They say blood makes you related but
loyalty makes you family
He’d retrieve the barrels and fill them with snow, as she suggested. It seemed that he might not have had to get as much food as he had, but it obviously couldn’t hurt to have extra supplies on hand. However, he did have an answer to her question about those who would not gather here. ”Amalia and Jigano flat out refused to stay here for LongNight, saying they’d take their chances in the temple instead. In fact, only Rexanna has confirmed she would be willing to come here.” It was one of the many reasons Loren felt grateful to the hybrid woman. As for the code, well, Loren just nodded. He’d leave that to Wessex.
The point about the blighted was definitely a good one. ”You’re right, we may need to place the blighted elsewhere, along with those who can mind them without getting hurt themselves.” The Launceleyn hesitated then, as a terrible thought came to him. ”I am loathe to even suggest this but...I think someone mentioned a prison. I have absolutely no desire to put any of our loved ones behind bars, but...if they become erratic it may be safer for everyone, and surely a prison would be defensible against the monsters.” He can feel bile rising in his throat even at the idea of it, but he knows it’s a good one, given their limited time and resources. Finally, if the queen wanted to handle the healer, Loren had no qualms with that. In a fight between Phoebe and Wessex, he had little doubt who’d emerge the victor.
Well, her desire to protect Remi obvious raised her in the summoner’s estimation. Even so, Loren bowed his head, knowing how dangerous this was. ”I don’t know you, but even so I don’t think you would ever stoop that low.” Pausing, he studied the ground below him, though still alert for any movements Wessex might make. ”But...I did know my cousin, once upon a time. And yes, she was always cruel. However, she was never monstrous. I would never have believed that she could threaten a child, or hurt one.” Hesitating, Loren realized that he and Beatrix and Jace are living proof of that lie, so he amended his statement. ”Well, no child that she was not related to by blood.” Unconsciously, his arms came up to hug himself. The scars he’d received from his family were hidden now, but they were always on his mind.
”But she did. And I can’t help but think about the fact that sometimes power does funny things to people’s heads, their morals, their beliefs. They can still think that they are good people, but when they feel they are doing what is necessary to protect themselves and those they are responsible for, they can become ruthless.” He looked up again, knowing she probably would react poorly to his statements. However, if she did, it would just confirm that he was right to worry. Besides, he’d never been particularly good at avoiding harm to himself when it might protect others, even in the abstract. ”I have heard of the tensions between the Ascended and those who blame them for this blight. What lengths would you go to protect your fellows, and what would you do to one who harmed them?” They weren’t her only people, but she was Ascended herself, and surely they held a special esteem in her eyes. This could be how it started anew, the cycle of violence they always seemed to find themselves in.
But Loren was sick and tired of it. If by speaking up now there was even the slimmest of possibilities that he could prevent another tragedy, he had to do so.
LOREN
