Yosha lowered his gaze. “Thank you, Princess Annat. Yet there are many who disagree with you.”
Hannes dropped his meaty hand on Yosha’s thin shoulder, shaking him gently. “It does not matter what they think, little brother. We know you. We know that yes, you made an error in judgment, and we know that you have repented of that error. We know that your heart is with us and that all you now do is for the good of the kingdom.”
“Sorry I’m late; I was– what’s this? Yosha having another mope?” The fifth young person to bound into the room came to a brief halt. As he took in the three siblings surrounding the fourth, he smiled lopsidedly and came over, also placing a hand on Yosha. “Come on then, Toe-Biter! Chin up! None of this self-pity.”
Yosha winced. “Prince Barna, that particular nickname might not be the best way to call me right now. They’ve already labeled me the Shadow Man and the Shadewalker. Another rumor–”
“Agreed,” Hannes said firmly. “Now is a time for solidarity and unity. Luvaris is our enemy, not Yosha, and we must fix that in everyone’s mind. Barna, what news of the device?”
Grinning, Barna turned to the map and jabbed a finger downward. “From what our machines can detect, it’s absolutely in these caverns. Hard to say how far in or down, of course, since they keep varying the power they’re putting through it. But I’m certain that it’s in this area, specifically. I doubt the self-exalted Eidolon Night would have changed the tunnels too much since the last maps were made, so we should be able to concentrate our troops and destroy the thing in a tick.”
Annat made a face. “I still cannot account for the arrogance of the man, calling himself a god and pretending to ascend to the divine realm. Luvaris is mad!”
Hannes looked up from the map. “Can we use that, Annat? Are the people still running scared, or will they listen to what we say?”
She considered. “It’s hard to say if they will listen or not because their fear is mounting. Tales of the Eidolon Night and his unholy riving magic spread faster than locusts, and the old ones are trotting out the myths and saying the gods must be appeased. It’s as if the Reformation never happened in some of the more remote villages.”
Esthis snorted. “If they fell back to those silly myths so quickly, then the Reformation didn’t happen. Not in their hearts, which is where it matters.”
“And what of me?” Yosha asked. “What do they say about me?”
Annat hesitated, glancing at Hannes. “Go on,” he ordered. “We need to know the truth.”
Annat sighed. “The truth is that gossip is far more popular than fact. We’re spreading what really happened as much as possible, but people still like to titillate one another with wild stories. Much like the old myths. Chatter about the Traitor who sided with the Eidolon Night to murder King Hezak and turn the whole world into draugren persists, even after all we’ve done!”
“It’s only been ten months since old Lord Luvaris staged the coup,” Barna offered. “By this time next year, no one will find those stories entertaining anymore.”
“It’s not that which bothers me,” Annat replied. She crossed her arms over her stomach. “It’s the way new stories keep cropping up. Rumors fly faster than birds in migration, yes, but not this fast, and not with so little variation. In fact, the stories are so close to one another that there must be a deliberate effort to spread them. I am forced to conclude that either Eidolon Night or his Reeves are going out and spreading fear against us.”
Yosha broke away from his siblings and faced the tent wall. “I am a liability to you. You must cast me out publicly, make the people understand that–”
“That you are our brother,” Hannes emphasized, striding over and turning Yosha around. “I know that you didn’t want Father to die. I know that you never really meant to hurt any of us, that if we hadn’t failed you as a family that you never would have fallen for his tricks.”
“But they don’t know that!” Yosha backed away. “And you need the support of the people if you’re going to overcome that army of disembodied souls! He uses fear against us; I know that better than any of you! He used my fears to draw me, and I went willingly with him because he knew how to twist my heart. What do you think he will do to the rest of the people, if not the exact same thing? He will use their fear of me to weaken you!”
“I will hear no more of this,” Hannes announced. “You are still our brother, and without your help, we would already have fallen to the mental attacks of the Riven. You are needed, Yosha, and you are wanted. Is that clear?”
Annat, Barna, and Esthis nodded in unison. Yosha looked at each of them in turn, then bowed his head.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Esthis rushed over and hugged him. “Of course, Yosh! You’re our baby brother, and we wouldn’t trade you for anything. Now, stop sniffling and let’s get ready for the reactionary old– I mean, honorable war leaders who are so dedicated to the kingdom’s safety.”
“I’m not sniffling,” Yosha retorted, trying to hold back a grin that he knew looked more like a death’s head than an amusement. “I can’t cry anymore, remember? I barely have enough bodily fluid left to piss.”
“Thank you, brother, for that rich information,” Annat drawled, her lip curling with amused disgust. “I shall be sure to pass it along to–”
“Don’t you dare!” Barna hooted.
“Agreed,” Hannes added dryly. “There’s only so much anyone else needs to know about our personal habits. People already think we’re odd because of Mother’s Angel; let’s not fuel more rumors than necessary. I hear the generals coming, so let’s make ready, brothers and sisters.”