Adam closes his eyes for a fraction of a second and lets out a slow breath, and Ann knew instantly that this was going to be difficult to make him see reason.
"No," he answered finally, his tone telling her everything that she had already guessed was true.
"So you don't think telling him now is the perfect opportunity to get everything out in the open?" Ann replies as she sits back in her chair, arms folded in front of her.
"No, not now Ann," Adam replied as she watched him carefully, "He's barely holding himself together as it is and that's only because he knows exactly what he's walking into and what he needs to face. If I tell him now and change any of that perception then I risk breaking his focus. It's too dangerous."
"It is dangerous, yes, but you're assuming that his reasoning for facing his father is logically sound." Ann said, "He's spent years harbouring the resentment that his father was the reason that his mother was killed, and his youngest brother too. Do you not think that knowing that his mother was safe would change any of that?"
Adam looks at her again, properly this time.
"He's controlled and disciplined right now Ann," Adam insists. "You know as well as I do that telling him any of that could tip him one of two ways. What if he wants to come back here and see his mother? To confirm it? And what if this does nothing but send him over the edge. He already doesn't trust his father, what if this breaks his trust in us?"
Ann sighs as her hand settles over her stomach.
"But he's already on the edge, Adam, I saw that for myself." She said, "I really think that knowing that his mother is waiting for him when he returns will not only strengthen his resolve, but it'll give him a reason to be the bigger man when he finally faces his father. None of it will be drawn out and it won't be pure hatred distracting him, if anything, he'll have the satisfaction of knowing that no matter how evil and depraved his father was and how low he sank, he never managed to destroy the one thing that stood against him."
Adam's jaw flexes.
"And you want to push him to find out?"
"No, I want him to have all the information that we have so our trust with him isn't broken and he can make a decision and act in a way that won't destroy him later when he has more than enough time to sit and think about everything that has happened."
"That later won't matter if he's distracted and doesn't survive the initial breach into the castle itself!" Adam argued but Ann was unmoved.
"And his survival as a person doesn't end at the battlefield," Ann replies calmly. "Actiuons taken on the battlefield still haunt men for decades afterwards, you know this! I don't understand why you would hesitate over this if it will make a difference to him mentally in the future!"
"Because I have to weigh up the odds of this impacting the rest of the men on the field as well as Greyson Ann!" Adam snapped in frustration, pausing to take a deep breath, and then sighing heavily as he ran his hand through his hair, "I don't want him to act rashly and end up getting someone killed because of it Ann, that's all."
"IF he's lived with the idea that his father is responsible for the obliteration of his family for this long, then I think if anything, the news that he has some sane family members remaining will bring him peace. Don't overcomplicate this Adam."
Adam made a frustrated noise as he turned away and paced the room for a few seconds as the silence stretched between them.
"If he kills his father believing his mother died years ago," Ann says quietly, "what do you think happens when he finds out the truth later?"
Adam doesn't answer.
"Because he will," she continues. "It won't stay buried because she's already here, waiting for him."
Adam's shoulders tense.
"And when it comes out," Ann says, "it won't just be about the elders lying. It'll be about everyone that's close to him who knew, and chose not to tell him."
"That's not fair."
"No," Ann agreed flatly, "It's not. It's not fair to anyone in this whole situation. We owe it to him to tell him."
Adam's hand tightens briefly on the table.
"Look, he's already angry," Ann says. "That doesn't change. What changes is where that anger is directed when it's over. If he begins to second guess his reasoning for killing his father because his mother still lives…"
She left the sentence hanging in the air above them as Adam turned to look at her sharply.
"Don't you mean If it's over? You're assuming this will go to plan and the Lycan King won't find a way to get out of this. We have no idea what's inside the castle, or if there's another Daemon Lord positioned to pull him away to fight another day. None of us know what's going to happen."
Ann said nothing and just stared at him, blinking slowly as she allowed Adam's mind to work through all of the possible scenarios.
Finally, Adam sighed and shook his head.
"Fine. I'll find a way to tell him, but you won't be coming anywhere near this, do you understand?"
"I can at least..."
"No, Ann." Adam snarled as she flinched in shock and he took a breath to compose himself, "No. You've done enough already. I don't want you to face any more stress than you already have. I'll pull him to the side when I return and have a word with him. You need to rest."
"But..."
"Don't argue with me on this Ann, please," Adam sighed and Ann felt a wave of guilt wash over her as in that moment, she could see the tiredness and exhaustion clearly on his face.