You find what you're looking for, but...

"A revolution? Follow Vanarim, the overlord of the demon armies?! Mother have you lost your mind?!"

"I've spoken to Vanarim directly, child. He has promised that any who follow him will not suffer under his rule. To add to that, he's promised our family a higher position in the city of Elohin." Tri'lanna's mother said, her eyes widening feverishly. "Think about the wealth and power we will have. This has been in planning for months now, and it's all coming to fruition. Just look! All of those who oppose us are burning and being butchered, and yet here we stand, unscathed, by the same demon armies! Join us, Tri'lanna!"

"I won't. I won't follow a murderer!" The elfmaid says, shaking her head fiercely. "Just let us find what we're looking for and we'll leave you to your revolution."

"No!" Lady Morianara interrupts Tri'lanna with a shout. "It is time you came back into the family. By the gods Tri'lanna, you're an Elf! What are you doing tripaising around with lower beings?! Your father spoiled you far too much! It was all because you were the youngest of our three children. Dasille and even Kiraea were raised up to be hard, but you....YOU were his favorite, and he let you do whatever you wanted. Whether it was learning magic or visiting slaves, your little head was filled with useless information."

"But I am the mistress of the house now, and I am in command! You will join the rest of your family here in Elohin, and together we'll subjugate the rest of the animals with the Elves! You will do as I say!"

"Not anymore, Mother. I've had enough." She turns to you and Ceinwyn, "Let's leave. We can find what we're looking for somewhere else."

"Do you mean this?!' Lady Morianara yells, raising up a small journal, leather-bound and cracked, with small scribbles on the cover "Your notes and research on the Shining Stone?!"

Ceinwyn gasps and you stare at the book, fighting back the instinct to reach out and snatch it out of her hands. Answers to your all of your questions. Right in front of you.

"You...you knew? You knew what we were doing all along?!" Tri'lanna takes a step back in shock.

"Of course, you stupid girl! Why do you think I let those **** inside my house? Because I'm feeling generous?! You have no idea what I had to put up with for you!!"

Now the woman was screaming at the top of her lungs and there was spittle flying off at the side of her mouth. You were so worried about what the woman might do that you were totally unprepared for what came next.

"The only reason why I let you go off on your little adventures....THE ONLY REASON WHY I PUT UP WITH YOUR NAIVETY IS BECAUSE YOU'RE WORKING FOR VANARIM!!"

A heavy silence followed.

You know you shouldn't be listening to Morianara. You couldn't. Tri'lanna has fought by your side for what seems like an eternity and she has more than once proven her loyalty to you. You can't. You cannot even begin to count the ways she's saved your life. You wouldn't. There should be no reason why she would be working for the Pretender. You won't.

But what if...

And that was, really, all it took to drive a wedge. Looking at her now, there were too many things that couldn't be explained. What was she doing so far away from Elohin? Why was she so determined to stay by your side? And most importantly, how did she know so much about Vanarim?

You don't ask those questions to her, but your stares carry all your meaning behind it, and Tri'lanna tries to avoid eye contact with you.

"Oh?! Could it be?? You didn't know?" Morianara says wildly, turning to Tri'lanna, "He didn't know?! HE DIDN'T KNOW?! Aha....ahahahahaha!! Oh, girl, you act so sweet and goodly, but you're no better than us! Lying and deceiving for your own ends! Now what are you going to do? Hmm?"

"Hans...please..." Tri'lanna speaks in a low, frantic voice, pleading. "Let me explain myself....please, I beg you. I-I can tell you everything, if you'll just listen."

But the only thing you can hear is blood pounding through your veins. The pulsing sound hammering through your ears.

It is Ceinwyn that breaks the stalemate. Grabbing the leather tome from Lady Morianara, the Druid takes you in one hand and Tri'lanna in the other, dragging you both out of the study. The Elven Matron stays where she is, watching you leave. The look on her face can only be described in one word: Victory.

"Come on! Let's go, we've got the notes!" Ceinwyn yells as she leads you two out of the mansion. "If we stay in the city any longer, we'll be killed!"

You follow your Druid friend blindly, your thoughts driving you further away from Tri'lanna but your feet keeping up next to the Elf's own soft-footed run. The thrumming in your eardrums is gone. Replaced now with a heavy sinking feeling at the bottom of your heart. The feeling of betrayal.