Mom was being characteristically mysterious. She sighed again. Sometimes it’s our natures that are dangerous. Our desires.
Then the mist seemed to clear fully for her, and she focused on me again. She shook her head this time, and seemed to make up her mind about something. Don’t worry about it right now, my love. I can’t discuss it all now, too much song-traveling for me. But I shouldn’t… I don’t think this is the same.
The same as what? Her words made me wonder again. About her. About why she’s so dark on mermen. Who did a job on her? Does she see echoes of him, whoever he was, in Carragheen? Even if he wasn’t married (with a kid), how could I unleash the things I feel with him when something about him makes my Mom scared for me?
I decided it was a conversation for another time.
“So, Mom,” I started again, switching to speech because it was nice to exercise my vocal chords properly again after the time underwater. “Where did you go? What did you find out?”
“I went to visit an old friend,” Mom said cryptically.
And then, because I looked mutinous at her response, she provided more. “Epaste.”
“Epaste is an old friend?” I scrunched up my face liked I’d smelled something rotten. It was impossible to imagine Mom friends with that superior old walrus. “How? From when?”
Mom laughed, tinkling prettily, and I knew she really was back completely.
“People aren’t always as they seem, Ransha,” she scolded. “I would have thought if I’ve taught you anything, I’ve taught you that. Epaste is a good man.”
“So he helped you?” I was eager to learn more.
“No,” Mom responded shortly. “No, he didn’t. But he knows more than he’s sharing.” She waited a heartbeat and then continued. “The problem with Aegira right now is that everyone is trying to protect someone, or trying to solve the thing on their own. This is what evil does. It separates us, make us lonely. Sometimes for good reasons.”
“You think he’s trying to protect someone?” I deduced.
“Yes,” she replied quietly, wiping her hair slowly with her towel.
“Who?”
“I don’t know,” she answered simply. “But he must have his reasons. I’ve never told you this, Ransha, but Epaste was a friend of mine, when I was young. My very best friend, actually. Something happened between us, and we had a terrible quarrel.”
My skin felt prickly at her revelation. So much I didn’t know. “What happened?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. We haven’t spoken for a long time. But I know he’s a good man. I know he is one of the few fighting to ensure Aegira continues to provide haven to the lost ones. He believes that all the tribes of the sea need to be as one.”
I wasn’t so sure she was right about Epaste. “Even with the no-speakies thing?”
Mom sighed again. She was getting good at it. “You shouldn’t assume you know everything about why people do things, Rania. Epaste took a vow of silence many years ago, when he was hurting. Sometimes pride can stand in the way of taking the broader view.”
I tried to compute all Mom was saying. “So you think Shar or Kraken are behind it all?”
Mom interjected quickly. “I don’t know that it’s one of the Triad at all. They’ve each sworn by their lives and honor to serve and protect Aegira, and Queen Imd.”
I saw her hand shake as she brought it to her wet hair. She was trying to convince me to leave this alone. “Shar has been their leader for a long time. He has secrets, I know, but he’s from a long line of wise councilors. Kraken is vain, and more, but… Look, you know I don’t like Kraken, but I had hoped he might have grown, in this role he now holds.”
I wasn’t buying it. “What about the mind-confusing thing? That’s not such a great thing to do to people you care about. Steal their memories.”
Mom considered this as she towelled her hair. “It’s wrong, I agree. It’s vile. But, Ransha, the Aegirans are lost, afraid. The Triad were worried that Imogen might cause ripples they could not contain.”
“Not their choice to make,” I insisted stubbornly, petulantly.
“And I agree. But Aegira is not America. They think first of the collective, the good of all. And I’m not sure one plus one equals two here. I’m not sure that because the Triad did the forgetting thing, that means they’re responsible for Imogen. And Cleedaline. And you.”