I picked up Shenka and Sassafras on the way to see Mom. Neither of them questioned my reasoning or asked where we were going until we sat in Mom's office. And not alone. Our little group had assembled yet again, Eva Southway's sorcery blocking off the room for privacy.

Because it didn't really matter at this point if the rest of the conclave knew we were talking. Belaisle's little show and Iepa's matching tell had blown the lid off everything.

When I laid out the way I ...