10. Secret Secrets

Secrets are revealed, testing the Circle's trust in each other, and a dangerous new player enters the ring.

## Secret Secrets

### Original Air Date

April 24, 2016

tarlight Dove & Three Fates Shadow, still hostile towards each other, are talked down by Val and Jorek, before being lead by Starlight Dove into the Nexus tunnels to avoid gathering too much unwanted attention. At the same time, Sheanne and Rey try to find the others, and Sheanne reveals that she has been Speaks-of-Silence all along. Starlight Dove appears and leads them to the others beneath Nexus.

Jorek is shocked to learn that his long-time business associate had been simply taking on that form. Speaks-of-Silence helps Val realize that she needs to be more in control of her image in Nexus, now that she’s so much in the spotlight. The incident with the apothecary has left Rey morose, her confidence shaken. Jorek and Val try to make her feel better, but it isn’t until Starlight Dove brings Ember to Rey that she comes around. He buys her pork buns and helps her come to terms with her actions, admitting that she would do the same thing again if it meant protecting loved ones.

Jorek visits one of the Guild mercenaries who was present at the Magistrate stand-off and asks him to keep quiet about the altercation (although chooses not to sanctify the oath made by the man). He also asks the mercenary to set up a meeting with the Council of Nine, with Speaks-of-Silence (as Sheanne) agreeing to help Jorek push his plans forward.

Val heads to the slums of Nexus and begins to inspire the populace with tales of generosity and friendship. She asks nearby vendors to sell her meals enough for fifty people so she can feed the hungry. They insist on giving it to her for free. Some mercenaries arrive and warn her that she has attracted attention and shouldn’t linger.

Ember and Rey drop by Ember’s apartment so he can collect letters and supplies. One letter he receives alarms him and he asks Rey to be strong for coming events. Heading outside, they meet a man who politely orders them to follow him to a place “where everything will be all right”. When they talk back and resist he threatens them further with a mysterious weapon until they agree to go along.

On this walk Ember reveals some shocking news: he has a wife (through an arranged marriage) who has arrived in Nexus, and they’re apparently on their way to meet with her.

The stranger leads them to Rey’s old apartment building, now completely empty save for one other person several floors above. Rey and Ember try to overpower and escape their captor, who is incredibly powerful (almost definitely a type of Exalted, although which type remains to be seen) with some sort of weapon that spews ice. Rey spends almost all of her Essence trying to gain the upper hand on him, and her anima goes to Bonfire. The battle is suddenly interrupted by a woman with a long, blue braid and jade-inlaid breastplate. She introduces herself as Tepet Exquisite Tide (Ember’s wife) and invites them all to tea.

Exquisite Tide leads them to Rey’s apartment, which she has completely transformed with plant life growing everywhere and a pool in the centre of the room. She makes unconventional conversation about how she can Rey can be “sisters” now that they are together. When Rey refuses, Tide lightly comments to Ember that now she will have to hurt her.

Meanwhile, Rey’s anima banner has alerted Val and Jorek, who race towards her old home, hoping to make it in time….