Maravelle rose and walked slowly toward Lara. She stopped in front of her, studying the young woman in silence.
"So," she said at last, "the Moonguard returns."
She circled Lara once, like a queen examining something both rare and dangerous, then stopped again before her.
"Tell me, Thornak," she said softly, her tone calm but cutting, "how do we know she won't turn that fire against us when the time comes?"
"That's absurd, Mother," Thornak said frowning.
"Absurd?" Maravelle's eyes narrowed. "You call caution absurd.Tell me Thornak, what happens when the sorcerer uses her against us?"
A murmur of agreement followed.
Lord Edrion cleared his throat. "With respect, Your Majesty, the girl's emergence complicates everything. The kingdom is fragile, we can't gamble our future. What the Queen is trying to say is that the girl might be a threat in the long run."
Thornak shook his head.
