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is now。 There are other； more important； matters at hand。〃
Thais slid along the floor and pulled himself up onto the couch with his powerful arms。 His thick； snake…like tail wrapped around his torso once； then hung down off the edge of his seat onto the floor。
〃What does the Great and Powerful Aina want of me today？ Perhaps I should go to the Wicked Witch of the West and retrieve her broom。 Maybe I'll throw water on her and watch as she melts into brown sugar。 Or there is always popping down a rabbit hole。。。 Which will it be？〃
〃Mind your manners； junior；〃 said Caimbeul。 〃That's your mother you're addressing。〃
Both Thais and I turned toward him； openmouthed。 He shrugged。
〃I think you've coddled him； Aina；〃 said Caimbeul。 〃You've always protected him from。。。 the world。〃
〃Coddled？〃 Thais said。 〃You call being bom a monster coddled？ Look at me。 Why did she make me？ It was her selfishness。。。〃
〃Oh； grow up；〃 snapped Caimbeul。 〃This isn't about you。。。。〃
〃Thank you；〃 I interjected。 〃But why don't you let me get on with it？〃
〃Very well； but…〃
I held my hand up and Caimbeul fell silent。 A tight expression set on his face and I knew he was angry。 It made me feel very warm inside。
I turned to Thais。
〃Ysrthgrathe is back；〃 I said。
Thais didn't say anything。
〃Has he contacted you？〃 I asked。
〃Why would I tell you if he had？〃 he asked。
〃Thais； he's a liar。 He spreads his misery that way。 I know you want to believe。。。 only the best。〃
〃You don't know what I want；〃 Thais said。 〃Why should I trust you more than him？〃
〃You know what he is；〃 I said。 〃I've never kept that from you。 There is more at stake here than your grudge against me。 If he is back； then the world is at risk。〃
Thais rolled his eyes。
〃It's always so dramatic with you； Mother；〃 he said。 His voice was that of a smirky； sarcastic fifteen…year…old。 〃How is it that you're always on hand to save the country； the planet； the universe？ Don't you ever get tired？〃
〃Yes； Thais； I get very tired。 I am intensely weary right now。〃
His tail twitched and tapped against the floor。 The scales that covered his skin were iridescent and gleamed in the low light。 I wondered what happened when he had to shed his skin。 So many little details about his life I didn't know。
〃Very well；〃 Thais said。 〃I'll tell you。 He is here； on this plane。 He contacted me a few days ago。 But he didn't e to me in person…I had a dream。 It was so vivid； unlike any other dream I've ever had。
〃He explained。。。 everything。 He told me why you hated him。 Told me the truth。〃
Caimbeui made an ugly noise and I looked over at him。 A frown pulled at his mouth and he gave me a Why…the…frag…don't…you…just…shut…the…little…wackweed…up？ look。 I doubted he'd ever had children。 I couldn't expect him to understand。
Thais had uncoiled himself from the couch and was slithering along the floor to the doors leading outside。
〃Where are you going？〃 I asked。
〃Outside for some fresh air；〃 he replied。
I followed him。 The temperature had dropped more than I expected。 I rubbed my arms as gooseflesh broke out。 We stayed there for a long time； wrapped in night sounds。
〃Thais；〃 I said at last。 〃I know I've been a disappointment to you。 All those years apart； then later； when things turned bad for all of us。 But。。。〃
〃Shut up；〃 he said； turning violently toward me。 〃Just stop talking。 How do you think I felt when he came to me？ How could I deny him？ You've cursed me with him。〃
He began to weep then。 Terrible wracking sobs that shook his frame。 I wanted to go and embrace him； but I was afraid to。 Afraid that he would reject me again。 Oh； what agony it was to hear him in pain。 I wondered how Caimbeui could resist the sound of it； for it tore me inside。 Like I'd swallowed glass。
I forced myself to wait and watch until his tears began to dry and he seemed more in control of himself。
〃Thais；〃 I said。 〃I am so sorry。 I never wanted you to have to face this。 I tried to protect you。〃
〃I know；〃 he said。 His voice was shaky and rough。 〃But you haven't been very good at that。 Have you？〃
And how could I answer that？ But I suspect he didn't mean me to。
I don't know how long we stood there in the chilling night air。 The stars frosted the sky in diamond…hard brightness。 Then； later； I noticed that the black sky was turning purple…gray。
〃What did he say？〃 I asked at last。 I felt drained and exhausted。 So empty that it didn't matter what he told me。
〃He said you would e for me。 He told me that you would try to stop him and it would do you no good。〃 Thais's voice sounded weary。 I wondered how I could help him； but then I realized there was nothing I could do for him now。 That there are some things a parent cannot do for her child。
〃Did he tell you if there were any other of the Enemy here？〃 I asked。
〃No；〃 Thais said。 〃But I didn't sense any others。 I have always been sensitive to that sort of thing。
Your friend；〃 he said； giving a jerk of his head toward the house。 〃He managed to stop something from happening a while ago。 But the world has more than one point of entry。 They are there waiting。 Waiting for the moment when they can return。〃
〃Did he say anything else？〃 I asked。 〃Anything at all might be important。〃
〃Only that he's been waiting for you to e to him。〃
The sky was light now； moon hanging low against the horizon； looking strange and out of place so near the sunrise。 We stood there in silence as the night fled from the day。
Aina sits before an old woman who has black witchy…hair and who wears gypsy colors。 The air here is thick with incense and patchouli。
〃Cut the cards；〃 the woman says。 Aina does so； feeling the coolness of the deck beneath her fingers。
The reading begins。
The cards lie face down…hidden and hiding their meanings。 The first is turned up。 The old woman gasps。
The Devil。
In a moment； he's crossed by the Moon and crowned by the Tower。
Aina shoves away from the table； unwilling to see what es next。
〃But you don't know how it ends； 〃 the old woman says。
〃Why should I want to know？〃 Aina says。 〃After all； they're nothing but a pack of cards。〃
〃You must send me back；〃 Thais said。
We'd returned to the darkened interior of my living room shortly after sunrise。 Thais was not fond of the light。 He said it was too cruel。
〃Why don't you stay here with me？〃 I asked。 Caimbeui gave me a sharp look； which I ignored。
〃I cannot；〃 Thais said。 〃And you know why。 But there is something I will tell you。 Ysrthgrathe is not the only one of the Enemy here。 There is another； just as subtle and as deadly。〃
〃But where。。。 how。。。〃
〃Deal with Ysrthgrathe first；〃 Thais said。
I tried to get him to tell me more； but he refused。 Finally； I had no other choice than to send him back。
The house seemed empty after Thais was gone。 How I wanted to spend time with him。 Get to know him。 Figure out his peculiarities。 But I had denied myself that long ago。 And there was no going into the past to fix things。
We closed up the house again。 Sheets covered the furniture。