"I do not think that anyone has expected any of the things happening now." 

Shavri has no idea how to interact with that sentence being said by a Goddess. 

"So I take it that, uh, it - wasn't you?" 

A cold starry stare rests on her. 

“This is neither within my power, nor my motives.”

“I mean, not sure how I was supposed to know that.”

“The cost to this world is vast. What happened - was not seen, it came from outside…”

It would normally be uncanny, hearing a literal goddess sound - hesitant, confused, overwhelmed - but Shavri is not, currently, having emotions.

”So it wasn’t Leareth.”

Silence.

“You’re just not going to be helpful, are you.” Sigh. “Can you let me out no– oh, right, I should ask. Iftel wall went down. Is Vkandis...?" 

The Goddess bows her head, and Her silence answers Shavri's question more loudly than any words could. 

Shavri has a weird urge to say 'my condolences' or something equally stupid. She doesn't, though. Among many, many other reasons, it's not like she owes this Goddess anything. 

She would be so tired, if she were capable of emotions right now. 

"Can you let me out now." 

"As you wish." 

And she's alone in the Web-room again, shivering, her head pounding. 

Randi's absence doesn't hurt any less. But there's clearly work that needs to be done. Miles to go, before she can finally rest... 

Shavri picks herself up, moving jerkily, and heads for the Heralds' meeting-room. 

The Heralds are arguing over a just-arrived letter, which Shavri learns - in a very fragmented manner - was dropped off by some sort of creepy bird with Mindspeech. It's waiting for their answer on the windowsill. 

Keiran hunches over her stomach. "I mean, obviously he'd say it wasn't him, right, no matter what - it's not information–"

"It destroyed our Sunlord. I do not care who this man claims to be, he cannot have that power." 

"Wasn't his whole entire plan that he wanted to murder ten million people and make a god to fight the other gods?" 

"He never told Van it'd kill the others," Dara mutters, but mostly under her breath. 

"It wasn't Leareth." 

Heads turn. 

"Shavri! Are you–" 

"Don't you dare." It's the closest thing to a snarl that Savil has ever heard from Shavri's lips. "Don't ask. Ever." 

She stands rigidly for a moment, glaring at everyone, and then moves to pull up her own chair at the table. 

"Wasn't Leareth," she says tonelessly. "Talked to the Goddess. Through the Heartstone. She said it was - from outside." 

"Outside what?" 

Shavri's expression clearly says that she thinks this is a stupid question. "Outside the world, I guess? They - didn't see it coming. It took out Vkandis. She...didn't know. What or how or anything." 

"You spoke to our Goddess." 

Brightstar isn't being very subtle about the envy in his voice at all. 

"I bet She'd talk to you too if you had a go. Don't think there's more to learn that way though. What's our plan." 

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Why is everyone LOOKING AT HER. Oh right they don't have a monarch right now. She is literally in charge of this kingdom right now. 

Well. 

Half of it. The half that's left. 

"...Leareth sent a letter," Dara says faintly, after a long pause. "Swearing it wasn't him. He - lost half his people as well. He, er, wants our census-numbers, if we can get them, for...I guess to help come up with theories of what caused this? He doesn't know any more than we do, though. No detectable magic at the time."