“The way that Eluik is inside me,” said Enopp. “That’s what he says. Only farther in. Completely in. It’s the only place she is.”

Wad wondered if it might be true. “You mean she has Bexoi the way the Belmage has Danny North?”

“No,” said Enopp. “She isn’t in control. They’re still fighting each other.”

“Are you and Eluik fighting each other?” asked Wad.

“Why should we?” asked Enopp. “He still has his own body. Mother doesn’t. She’s got nowhere else to go. Bexoi can’t throw her out and Mother’s afraid to let Bexoi leave the body for fear it’ll die. So they can’t either one of them do anything with their body.”

“How can Eluik know any of this? They’re on separate worlds.”

“Why can’t you believe children know what they’re talking about?” asked Enopp. “Why are you so stupid?”

“Because this isn’t something that manmages can do,” said Wad.

“Just because you never heard of a manmage doing it doesn’t mean it can’t be done,” said Enopp. “That’s not Eluik talking, that’s me.”

“Anonoei’s inside Queen Bexoi’s body?”

“That’s what Eluik says, and he wouldn’t lie about something like that. If Mother weren’t there, he’d tell you to go ahead and kill that murdering bitch.”

“If Eluik’s so smart, why doesn’t he go back into his own body?” asked Wad.

Enopp didn’t answer.

And Wad finally got it. “You won’t let him go,” he said.

“He can go whenever he wants.”

“You don’t want him to leave you,” said Wad. “You’re afraid to let him be a separate boy again.”

“I’m not making him do anything,” said Enopp, “and he isn’t making me do anything, either.”

“When he thinks about going, you become afraid and so he feels like he can’t leave you.”

“I’m not afraid,” said Enopp.

“You’re still terrified that if he leaves you, you’ll feel the way you did back in the cave, when you were first a prisoner there.”

Enopp said nothing.

“I’ll tell you what,” said Wad. “I’ll think about what you say that Eluik says about your mother. And you think about what I’m saying about you and Eluik. Maybe I’ll believe you, maybe I won’t. Maybe I’ll keep Bexoi alive, maybe not. Maybe I’ll think of a way to help your mother get complete control of that body and get Bexoi out of there. But when I come back, let’s see if you figured out a way to let Eluik go back to living his own life instead of being trapped helping you live yours.”

Enopp said nothing.

“I’m going now,” said Wad. “Think about it.”

“Don’t kill Bexoi until Eluik says you can.”