Blacktail Deer Plateau he seems like the gods’ equal, that man, who

harps answered honestly, and then nieve gave her reply. it was the latter that set the edge of worry brewing hotly in her gut. erzulie was not immune to the way that rusalka had drawn into itself with tension, and how she must finally admit that she had begun it, and she must dispel it.
moreover, she did not enjoy the way the young she-wolves seemed to cower, seemed eager to placate. a grimness settled about her mouth, but her eyes only softened with a brief guilt.
"nieve," erzulie began gently, though her gaze swept to harps as well, "i did not t'ink dat you have never seen me in such a way." the harlot paused, considering her next words carefully. "before you were born, rusalka was a place of chaos. we had leader after leader, one after de ot'er, who saw only a way to advance for dere own means, not our good. we survived only out of loyalty to one ano'ter, and to whoever was leader."
"i do not t'ink de sisters will be back. dat was part of why i acted as i did. it is my belief dat dey were only using rusalka until dey could leave us in de sprin'. and dey are loyal not to us, not to rusalka. only to one anot'er."
a low sigh. "we are not a place of war. we have always been a place where de stronges' of us can make a contribution to our history. but i will not be used. i will not let rusalka be used. if dere is a faction among us who is not loyal to aningan, and to de pack itself, we will not survive. in t'ose times, a message must be sent."
she lifted her chin. "i will not ask you to leave," erzulie declared, her gaze searching the both of them. "trips made widout want are not trips dat will be informative." a musing; what would she do with nieve in the interim?
it did not matter. what she had said was more necessary than sending the young pair off into the wilds.