“What are you saying?” Vomarian questioned.
“Aramith is dead,” My‑re translated.
“What?”
“Araminth being dead is a good thing. Right?” My‑re queried.
“How in Ghea would you think it’s a good thing?” Vomarian snapped.
“Well, not for her, of course. For the mission.”
“Oh yes. Lady Sheila Greywand, mission report. Araminth is dead. End of mission report,” Vomarian retorted. “That’ll go over lovely.”
“What do you suppose we do? Dig up her body and bring her back from the dead?” My‑re asked rhetorically. She and Vomarian looked at each other for several heartbeats. They smiled in unison and turned to Havelock.
“What? I can’t bring her back from the dead,” Havelock said. He cleared his throat and continued, “And don’t even ask me to speak to Ahringol. I’m on that one’s sore side.”
“Wait, you can speak to Ahringol, the god of the dead?” My‑re asked.
“It doesn’t matter anyway. We are in Undgari’s domain. The Rirorni, god of the dead, is even touchier than Ahringol,” Havelock commented.
My‑re had had her own encounter with Undgari. Not a pleasant one, she recalled in the Tower of Death. To this day, she is still terrified of crows. “No, I mean Lady Greywand.”
“Something tells me she’s not recently dead, so even if Aramith’s body were right here along with Lady Greywand, there’d be nothing she could do. Bringing zombie Araminth back to her parents has the feel of a consolation prize,” Havelock said.
“My‑re’s correct. We need to find Araminth’s body,” Vomarian said.
“You aim to dig her up?”
“Yes, I mean no. Maybe.”
“You’re losing me elf,” My‑re said, turning up her nose.
“Ask your mother how Araminth died?” Vomarian requested.
After a short dialogue in Rathiri with A’renna, My‑re said, “She doesn’t know.”
“Does she know where she’s buried?”
Another conversation. “Yes, she does,” My‑re exclaimed. “She knows where everyone is buried in the Rirorni Empire.” She turned to her mother, who stared at her incredulously. “Wait, never mind. She’s being sarcastic.”
Rolling his eyes, Vomarian said, “We need to find out what happened to her.”
“Why? She’s dead.”
“Closure. It’ll bring some solace to her parents,” Vomarian replied. “There’s the possibility your mother is also lying to protect you, so you’ll leave the Rirorni Empire.”
“My mother wouldn’t lie,” My‑re scoffed. “The Rirorni are a highly superstitious people. They believe lying will cause your manhood to drop off and women to become sterile. The mission’s over.”
“We were tasked with finding Araminth. We haven’t found her yet,” Vomarian argued.
Snorting hard and folding her arms across her chest tight, My‑re cursed several phrases in Rathiri.
“Ow!”
A’renna slapped My‑re on the back of the head and gave her a stern talking to. Bel’alith laughed at My‑re’s language and mimicked the Rirorni curses. She also received a scolding.
“I agree with the Shagornan Elf. The mission isn’t over. The odds of a positive outcome have just decreased slightly,” Havelock said.
“Slightly?” My‑re questioned.
“If A’renna has heard of Aramith, there must be others too. They may know what befell her and the location of her final resting place,” Vomarian said.
“Yes, nomadic tribes are renowned for keeping meticulous records on their deceased,” My‑re said dryly. “With Araminth dead, the risk to the party is now too great. I agree with my mother. This is starting to become folly.”
“My‑re, we have to try. Think of yourself. During the chaos of the Rirorni war, I know your real family would have had years of restless nights without news after they thought they had lost you. Even now, A’renna learned you survived the Blood Games tournament just a few hours ago. What she would have given to know your fate,” Vomarian reasoned.
My‑re shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The stupid elf was right. She deeply desired her actual family to know she was safe and cared for during the Rirorni War. Then, she wished her extended Rirorni family knew she had survived the exile and the Blood Games tournament and lived safely on the Isle of the Eye. Even if she had died, she would have wanted both sets of parents to know. She couldn’t be so selfish and withhold the same knowledge from another set of parents if she had the opportunity.
What choice did she have? They were determined to continue. She couldn’t fly the Unsinkable III anyway, and she couldn’t stay with A’renna. She’d be putting all of her family at risk if discovered. However, she didn’t need to let this lot know that, and objecting to this course of action felt good. She also added an “I told you so” in her back pocket.
“Alright, I’ll help,” My‑re snapped.
“Great.”
Pointing her finger at the Shagornan Elf, My‑re said, “The minute after we confirm Araminth’s fate, we head back to the Isle of the Eye. Is that understood?”
“Agreed.”
“One more thing. Under no circumstances, none whatsoever, are you to use my family as a way to manipulate me again.”
Havelock set down his teacup and stood, saying, “Of course he will, my dear.” Walking past them, he explained, “It works.”