Both Fendros and Sabine were silent for a while after Lorag's outburst. His tone was treating the prospect of Meesei's death surprisingly lightly, as if it was just a selfish opportunity for the both of them, though the real meaning was all too apparent. The meeting was not about out selecting the perfect candidate to replace her. It was about duty to what Meesei and the clans had built over the last generation. One of them had to volunteer, whether they were prepared or not.

"I'll do it."

Fendros regarded Lorag with a determined look. "I won't pretend I'll be everything Meesei is, or that I can do this alone, but I'll do it." His eyes turned to Sabine.

Sabine had her attention on Fendros, but seeing everyone else's turn to her made her bring her hand to her upper arm. "I am no leader," Sabine murmured. "You are still a packmate, Fendros. I will help however I can. I do not want to be in charge, though. I will not challenge."

"Look, Sabine," Fendros unfolded his arms. He brushed his fingers over one eye. "If you're going to back down because I've volunteered, can you promise me something?"

Sabine looked Fendros down and up to avoid his direct eye contact, but she was listening.

"We're still in a war. You will have to be next in line if I die, understand?"

Looking blankly at the floor, Sabine went back to squeezing her hand. She looked like she was holding herself back. She mouthed a silent "Okay."

[hr]
"Ocul[i]atus,[/i] bone head," Rhazii clarified. "Penitus Oculatus. You remember the first part because it makes you laugh by the way it sounds." He looked ahead. "It makes sense, though. If uncle Janius was recruited by Marod or something, then he could act in secret and everything, because his real name would, you know, belong to a dead person." He gestured. "He meets your mother in Black Marsh when they are both doing a mission together, it all works out!" Rhazii grinned at Julan and ruffled the top of his head. "Good thinking, brother."

As they approached the house, there were a few yellow lights flickering from the windows, but it was impossible to tell who was inside from the street. Rhazii put a hand on his hip and looked up to one of the windows on the second floor. "I think we should check to see if they still live there first. They might have moved to another house." He pointed to a sturdy tree growing at the side of the house. "Look over there, I could climb up and see who is in the window."

The tree's lower branches had been trimmed. It looked too sparse for Kaj-Julan to climb without help, but Rhazii could probably climb it quickly and easily.