(Posted 23 Dec) MERRY CHRISTMAS! Thank you for your support this year! To say thank you, enjoy 5 chapters tonight as my gift to you!
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ELRETH
With dismay, Elreth watched her father turn to look at her mother.
"What?"
"Reth, you knew I'd kept contact with Gahrye, the kids have known him their whole lives—"
"Yes, we all know that. But… but you're talking about—"
"I would have returned to the human world if it was needed."
Reth's jaw pushed forward, rolling like he ground his teeth. "You would have defied my orders outright?"
"I didn't," she said breathlessly, her face apologetic. "I haven't. But if they'd found the humans… I would have gone to hear the story and if I'd needed to, if it needed a human to deal with it, I would have stayed to do it, yes."
Her father snorted in disbelief and shook his head. "This entire situation is completely fucked."
"Reth, please—"