“So I guess you’ve made your final decision, son.”
“I’m sorry, Pa. It’s not against you and Ma. I just felt like I had to.”
“It’s ok, dear. These are frightening times. Your father and I don’t blame you for doing what you think you must.”
“I just feel like a family with Milo and Cadence, like I do with you and Pa. And I just couldn’t go on feeling guilty, or like I was doing something wrong for wanting to help Henri or Isabelle.”
Merle tried to hide it, but Hadrien and Sylvain could see the pain on her face.
“Ma, it’s not that I chose them over you. It’s just that they weren’t asking me to give up anything. They weren’t asking me to not love you two as my parents, and turn my back on you. In fact, I’ve heard the Benalians speak about how they want to do what they can to show that just because someone is Vecatran doesn’t mean they need to be hunted and killed. They want the Benalians to live with Vecatrans, and not treat them as enemies. And I don’t know if they’ll succeed, but I have seen them try to include everyone. And I wanna be a part of that. And if the circle here leaves the town, I am going to do what I can to find where they go and come see you guys again. I don’t wanna forget all you have done for me. You are still my parents, and I still love you. I just have such a love for them too.”
“That all sounds real commendable, son. But do you believe in the Lion God?”
“I mean, I guess I don’t believe in the Lion God any more than I truly believed in Vecatra. I knew Vecatra to be the earth around us. The trees, the animals, the stones. But I never could believe that the spirits were things to be venerated, or the crones as wise as they seem. And Isabelle said that man are all facets or pieces of the Lion god, so just as you can feel Vecatra as the earth, you can also feel God as the people around you. And that seemed to make about as much sense as me. I don’t know if I will fully understand their angels, or what happens to us after we die. But I didn’t really get that as a Vecatran either.”
“Hmm…”
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Merle speaks.
“Well, I guess we should all forget all that for now. It isn’t like any of us is going anywhere tomorrow. So let’s enjoy our company now, and leave what happens for when it happens.”
