He nodded. “We knew, and we watched, as the Lady bade us. At first we hoped to see some sign of his inheritance, but as you know, it did not blossom until he returned here.”

“Where the taig could reach him,” Arian said. “The taig there is so frayed, I doubt anyone not already trained could feel it.”

“We did not think of that,” Amrothlin said. “He had spent years with Aliam Halveric, after all.”

Sometimes,” Kieri said, running a hand through her hair, “I think the Elders are not what the dragon would call wise. Foolish, in fact. How could they think only of humans taking my mother? By all accounts she was a superb swordswoman, a skilled rider—” He had been telling Arian what he’d learned from Amrothlin while she was in Tsaia. “And to assume the child killed as well and not search for the body … unless…” He shuddered.

“What, love?”

“Unless, I was thinking, whoever did this killed a child, damaged the body so it could not be identified, and they found that—”

“Did Amrothlin say that?”

“No. But they’ve said nothing of a lot of things. My mother being the Lady’s heir and having the power to create an elvenhome, for one.” He sighed.

Arian looked at his face, now somber, almost angry. She had not wanted to think about his childhood after capture; the evidence of those old scars was bad enough. How had he survived to become the man he was?

“You are a good king, Kieri,” she said.

“I hope so,” he said, his expression shifting. He smiled at her. “If I become one, it will be because of you. You will not let me brood.”

“Nor you, me. But I agree with you. For so long I had thought of the Lady as all-wise as well as all-powerful, but—”

“But not so wise as she might have been. What do you really think of Amrothlin? Could he be the traitor and still intent on fooling us?”

Arian thought a long moment before answering. “I think he is not the traitor. I think he felt his purpose missing after your mother died. I think he was loyal to your mother and then to the Lady.”

“If I did become able to do … that … with the elvenhome, would he be loyal to me?”

“Do you think you can, Kieri?”

“I don’t know. I never thought about it before. Orlith never mentioned the possibility. I have no idea how to try, even. But if I could … Annoying as I’ve found the elves this past year, they’re still my responsibility. If I can be what they need, I would be a better king.”

“How are the other projects coming?” Arian asked. “The road from Harway to Riverwash was certainly improved.”