"She'll figure this out," Tovahr agreed.
"Make sure she's well protected," Myccael added, looking at Tovahr.
"I beg your pardon, Susserayn, but what does this mean?" Ekkarn wanted to know.
Myccael ran his hand through his hair, closing his eyes for a moment, "It means that after the Zuten destroyed their home planet, Oceanus, they created the Sirens there, and then they continued their godless work here on Leander."
"Angering the gods once again," Darryck added.
"And when I decided to build the magrail, it was charted to run right over the dead city. Grandyr sent a warning, but it was already too late," Myccael finished.
"You couldn't have known," I tried to stop his self-censure.
"But I should have. The priests told me this was sacred ground. I didn't listen. Neither did I listen to the reason why none of my predecessors allowed spaceships to land close to Bantahar."
"We thought it was to keep us humble," I reminded my son. This wasn't his fault.
"Well, zyn," he snorted derisively, "and look where it got us by me not staying humble."
I knew in my heart of hearts that there was no way to stop Myccael from taking the blame for this. But I also knew that he would get over it.
"Let's look on the bright side," Darryck smirked, and both Myccael and I turned to him. "We get to hunt us some Eulachs."
We spent all morning talking. Thalia and Oksana filled me in about their stories, and Oksana even provided insight into Myccael's life and how he found hisrealmother, Minhalla. I nearly cried when I heard her story of heartbreak. I felt even worse, thinking that I hadn't been the mother to her son I should have been.
"I'd like to meet her," I said after a moment of consideration.
"I'm sure she would like that," Oksana smiled. "She is one of the warmest people I know."
I wasn't sure how she could be after what Kennenryn had done to her, but I took Oksana's word for it.
After a while, the servants brought us lunch, and we realized the sun was already high over the mountains. The breeze had picked up slightly, brushing over the camp, bringing in the scent of forest from the other side of the mountains. Somewhere in the distance, the faint grind of excavation echoed off the valley walls.
No one had come back from the secondary drill site. But some dragoons came to fetch Claudia, without any words for us.
Thalia leaned back on her elbows, her eyes scanning the horizon. “You’d think one of them would have checked in by now.”
“Males, when they scent blood,” Oksana replied, not even bothering to hide her irritation. “I swear ours are the most battle-hungry males I've ever met.”
I reached for my half-finished tea, but paused when an idea came to me. "Well, nobody said we couldn't go down to the dig site over here, did they? Who knows what we might find."
Thalia raised a brow. “The first chamber?”
I nodded. “It’s still guarded. Dragoons are everywhere in and around. It's not like we wouldn't be safe.”
“Beats sitting around all day,” Oksana added, brushing off her lap, “besides, I never got to see it, and neither did Thalia.”
Thalia was already grabbing her belt and weapons. “Good enough for me.”
It wasn't really like a rebellion, I told myself; it served more to fill our time and to satisfy some curiosity.
“Well,” I said, standing and adjusting the laces at my sleeves, “let’s see what secrets the Zuten left behind.”
We left the tent with purpose; the midday sun stood sharp over our heads as we made our way to the edge of the camp, where the first drill site waited, half excavation, half mystery, and all ours to explore.
The elevator groaned slightly as the gears engaged. It was just big enough for the three of us, and as the metal grate slammedshut above, a flicker of unease passed across Oksana’s face. She shifted her weight, one hand resting lightly on the metallic wall. “Are we sure this thing was made for people and not crates?”
Thalia grinned. “Too late now.”
