"Of course. But when ever I spoke with Nelek about anything to do with them, I referred to them as ours, because they are. Were." Aislyn glanced down at the floor.

"I can't remember if I did or not." Liadan frowned. "Don't worry Ais, we'll find Nelek. And kill that momzer who pretended to be him."

"What I am trying to say is that Aron needs to feel like an equal in the parenting. He needs to know you consider them "our children" not just yours." Aislyn glanced down. "When I said were I was meaning the lost ones. I hope we can find Nelek for the sake of the twins. It will be hard for Millie and I to move past some things though."

"But it wasn't Nelek... The real Nelek is a decent guy." Liadan stared at Aislyn for a moment, horror creeping into her face. "Oh no, the fake Nelek didn't... you know... you, did he?"

"No, he was as cold and distant to me as he could be. When he bothered being near. But that still hurts and what was done to Millie....I mean, I know my husband is good, decent and loving. The problem is...the memories that will come to us when we look at him."

"Well, one less thing to be bothered about." Liadan gave a deep sigh of relief. "I don't know what to say... Aron has always been Aron and never had anyone disguised at him hurt me or anyone I love."

"It's all rather hard to believe. I would like to say my heart will overrule what my head says but until it happens, I don't know. I mean. at this point, how will I even trust that he is my Nelek when he is found?"

"There has to be things the real Nelek would know but no one else would." Liadan said.

"I would imagine so, but who knows what they did to him to get so much information that he's been fooling us all that time."

"He avoided you, and pretty much everyone else that knows Nelek." Liadan said.

"For the most part that's true."

"You'll know the real Nelek when you see him." Liadan assured her.

Aislyn shrugged. Fair or not, through no fault of hers or apparently Nelek's, Aislyn had long ago given up on her marriage.

"You want him, don't you, Ais?" Liadan asked.

"Nelek? It would be nice to be happy again. But I have to get past memories created with the false Nelek and he is going to be mightily unhappy that four of our children perished under my care."

"That wasn't your fault." Liadan said. "Don't you see? You need the real Nelek even more to help you through this."

"I wish he'd been here with me through this," Aislyn said. She turned away and hugged herself.

Liadan teared up as she thought about her slain nieces and nephews.

"Ais... If you need anything you know I'm there. You and the twins can stay in the room with us too if you want."

"I know. But it sounds like Brie will need you more." Aislyn glanced at her sister-in-law. "Is your room large enough?"

"It's going to be cramped no matter what." Liadan said. "Maybe we should all just claim a larger room."

"Is there anything larger available? I think Brie and her family should be with us too. We all need to be supporting one another."

"What I was thinking." Liadan said. "All three of our families."

"Yes. We should speak with Wulfsen and Xavier on the morrow about it."

"If I look around I can probably find a big enough room." Liadan said.

"You should get some rest," Aislyn admonished.