sheep for wool, cows for milk and chickens for laying will be brought in a day or two. You will not starve unless you choose to do so."
"We thank you for these gifts," Sark's father bowed. "We cannot repay them."
"I don't expect you to," Lissa huffed. "Just teach your children better."
"I promise to do that."
"Good. We're done, here. The others will be brought tomorrow."
"We will welcome them. Thank you."
"Are you ready to go?" Lissa turned to Toff and the others.
"We're ready, Mom." Nissa hadn't spoken before that, but she went to her mother and put an arm around her.
"Good. Connegar, will you take us back?" Lissa asked her tallest Larentii mate.
"I will." All of them disappeared.
* * *
Lissa's Journal
"Lissa, don't fret, my love. I know those young ones should have apologized to Toff, yet they did not. I do not understand what it is their parents are teaching them." Erland attempted to stop me from pacing inside my suite. "Come to bed. You need rest, Renegar says so."
"Those Green Fae and their humanoid neighbors blame Toff for their troubles, still. I could see it in their eyes. It's their fault, plain and simple. They decided to take Toff in the beginning, and then Redbird decided to perform the mindbond. Honestly, Redbird ought to be cooling her heels on Evensun, too, for her part in this. If Kifirin hadn't promised to level judgment against them when Toff turns twenty-nine, I'd have put her there right after Toff came back to us." I was still angry that Toff hadn't received an apology.
"Lissa, they did not decide to take Toff in the beginning. They desired to take Wyatt. We know who is responsible for switching bracelets so the children would be confused."
"Do not say that name to me, Erland Morphis, or you'll be sleeping alone tonight."
"I know that, love. I am merely stating fact."
"How is my brother, by the way?"
"He is well. Wylend is teaching him many things, and he is making good progress in his lessons. I must say the few lessons he received in healing were his best—he is outstanding in that area."
"His mother is a healer. I'm not surprised," I tossed up a hand in resignation. "Do you see him often?"
"Wyatt?"
"No. Wyatt's father."
"He is often at breakfast with Wylend, your grandfather."
"Yeah, I suspected as much."
"Lissa, please don't force Wylend to choose."
"I won't."
"But it upsets you."
"How can it not?"
"Come here. Lie down beside me." Erland motioned for me to join him in bed.
"Erland, where is this going to end? Does my grandfather have warlocks searching for Zellar?" I climbed onto the bed and settled beside my Karathian warlock.
"Yes. They have already gone to Cloudsong, but Zellar has left that world with a drained core and used the last of its power to hide his power signature. We are back where we started, love." Erland pulled me next to him and tucked my head against his shoulder.
"What if he's draining other worlds? That's a death sentence, Erland. Zellar hides himself with the power he gains from draining cores, and I couldn't go after him right now, even if I could find him." I touched my belly.