"We need an Army," Phoenix said, getting down on her knees before a small table at the center of the room.

"And we need a plan," Eric said, dropping down across from her.

"We'll need to be clever and quick." Maverick knelt down at the shorter end of the table in between them. "We don't have time for Noelle and Aundreya to maximize their power. We need to get Noelle and Roman out of there."

"We could send out word to any of the Army soldiers who escaped capture," Castor said, completing the table across from Maverick. "I know they all couldn't have been caught, but I didn't exactly have time to put tabs on any of them."

Altair stood over them, arms crossed. "If we get too close, Aundreya will just use her gift to subdue us."

"Not us," Eric and Phoenix said together, both of them digging in their own bags for maps.

"So two of you can go in," Finny said, crossing her arms, "when one of you is supposed to be dead and the other one is wanted dead."

"She makes a point," Bainon said, stroking his beard. "None of us can just waltz right in. Even en masse, that young woman could have us fighting each other."

"Then we have to take out Aundreya before we do anything else." Maverick's lips twitched. "How do we do that?"

"You don't." Trey stood behind Phoenix, his head cocked to the side. "You can't."

"Why not?" Phoenix twisted to look at him, surprised as always by the wisdom behind his young eyes.

"They won't let her leave," Canya said, standing a short ways behind Trey. She itched to leave, her whole body in a constant fidget. "They're afraid if she goes, the castle will go with her. They won't be able to keep the people under their control."

"You have to get to her as quietly as they got to you." Trey pointed at Bainon. "But they'll expect you if you aren't careful."

"The Ancient rises. The key is required," Canya said. "But if the amplifier falls on the wrong side of the game, even the key will fail." She put a hand on Trey's shoulder and squeezed.

"Wait." Altair held up a hand, staring at her incredulously. "You're saying this little boy is supposed to go up against an Ancient traitor none of us have been able to smoke out?"

"They key is the answer to all," Canya said, and her voice wavered. Phoenix frowned at her, sensing her discomfort, but unable to place it.

"A child can't kill an Ancient," Finny said, waving her hand in dismissal. "Only an Ancient can kill another Ancient."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Castor said, shooting a glance at Eric. "I think a powerful Guardian can do just that. I was afraid of Eric for myself and for others."

"This boy is a Guardian?" Bainon asked, turning to take Trey in. "He's awfully young. I hadn't thought any had been born after Tarvril's attempt to murder them all."

"He's the only one," Phoenix said. "At least as far as we know. We don't know who his parents are, but he's very strong." She frowned. "Why would--"

"What?" Maverick asked, eyeing her. "What's wrong?"

"Tarvril."

"What about him?" Eric asked.

"Helena is working with the traitor, right? At least that's what we assume?" Heads nodded. "Then maybe she's known them since she was with Tarvril."

"Okay," Gwen said, still sitting in a chair a ways away. War and politics weren't her cup of tea. "And?"

"And Tarvril tried to have all the Guardians killed," Phoenix said.

Eric's eyes widened. "Because he knew a strong enough Guardian could kill an Ancient."

"Which was a problem," Maverick added, shaking his hands out as it hit him. "Because he was working with the traitor, and the traitor didn't want any Guardians rising up against him."

"So he convinced Tarvril and Helena to kill the Guardians." Eric ran a hand through his hair. "Helena has been lying about not being involved."

"And she'll do it again."

"What?" Bainon leaned forward in his seat. "Do what?"

"Helena is working with the traitor, which means the traitor will want the Guardians out of the way. When the time comes, Helena will kill all the Guardians again. Most of them had joined the Militia."

"And she was the one who tried to kill Trey," Maverick said, pointing at the boy. "She sent the assassin back at the Militia headquarters!"

"Because he's the key," Castor said, staring at Trey. "What makes him the key?"

"He's powerful," Phoenix said. "Like we are."

"But it's more than that." Eric studied Trey, who remained still and quiet. Canya had stepped closer, her hands on his shoulders, keeping him close.

"He's special." Altair frowned. "If he's the key, he has to be powerful enough to take on an Ancient of unknowable power."

"Unknowable," Castor repeated, gaze flickering to Altair. "Yet he seems to know so much."

"How is it you know so much?" Bainon asked. "You've had plenty to say. You can't be more than, what, nine or ten?"

"Ancients aren't blessed with omniscience. No Guardian could possess it." Finny frowned at Trey. "Yet you know more than even myself."

"Only one creature in all of creating can know things beyond their own realm," Castor said. A quiet followed his words as all eyes fell on Trey.

"A shapeshifter," Trey said, his young voice steady. "But I'm only one-quarter."

"A Guardian shapeshifter," Finny awed. "A combination of Ancient and magical parentage. A unique new being."

"Someone powerful enough to take on an Ancient," Eric said.

"And to know what that Ancient will do," Maverick agreed.

"And maybe even know the Ancient when he saw it," Phoenix finished. "Trey, do you know who the Ancient is?"

Trey glanced up at Canya, who wasn't looking anywhere, her eyes closed as she held tight to him. "It's hidden from me. She knows. But she can't say. They broke her."

"Broke her?" Gwen shifted in her seat, her compassionate gaze on Canya.

"They forced her to wear a collar of metal for ten years." Trey put his hands around his neck. "They kept her from shifting--kept her from leaving. They took me from her and tried to have me killed. They knew I'd be a Guardian."

"How do you know all this?"

"She showed me." Trey put his hand over hers. "She's my mother. They took me from her and were supposed to kill me, but someone put me in an orphanage instead. When Helena found out I was still alive, she sent someone to kill me. That person put me in the lineup for the Army to execute me. Then you saved me." He gestured to Phoenix.

"She's your mother?" Maverick asked, brows arching. "That's why she came after you in the blizzard?"

"She was trying to protect him," Altair said. "And we did everything in our power to stop her and drag her back to her captor in chains."

Castor had grown very quiet, watching Canya. Phoenix's concentration was divided between the narrative and watching him. She could almost see the cogs turning in his head, but had no idea what idea he was working out.

"We've been blind all along," Finny said, shaking her head. "I should have known Helena was against us."

"How could you know? She fooled even Phoenix!"

Without a word, Castor stood. He stepped up to Canya, his long, lean body towering over her and Trey. He didn't speak, just looked her in the eyes, studying her. A strange stab of jealousy hit Phoenix, one she couldn't place.

Jealousy for Castor? No, she didn't know him. Jealous that, despite coming back from the dead, no one had once looked at her with that much interest? Perhaps. Yet she couldn't help but want to run at Canya and stand in between them.

He hasn't even looked at me once.

Why do I care?! I don't. I don't care. This is about Trey.

"Samson?" Eric had noticed, too, watching with slanted eyes.

"Canya," Castor said, and shook his head. "That's not who you are."

Canya's eyes filled with tears and she gave a jerk of her head. Castor glanced up at Altair, his lips forming a hard line.

"You may need to sit down."

"Why would I sit down?" Altair asked, crossing his arms and looking as immovable as ever. He was a mountain of a man, two Castors broad and almost as tall. His full curly hair like a golden mane didn't soften his stern features. Phoenix slid her focus back to Castor.

"You might need to sit down," Castor said, his voice soft as he placed a hand on Canya's shoulder, "because all is not as it seems."

Just like that, Canya shifted. Her hair darkened, losing its flyaway madness and softening into thick black ringlets. Her shoulders broadened, her body filling out, her height increasing. The flyaway, maddened bird disappeared and a woman with skin almost as rich as Phoenix's stood behind Trey.

She was beautiful. Achingly so. Once again Phoenix felt a tinge of jealousy. She could never look like that. But Castor wasn't looking at Canya anymore, he was watching his companion. Phoenix turned her head toward her Watcher.

It was as though time had stopped and no one in the room existed except for the two of them. Altair stared at Canya, his blue eyes wide, his whole body going slack. On her part, Canya tensed, holding Trey in front of her as a shield.

He let out a shaky breath. "Audra."

With two long strides, Altair crossed the room, pulled Canya into his arms, and kissed her with a passion Phoenix never would have guessed from him. She looked away, catching Eric's eye.

"I guess we know who Trey's father is," he said with a grin.

Maverick's lips twisted into a soft grin. "I think it's good to remember."

"What?"

"That even in war and danger, there's still room for hope."

BOOM.
There. Now Altair knows. I mean, he's a bit distracted, but he'll figure it out. He's got a wifey and a kiddo back into his world. WOOHOO! Family reunion!