I held my silence about what was told in confidence. I held it the way I seem to be forced to hold everyone's secrets of late: In a roiling belly full of blood and fire.

I spoke no word of it, not to my sister, not to my sworn brethren, not to even to my own Lord and Master, though obviously no secrets may be kept from the Divine. That I was not punished for continuing to endorse and engage in what He considers disdainful and deceitful behaviour is a measure of His everlasting mercy.

I treated yours and Cieon's jars as a separate issue. After all, I believed they were being put to good use, what reason would I have to question or be unhappy about that? Instead, I continued to dig and scrape and cough through as many dusty cellars as the rest of the researchers. Did I once throw a tantrum or start sending demanding missives on my first inkling of suspicion? No I did not.

It was only after additional information was brought to me by other parties that I felt compelled to act. The act being to ask questions. And again, not once did I speak of you. I did not mention you, I did not think of you. Because I had endeavoured to keep that trust, even if that man's paranoia had apparently continued to grow and lash out against everyone around him. I am sorry that you became another target of it.

But I did not need to say anything. Anyone at that siege watching the cadre of Hashani warriors trying so desperately to reassure all and sundry of Sir Aerek's 'quality' and protect his good name could see that they were obviously privy to a fact that no one else was previously aware of.

Your own actions spoke louder than your whispers.



Skye Bellatere Anchors

Penned by my hand on the 8th of Lupar, in the year 979 AF.