Blackwater Islands with no defenses but your defenses

Ana obliged as her sister had, staring forlornly out at the waters for a few moments as she ate. Her thoughts felt abuzz; unfocused. Eventually one drifted to the surface, then another, tossed about on tumultuous waves but finally clear to her.

I don't know if we should stay.

Where else would we go? Her eyes turned toward the islands now, studying. They hadn't yet explored all of them. Anathema hardly saw the point. Yet she thought now of the words her brother had spoken to her of this place, their heritage.

He doesn't love this place - Hierophant. I don't know if I do, either. But he said... he said that this is where we were born. Where our mother left us - our first mother, before - before Heda.

And no one knows why she left us. And I don't know if I want to know why, or if I want to stay here - I just don't know.

All I know is that it started here.