Page 15 of Requiem of Silence

“I don’t know about that. I think the Guard should be aware; they’ll need to prepare. And I’ll have to call Jack back. He’ll want to be here.”

“And what of Fremia and their aid?” Oola’s expression was guileless, but Her words stopped Jasminda midstep.

“Someone just attacked usinsidethe palace using undead warriors. You don’t think we should alert theking?”

“What good would that do?” She tilted Her head, eyes glinting in the sunlight.

Words wouldn’t come so Jasminda simply stared. Oola turned back to the water. “It is my belief that sharing information with others who can do nothing about it is useless. Jaqros has no ability to fight the wraiths. Knowledge would only give him additional worries. What he is doing now is necessary, is it not?”

Jasminda blinked.

“Telling him would just be to make yourself feel better.”

Her fists clenched. “He will want to know,” she whispered.

“And he will know when he returns.”

Jasminda spread her arms apart. “And what if there is nothing left to return to? We could barely hold our own against three spirits! I’m telling Darvyn, at least. Do you think that the Physicks—or whoever this is—will not try again?”

“I am certain they will try again.” Oola was quiet for a long time. Jasminda resumed her pacing, needing to work off the energy still rushing through her limbs from the attack. She was both wound tight and completely worn out and feared if she stopped moving, she wouldn’t start again for a long, long time.

Oola’s voice cut through her racing thoughts. “While it’s clear the Physicks were involved in this, I do not believe that they have any desire to attack us.”

Jasminda spun around to face Her. “Who does?”

“Who always has?”

“The True Father? But he’s in the dungeon, powerless. How could he possibly…” Her heart grew heavy as a dark expression crossed Oola’s face. “Heisstill in the dungeon?”

Oola took a deep breath. “No.”

A bone-deep chill took over Jasminda’s body. “No?”

“He escaped. With help. Magical help.” Her ancient gaze returned to the ocean, appearing unusually troubled.

Jasminda’s mind buzzed with this new information. “When?”

“Six weeks ago.”

Her heart nearly stopped. “What?” Breathing turned shallow as she struggled to comprehend. “And so you thought I could do nothing about it and didn’t bother to tell me?”

“I have been looking for him.” Oola’s head tilted up. She still wasn’t looking at Jasminda.

“I take it you haven’t found him, have you?”

“Not as of yet.”

Breath rushed in and out of her chest. She spread her arms apart. “There are other Singers who could help you look. Maybe working together—”

“He is not in Elsira. And there are none else alive connected to him as I am. None strong enough—not even you or Darvyn—to do whatImust do.”

Jasminda rubbed her eyes and crossed over to sit on the bench beside Oola. She was a deflated balloon, sagging and empty. Fear and anger and a sudden rush of hopelessness assaulted her. “We may not be strong enough, but we could link. We could become stronger together. Why don’t you trust anyone?”

“It is not about trust!” Oola snapped, for the first time appearing as if She was losing Her temper. “It is about responsibility and Eero is mine.”

“But his actions affect all of us. We can’t keep this quiet because it will happen again!”

“And so we tell the country? The world? Incite fear and chaos? How will people prepare for spirits overtaking them when even the land’s most powerful Singers had a difficult time fending off three?”Her eyes shone and Her voice rose with each word. Jasminda fought not to shrink back away from the intensity and anger.

---