Sileas nodded. "I know, I...what am I going to do without Mama? There are some things that Papa can't help with."

Yehudit remembered how Aunt Brie was gone, and so many of her cousins. She burst into tears.

"Let's get you to your Mama," Sileas said softly. She wanted a good cry herself, but she didn't know when, if ever, that would get to happen. Why did everyone always expect her to be the strong one?"

Yehudit cried so hard she had hiccups. "But what about you?"

"I'm going to go sit with Papa. Maybe cuddle up like I did when I was smaller."

"But-but-but-" Yehudit hiccuped so hard she couldn't talk.

"But what?" Sileas asked, taking a glance at Yehudit.

Yehudit gave a wail and threw her arms around Sileas.

Sileas saw it coming and adjusted so it would be minimal impact on Olivia. She wrapped her free arm around Yehudit.

"I can't believe Aunt Brie is gone." Yehudit finally managed to say.

"I know," Sileas said sadly. "I wonder what the odds are of Papa and Wulfsen being wrong?"

"You think they could be mistaken?" Yehudit asked hopefully.

"Think? I doubt it, and even if they were, if Mama was badly injured and left there for dead...but my heart. My heart wants them to be mistaken so much."

"We could try going back to see for ourselves." Yehudit suggested. She wanted Aunt Brie and her cousins to still be alive.

"If we could get out the gate. They're probably not going to allow anyone out but the knights to go look for supplies."

"We could try sneaking past them." Yehudit said. "Didn't you used to be good at sneaking past guards?"

"I used to be. Don't you remember the fiasco when I tried to pick a pocket in Farthington? I've lost all my old skills."

"But this time it's important." Yehudit said. "We can do it."

"What about horses and a wagon? They're not going to be easy to sneak out of here," Sileas point out. "It's too far for you to walk comfortably and we would need a way to bring Mama here if we find her alive."

"Maybe we can find them there?" Yehudit said. "It's better than not going at all. And I can walk fine when I'm not a complete idiot and forget my walking stick."

"I wouldn't mind finding Lightning." Her stomach lurched at the idea of seeing Larrigan's remains again. Sileas turned slightly green. "All right. We will go at first light."

"Wouldn't it be easier to sneak out at night?" Yehudit asked. "Everyone will be asleep and we'll have all that time before they wake up to make tracks."

"You have a point but I'd really like to spend time with Papa tonight." Sileas was clearly torn between staying with her father or bolting to go on what probably would be a fool's errand.

Yehudit thought time was of the essence, if Brie or the cousins were laying injured they need help sooner rather than later.

"They might not be able to wait another night." Yehudit pointed out.

"You are right. Do you think your Mama would mind Olivia while we are gone? We can't take her with us in case we need to dig through rubble."