“Yes, my creatures. Thieves and murderers and men who lied to me; I made them into something better. I gave him three of them for protection. He’s been terrified of Aphenglow ever since their encounter at Paranor. He insisted he needed them. How he used them was his own decision.”
“Your man tried to kill us without your permission?” Cymrian pressed incredulously. “You expect us to believe that?”
She shrugged. “That’s up to you. But I had no idea he decided to countermand my orders or that he managed to persuade the captain of my ship to be his ally. Killing you was easier than trying to bring you back alive. He just wanted you out of the way. Think about it. What would I gain by killing you? What would be the point? I have done nothing to pursue Drust Chazhul’s plans for Paranor since his death. I have kept away from the Druid’s Keep because it does not belong to me. It belongs to the Druids, and I respect that. So what would I achieve by inflicting any sort of harm on you?”
“I don’t believe you,” Cymrian declared, making a dismissive gesture.
“You could have known about the Ellcrys,” Aphen said.
Edinja made a face. “Assuming for a moment I knew about Arling’s purpose on your voyage, why would I want to interfere? Why would I want to take Arling prisoner when she is the only one who can save us? From the very beginning of my involvement, Aphenglow was the one I wanted to reach.”
“So you sent assassins to Arborlon to try to kill me?” Aphen snapped.
“Assassins? I don’t know anything about any assassins. I didn’t send anyone to Arborlon. As for the Ellcrys, I didn’t know anything about that until Arling was in my bedroom, recovering.” She pointed at Arling. “Tell them. Do you think I knew anything about the Ellcrys before you told me?”
Arling hesitated. “No, I don’t think you did.”
“When I had you in my care, did I do anything to hurt you?”
“You drugged me.”
“So that you would tell me the truth, which you weren’t going to do otherwise, were you?”
“You could have just let me go.”
“So that you could disappear and I would never know what happened? I couldn’t allow that. I needed to keep you with me long enough to let you lead me to your sister. I admit I tricked you. I admit I used you. But only because I couldn’t get the answers I needed otherwise. None of you were going to listen to me.”
Aphenglow was beginning to see a modicum of reason in Edinja’s arguments, which was troubling. Even worse, she was also beginning to hope that the sorceress was telling the truth so that she would help them find a way out of the city.
“You could have just asked me to come see you,” she tried.
Edinja laughed. “Oh, and you would have come right over? After my predecessor tried to have Paranor seized and the Druid order disbanded? Why would you trust me? Why would you have anything at all to do with me?”
Aphen did not have an answer.
Edinja made a dismissive gesture. “None of that matters now, in any case. What matters is that the Forbidding is down and the demons are loose and most of them seem to be gathered right outside the gates of Arishaig. This is my city, and as Prime Minister it is my responsibility to protect it. All this has changed my thinking about what has to happen next. I need Arling to find the Ellcrys seedling and do what she must to put the demons back where they belong. So I want you to forget about everything you think you know about me or you think I am responsible for, and concentrate your efforts on saving us all.”
The Elessedil sisters and Cymrian looked at each other doubtfully. “So you really intend to help us?” Aphen asked.
Edinja nodded. “I said I did, and I meant it. I will provide you with a fast airship—one that will get you past the dragon and the other flying things that are waiting out there. I will put you aboard and send you on your way because I am depending on you to save my people and this city. And because the Elves are also at risk. Everyone in the Four Lands faces extinction if we don’t lock the demonkind back within the Forbidding.”
“Do you intend to accompany us?” Cymrian asked suddenly.
Edinja laughed again. “I wondered when you would get around to asking that. In other circumstances, I would insist on it. But a Prime Minister of the Federation can’t be seen abandoning her capital city when it’s under attack. A Prime Minister is expected to stand or fall with her people.”
“And you don’t intend to send any of your creatures with us, do you?” Arling pressed.
“They would be of little use. I could give you a warship and a captain and crew, but that would just make you a more visible target. I think it best if just the three of you go. Don’t you agree?”