who we are and all that we're trying to be
Deimos, having had no idea of any other meetings taken place, would likely only admonish and grumble at the circle of politics. He’d had enough diplomacy in other worlds to find the whole thing maddening and irritating; all the hidden lines, all the furtive doors, all the sketchy veneers and visages. At least these knots and gnarls were meant to be embarked upon from the militia side of the house – he had no use for cloak and dagger subterfuge, deceptions, or duplicities there; no means or measures for deceit. But he took Remi’s approval as just one more on the list of constant suggestions, and they could always leave it up to the Queen to make the decision, then commit to their diligence in preparation. “Agreed,” the beast mustered, gaze flickering to the table, recalling, remembering, the way he’d brought the map of Helovia to life for Rexanna, with its icons, its markers, its emblems and banners; perhaps he could do the same at the impending gathering, and they could flush out where would be best. It would at least shape him into a less dreadful heathen and fiend; giving him something to carve and whittle with his hands, instead of standing there like a silent fool.
As far as the antlers were concerned, that appeared to be another dead end too. He wouldn’t have much to bring to this discussion except obvious, paramount failures, deepening the furrowing of his brows, losing the sense of impish decrees in a moment, setting into thoughts, into ruminations, into particles in which they were locked and scalded. “So much for that then.” His gaze lingered on the staff, an item that had already wielded its magic, saved him, on multiple occasions, in the heart and lungs and folds of Spire basements and their dreadful toxins – it would have to be the sacred thing, the exception, not the rule. “What about fire?” Or did it still have to be magical contortions – like the Spark Bird’s reach? Had Wessex mentioned it before in the meeting? The entire thing seemed like a blur now; given tasks that had no success in their roots.
It takes dying to know
How to live as ghosts
