As the moon reflected the sun, so Hadama was a mere reflection of his goddess's light, and her approval made him shine beneath her fingers with a quiet inner radiance. Her trust in his decision as King and one half of Torchline's rulership settled on his shoulders with a weight that was a joyful burden even as it called back to his recent conversation with Flora. One that would be worth revisiting once the protections of their shores were finished... and perhaps after Safrin's blessing had made safe some region of Torchline from Vox's hidden eavesdropping.
Concerns for the future, though hopefully the near one, but the goddess's warning carried a sobering note to the music of the spheres that chimed through the Attuned Bond as she spoke.
His thoughts went immediately to Everest, that changed young man who had stood so loyally at Dahlia's side and who safely handled creatures of the Void with the Reaper's same casual indulgence. If there were others Hadama could not say, but the Spyglass seemed a likely victim of the Void's influence.
Likely, but still they had no proof. And no way of knowing who else might be walking their beaches under the Family's aegis. We cannot, he agreed, but his brow furrowed as he turned the problem over in his slow, steady thoughts. But acting without proof could cost us allies. A hard lesson he had learned to his sorrow at the Midwinter Conference. And we do not know if attacking an infected human would cause retaliation from the Family. A retaliation Hadama did not think that Torchline was ready to face if Vox's cheerful warning about the growth of the Family's power was to be believed.
But we will learn something from the... he paused, caution in his thoughts at the reminder of the New Voice on Caido, ... upcoming visit to the... neighbors. And how they respond to... unannounced guests. And, indeed, whether Torchline might suffer collateral from that particular event, and what the Family's reaction would be afterwards.
Concerns for the future, though hopefully the near one, but the goddess's warning carried a sobering note to the music of the spheres that chimed through the Attuned Bond as she spoke.
His thoughts went immediately to Everest, that changed young man who had stood so loyally at Dahlia's side and who safely handled creatures of the Void with the Reaper's same casual indulgence. If there were others Hadama could not say, but the Spyglass seemed a likely victim of the Void's influence.
Likely, but still they had no proof. And no way of knowing who else might be walking their beaches under the Family's aegis. We cannot, he agreed, but his brow furrowed as he turned the problem over in his slow, steady thoughts. But acting without proof could cost us allies. A hard lesson he had learned to his sorrow at the Midwinter Conference. And we do not know if attacking an infected human would cause retaliation from the Family. A retaliation Hadama did not think that Torchline was ready to face if Vox's cheerful warning about the growth of the Family's power was to be believed.
But we will learn something from the... he paused, caution in his thoughts at the reminder of the New Voice on Caido, ... upcoming visit to the... neighbors. And how they respond to... unannounced guests. And, indeed, whether Torchline might suffer collateral from that particular event, and what the Family's reaction would be afterwards.
