ELRETH
Rika glanced at Gar, then kept going. "Within the first few weeks I'd located your, uh, City, but I was keeping my space. I'd been warned about your senses. And there was a far larger number of Anima here than I'd been led to believe.
"I was travelling the region, looking for other groups so I could count population when I got lost as dark fell one night. I found a cave and… and Gar found me," she said quietly.
Elreth looked at Gar. "Ah, yes. The infamous human that my brother hid from me."
Gar grimaced. "I told you, I didn't realize then. She was only one, and at first I assumed she'd been brought through by a disformed. By the time I knew she hadn't, I suspected she was my mate. I kept visiting with her and… I knew she was safe for us, Elreth. I was managing it. I wasn't refusing to bring her to you. But I needed to understand—"
