Ince
didn't reply right away. She stared darkly at the gilt and ruby pattern
of the carpet before her. Her face was too pale. What calm she professed
was purchased at great price from her anger and her disgust with herself
for being here. But there were answers she needed, possible connections
she needed to test. Even knowing her as I did I could only guess at the
turmoil within her. I wanted to do more than guess. I wanted to help her.
Ince
spoke. "She....tracked me. Located me. It took her cycles but she did not
stop until she located me and....endeavored to provide for me where I was
that I might have adequate food and be educated."
"But---"
"I
was the only child the Progenitor culled."
"The
only 1? Still?"
"Yes.
Vryyh discovered this, that a child of her caven had been culled, and being
who she is she could not condone that. She could not cross her progenitor
and live, indeed she drew grave threat upon herself even to make the slightest
move to identify and locate me, but she did that and she persisted until
she found me."
"But
she could not bring you here."
"Of
course not. I had been discarded. The record of me crossed through and
stamped with the cull seal. But she did provide for me from her own account.
As Prime, she had that."