ELRETH
In the dark, the moon still low, the forest was all shadow. Yet she could see her mother's face clearly.
"No matter how this pans out, and where we end up, you did the right thing," her mother whispered, her eyes burning with intensity, with the insistence that Elreth believe her.
"You can't know that."
"In my life, in my choices, yes, I can," Mom insisted. "You're going to get to the end of this, El, and you're going to see things in hindsight that you wish you'd done differently, I'm sure. Your father always did. But don't fault yourself for things you can't know before they happen. If you were supposed to know them, the Creator would have brought you the opportunity to learn.
"But more importantly… don't fault yourself for the choices of others. Don't fault yourself for me," she breathed.
Elreth had to swallow the lump in her throat. "You… you're going to be fine—"
