Deimos made a good point, but if they knew which god had made the blade, perhaps they could petition them for a way to recall its power. It was an avenue to pursue later, as the conversation shifted back to Flora's marshaling of arguments. And to Sunjata's much different experience, and the most recent vision that had the Tidebreaker's breath pausing in his throat before he inclined his head in recognition. Information clicking into place with memory and history. "I have felt them," he agreed quietly with the Flood. "In Hak Etme. Every time I step onto the sand. We have already seen, repeatedly, that the Void seeks to expand. They have been pushed back in other regions. The desert may be next." Victories, neither small nor meaningless. They had been hard-fought and hard-won, and he would not diminish their cost or their importance.
But he recognized when Flora was digging her heels in. It was not the first time he had seen her do so, and he hoped it would not be the last – for a multitude of reasons.
But it was unfortunate that she had chosen this issue to champion.
He did not, however, contest her points outright. He knew her too well for that. The too-cool look in her eyes was familiar enough that he could sense she was prepared for a fight. Something she rarely did unless she had an ace up her sleeve. And so instead of refuting her points or offering counterarguments she could sink her teeth into he simply watched her, outwardly calm in spite of the fear that Ronin’s infection lodged in his heart.
”You intended to learn more about the Family and what they wanted when you met with Dahlia before,” he said instead, meeting the eyes of Deimos and Sunjata to explain what Flora had done in case they did not already know. His emerald gaze returned to his co-ruler, solemn with the gravity of their conversation. ”A year ago. Before you were marked by the Family for death.” Cruel, perhaps, to remind her that she was not currently well received by Stormbreak’s Queen and her fellows. But an important point to raise when her father now served the Reaper, and they did not know how deep those purple tendrils went into a victim’s soul. Whether or not he would revive her if Dahlia ordered him to stand back. ”What did she tell you of them then? Of their own intentions?”
But he recognized when Flora was digging her heels in. It was not the first time he had seen her do so, and he hoped it would not be the last – for a multitude of reasons.
But it was unfortunate that she had chosen this issue to champion.
He did not, however, contest her points outright. He knew her too well for that. The too-cool look in her eyes was familiar enough that he could sense she was prepared for a fight. Something she rarely did unless she had an ace up her sleeve. And so instead of refuting her points or offering counterarguments she could sink her teeth into he simply watched her, outwardly calm in spite of the fear that Ronin’s infection lodged in his heart.
”You intended to learn more about the Family and what they wanted when you met with Dahlia before,” he said instead, meeting the eyes of Deimos and Sunjata to explain what Flora had done in case they did not already know. His emerald gaze returned to his co-ruler, solemn with the gravity of their conversation. ”A year ago. Before you were marked by the Family for death.” Cruel, perhaps, to remind her that she was not currently well received by Stormbreak’s Queen and her fellows. But an important point to raise when her father now served the Reaper, and they did not know how deep those purple tendrils went into a victim’s soul. Whether or not he would revive her if Dahlia ordered him to stand back. ”What did she tell you of them then? Of their own intentions?”
