Page 98 of Requiem of Silence

Yllis’s gaze slid to Zeli and then Varten, who had come to stand next to her. “True, but these two have been reading my journal. And I wasn’t certain how they would react if they knew who I was.”

Zeli took a step back; Varten tensed beside her. “Youwrote the journal?” He looked to Zeli, who shook her head, completely dumbfounded.

Gilmer clasped his hands behind him and rocked on his heels. “I think this conversation calls for more tea.”

Gilmer had produced more cushions and tea from wherever it was he got these things. Varten came to sit beside her, while Gilmerand Lanar—or rather, Yllis—stood in hushed conversation by the doors.

She studiously ignored Varten, still angry with him from earlier. Instead, she straightened the teacups and poured more for the newcomers, feeling his eyes on her.

Finally, she sat back, staring straight ahead. “What?” she said through clenched teeth.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. She turned, and was arrested by the misery evident on his face. “I should have been there to help you. That’s why we came, and I just got caught up in…” He trailed off and she waited for him to finish the sentence, but he just stared at his hands.

“In what?” she prompted.

He shrugged. “I’m not really reliable. I mean, I shouldn’t be in charge… of making decisions or anything. I just screw things up.”

She blinked rapidly. “But you were right. Remi and I managed to pry open that sewer cover and that’s how I got in here. I think it was the only way inside.”

Varten’s shoulders were still slumped and Zeli reached for him, intending to offer a comforting hand, then withdrew. She wasn’t sure she should touch him, wasn’t sure he wanted her to.

“You missed quite a lot,” she said, grabbing a cup instead. She didn’t really want any more tea, she just needed something to do with her hands.

“I see.”

“No, you didn’t. Remi turned into Gilmer.”

“What?” His jaw hung open comically.

“Remi is Gilmer and Gilmer is the Archives.” She motioned to the empty space surrounding them.

Gilmer and Yllis approached and sat on the remaining cushions. “Yllis refuses to tell me how he managed to come back fromthe dead,” Gilmer said, sounding annoyed. “I do it every ten years, but then again, I never go all the way to the World After. But I know that you must have. I saw what was left of that city after your battle with the True Father.”

Yllis shook his head. “My tale is for another time. Since we have limited access to theArchives,” he looked pointedly at said Archives, “I would not wish to waste it.”

Gilmer sniffed. These two did not behave like friends.

“How did you know we’d read your journal?” Zeli asked. She wasn’t sure he would answer, the pause was so long, but finally he sighed.

“I remained, out of sight, after I left the journal for Oola.” His face softened for the first time. “I was not ready to face Her, not yet. But I saw the two of you take it. I’d intended for Her to…” He looked off. “It does not matter. When it was clear She had other priorities, I decided to come here for myself. It seemed convenient to travel together.

“When we first met”—he turned to Gilmer—“you tried to teach me a way to win the war. Eero had trapped himself on the other side of the Mantle with the Singers, I was stuck in the west with the Silent, until I found a way through my spell for the Mantle. I knew Eero was draining Songs, stealing them for his own purposes, and I spent years searching for a way to stop him and reverse it. When you arrived, I thought it was the answer to my prayers.”

Gilmer looked down. “I did my best to teach you,” he said quietly.

“Your method for restoring Songs did not work once you left.” Yllis spat the words.

“Because you did not do it properly. I can only teach a willing student.” Gilmer’s dark eyes turned to Zeli. “Perhaps she will be more amenable.”

The scrutiny of both these ancient men made Zeli want to squirm. She lowered her gaze, but turned toward Yllis. “Why didn’t his method for restoring Songs work anymore?”

“Ask him.” Yllis threw up his hands. “He must have left something out. I tried for years more, without success.”

Gilmer’s jaw tightened. “I left nothing out. I saw your plight, felt the pain of the separation of your people and the suffering caused by your… former friend.”

Zeli’s eyes widened. “Are you talking about the True Father? You were friends with him?”

Yllis nodded, features downturned. “Aye. We were friends. I loved his sister more than myself. To me he was a brother. Once.”

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