Book 4: Chapter Thirty

It took two more days to reach the spot where the Farm Road finally merged with the Old Road, just north of a ravine which held a wide, fast-flowing river at the bottom of a steep slope. An old stone bridge spanned the distance, suspended by four wide arches set across the river. With a wide gate at the far end, it had to be the toll bridge. The third arch had collapsed, but it wasn’t the ruined bridge that made Corec stop. It was what lay beyond.

“That’s not a keep,” he said to Ellerie. She and Leena had returned from Sanvar the day before. “It’s a fortress. What did Matagor need so much protection from way out here?”

Beyond the bridge, atop a wide hill, stood a thirty-foot-tall stone wall surrounded by what remained of an abandoned village. The gatehouse was still intact, facing northeast toward the bridge, but the left side of the gate wall had collapsed, as had parts of the southeast wall. Stone blocks and boulders were strewn nearby.

On the far side of the bridge, the roads separated again. The Old Road went west, where it would split once more, with one branch leading through the south hills and then on to Fort Hightower in Larso, while the other led to Matagor. The Farm Road continued south, passing by the fortress’s east side.

It was Bobo who answered. “When Meftil fell to the plague, trade along the southern routes suffered, which made the northern routes more valuable,” he said. “Matagor had seized the ferries here even before that, but they decided to replace them with a toll bridge to take advantage of the extra traffic. They were having border troubles with Larso at the time, though, and since this spot is closer to Larso than Matagor …” He shrugged. “I suppose they felt it was necessary.”

“How are we going to get across?” Ellerie asked. “Can we ford the river?”

“I doubt it,” Bobo said. “Probably not for miles. Why build a toll bridge here if everyone could just go around?” The water looked deep, and the slopes of the ravine were too steep for the carts to make it down safely.

Corec said, “One of those miniature bridges from Tir Yadar might be big enough to set over the gap.”

“Do you think it’s safe to take the wagons over?” Ellerie said. “I’m not sure whether to be more worried about the small bridge or about what’s left of the big one.”

“Let’s leave the heavy equipment behind for now,” Corec said. “We can cross on foot and see how sturdy it is. I’ll go first and ask Ariadne to come with me. If there are any hatchlings, we should be able to hold them off until everyone else catches up.”

#

Shavala climbed up on top of a stone cottage for a better view, using the remains of a fallen shed to give herself a boost. The cottage’s thatched roof had fallen in, but she could walk along the top edge of the walls to peer around at the abandoned village.

Corec, Ariadne, and the knights had crossed the bridge first and circled the small town, searching for any sign of hatchlings before allowing the others to join them. Now the armsmen were checking inside each building to make sure nothing was hiding in wait.

Shavala’s perch was in the northeast part of the village, between the bridge and the fortress. All the wooden buildings in this part of town had burned down at some point, but most of the stone and brick work was still sound.

She’d already examined the closest structures with her elder senses, not finding any sign of creatures that felt similar to the dragon, so now she waited as the armsmen finished searching the nearby area and spread out to the rest of the circular village.

Growing bored with watching for nothing, she climbed down from the cottage wall and joined Corec and Kevik in front of what they’d referred to as a gatehouse—an arched stone tunnel leading into the fortress. They’d just given up trying to open the iron gate that barred the way.

“It’s barely moving,” Corec said. “I can’t tell if it’s rusted in place, too heavy to move, or locked shut.”

Kevik peered through the bars, up at the spot the gate would have slid into if it could open. “How would they have locked it after leaving?” he said. “They must have left it open, but then either the ratchet or the locking mechanism rusted through and the gate fell down.”

“Or they never left,” Corec suggested. “They could have locked it in the down position and died here when the dragon came.”

“Either way, we’ll need to get inside. We’re not going to get it open without the winch. The portcullis at the far end is closed too.”

“We’ll have to go around, then,” Corec said with a sigh. “I hate climbing in armor.”

He was referring to the remains of the fortress wall to the left of the tunnel. Although a large section had collapsed, the blocks and boulders that had made up the upper levels were strewn around in piles. The group would have to make their way up and over the debris to get past what remained of the wall.

It took another twenty minutes for the search parties to finish their task. Nedley’s group was the last to return.

“We didn’t see anything on the west side,” the young man told Corec. “There are some big buildings that look like warehouses, but they’re empty.”

Corec nodded. “Thanks, Ned,” he said. “The warehouses are for trade caravans to camp away from the weather, or to leave some of their cargo behind for another caravan to pick up.” He raised his voice so everyone could hear. “We’re going over the wall! Keep a close watch and don’t do anything stupid—we don’t know what we’ll find in there.”

Corec and Kevik started up the incline first, walking unsteadily on the rubble until they reached the first row of larger stone blocks. While they tried to find the easiest way up, Shavala scrambled past them. From up close, she could see talon marks on the fallen stone—some marks more recent, others weathered with age. Had the dragon used this spot as a perch? Perhaps the wall had collapsed bit by bit from the creature’s weight rather than all at once.

She reached top of the pile and peered inside the fortress. “I don’t see anything moving,” she announced. “It looks empty.”

“Wait for us,” Corec told her.

She winked at him and dropped down on the other side.

Stone structures of various shapes and sizes lined the inside of the wall. The largest was opposite the gatehouse on the far side of the fortress, a three-story building reaching as high as the wall itself—and higher still, with its sloped, clay-tile roofs. The building had a wide set of double doors on the first level, but one of the doors was ajar and the other had fallen to the ground, leaving the entryway open.

Between the gatehouse and the larger building was a central courtyard that hadn’t yet been grown over with grasses and weeds despite the decades of abandonment. Judging by the patterns in the dirt that overlaid the cobblestones, this was where the dragon had spent its time.

Corec and Kevik made it over the wall, followed by Ariadne and Sarette.

Corec gave Shavala a stern look. “What if there had been hatchlings in here?” he asked. He and Katrin were overly protective, sometimes treating Shavala—who was five times their age—as if she wasn’t old enough to make her own decisions.

“I would have handled it,” she said. “And if I couldn’t, I would have run back to the wall.” She kept her words unapologetic.

He looked dubious but let it go. If Katrin had been there, she would have been harder to convince.

As Nedley’s squad and the remaining knights made it past the mound of fallen stone, they joined the others who were already inside. Boktar had waited out in the village with Cenric’s squad to watch over the rest of the expedition.

“Same as before,” Corec told those who’d gathered within the fortress. “Check every building and make sure there aren’t any hatchlings or other surprises. Don’t go inside the keep yet. We’ll do that as a group once we’re sure everything else is clear.”

The others scattered. While Shavala and Corec waited, Ellerie and Leena cautiously made their way down the remains of the fallen wall and joined them.

Ellerie cast her gaze around the courtyard, focusing on a tall tower that rose from the southeast corner. “This place isn’t bad for the free lands,” she said.

“Yes, it’s not what I expected,” Corec said.

“Good walls … for the most part. Stables, storage, a keep.” She seemed to be hinting at something.

He gave her a surprised look, then peered around the fortress once again.

There was a shout from the west. “Corec!” Nedley called out. “We found something!”

Corec reached behind his back for his sword harness. “Hatchlings?”

“Uhh, no. Not quite.”

A moment later they were staring at four yellowish-white eggs just over a foot tall, nestled together in a gap between two buildings.

Corec stared at them for a moment. “Well, I guess it’ll be easier this way. I’ll go get my hammer.”

The idea made Shavala sick to her stomach.

“Wait!” she said. “Don’t kill them. They haven’t done anything to deserve it.”

He frowned. “We can’t let them live, Shavala. You know that. They’ll be too dangerous once they hatch. They’ll take over the whole area.”

It took her a moment to come up with an answer. “Cetos!” she said. “People in Cetos live with dragons. They’d know what to do.”

“How are we supposed to get them to Cetos?” he asked. “By ship? They’ll hatch before we get there.”

Shavala looked at Leena, who shrugged.

“I’ve never been to Cetos,” the Sanvari woman said. “I can try, but what would I do once I get there?”

“I’ll find out,” Shavala promised. “Zhailai’s been there on her travels. She’s one of the druids you met at the western border. If you take me back to the forest, we can ask her.”

Leena nodded.

Corec sighed. “Fine, but we’ll only be here for a day or two to rest the mules, and we can’t leave the eggs here to hatch on their own.”

“We’ll look for Zhailai tomorrow,” Shavala promised. “If you have to leave before we figure out what to do, I’ll stay here with them.”

“If you’re serious about this, it would probably be best if we moved them out of sight, somewhere you can keep an eye on them more easily. The men might want revenge.”

Shavala nodded. Moving the eggs could possibly harm them, and without their mother they might not hatch at all, but she had to at least make an attempt to save them.

#

Corec stood atop the lookout tower, staring down at the activity below. They’d managed to winch the portcullises up and wedge them open so they wouldn’t fall again, then had driven the supply wagons through so they could set up camp within the bailey. It had given him time to make a more thorough inspection of the fortress.

The defensive wall was constructed of five equal-sized curtain walls arranged in a pentagon, with battlements consisting of a parapet and wall-walk lining the perimeter, offering defenders a protected position from which to attack. The lookout tower Corec had climbed was the only one still in one piece. There had once been another at the westernmost corner, but its upper levels had collapsed, leaving only the stairwell from the ground up to the battlements. The other three points of the pentagon were constructed with bastions rather than towers, protruding outward to offer better angles of attack against anyone too close to the walls.

The gatehouse, the only entrance into the fortress, consisted of a twenty-foot-long arched passageway with a portcullis at either end, though the winches to raise and lower the gates were rusted and barely working. Arrowslits lined both sides of the passage, to be used by defenders in case attacking forces breached the first portcullis.

The gate wall faced northeast, where an old path passed through the remains of the village before leading down the hill toward the road and the bridge. Inside the fortress, opposite the gate wall, stood the keep itself, a five-sided building echoing the shape of the defensive wall. Other smaller structures were dotted around the bailey, most using the curtain walls or each other as part of their own construction.

The fortress’s defenses weren’t particularly strong—there was no moat or drawbridge, only a single defensive wall, the battlements didn’t provide any platforms large enough to hold ballistae or catapults, and the towers and bastions were angled rather than rounded—but it was still well beyond anything Corec had expected to find in the free lands.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Ellerie had raised the obvious question, but he wasn’t sure how to answer. He was pondering the idea when a voice sounded from behind him.

“Hey, sailor, do you come here often?”

He spun around and grinned. “Katrin!” he said, taking her into his arms and squeezing.

Ellerie had followed her up, but held back to give them a chance to greet each other.

“Not so tight!” Katrin squeaked. “Your armor’s hard.”

“Sorry,” he said, letting her go so he could step back and look at her. “What are you doing here? How did you … Leena?” With the dangerous part of the journey at an end, Leena had gone back to Four Roads to get the men’s bonuses. If they paid the recruits off now, some might choose to return to town on their own, which would cut down on wages and expenses during the trip back.

“She told me about taking Ellerie to Sanvar, so I asked if she could bring me back with her. Now that the dragon’s dead, I figure you’re not allowed to complain about me being here.”

He laughed. “I’m not complaining. I’ve missed you. What about Harri and Ditte, though?”

“Nallee—Treya’s friend—offered to keep an eye on them until I get back.”

Corec nodded. “Have you seen Shavala yet?”

“Just for a minute. Were those really dragon eggs?” Katrin shivered. “I hope she gets rid of them soon. I wanted to talk to her, but not while she was sitting right next to those things. I told her I’d go find you first and then come back later.”

“Well, I’m glad to see you.”

“This is the keep the dragon took over?” she asked, looking down at the structures below. “It’s bigger than I thought it would be.”

“That’s the keep,” Corec said, pointing to the appropriate building. “But yes, I didn’t realize there was anything like this out here. Bobo thinks Matagor might have called it a trade keep to make it sound less threatening to Larso … though you’d think anyone passing by would recognize it for what it is.”

Ellerie stepped over to join the conversation. “Half the art of diplomacy is just politely pretending you don’t know what the other person is doing. If Matagor and Larso both say it’s a keep, then it’s a keep.” She gestured down at the bailey. “Speaking of which, what do you think?”

“I’m not sure. We can’t just move in, can we?”

“Why not?” Katrin asked. “No one else is using it, and we were supposed to be looking for a place we could defend.” She didn’t sound surprised—someone had apparently filled her in already.

“I was thinking of something … smaller,” Corec said. “Easier to take care of. This is a long way from town, and the road’s in bad shape.”

“We’ll need to clear the roads anyway,” Ellerie said. “In the letter I sent to Varsin Senshall, I promised he’d be able to go back to running caravans along the Old Road, but that was before I saw it. He sent us fifty gold, so we owe it to him. We can let Senshall caravans through for free for a few years to pay him back.”

It took Corec a moment to realize what she was suggesting. “You think we should re-open the toll bridge ourselves?”

“You’re keeping some of the men on. If we stay here, the tolls can pay their wages.”

Corec nodded. Having steady income would solve the biggest obstacle in the plan. Without it, they couldn’t afford to hire the armsmen for long before running out of money.

“The men can help clear the roads, I suppose,” he said. “We won’t have much need for soldiers right away, so that’ll give them something to do.” He peered down at the fallen stonework. “We can’t afford to fix the walls, though. Not on top of what we’ve already spent. We’ll have to wedge some logs in the gaps.”

“We can fix them,” Ellerie said. “The stone itself is still here, and the other components for stone-shaping are cheap.”

Corec stared at her in surprise. He hadn’t considered that possibility. “A defensive wall isn’t all stone, though,” he said. “There’s sand in the center to reinforce it, and mortar to fill in the gaps.”

“Is that necessary, or is it just because it’s cheaper? Stone-shaping will turn it all solid, and Hildra gave me a warding spell to strengthen it.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Corec said. The shaped stone in Tir Yadar had held up well enough over the centuries.

And either way, it would be far more defensible than his original vision of a manor house surrounded by a small wooden palisade. The fortress might not compare with more modern or more expensive fortifications, but it was still an actual fortress. If the walls could be repaired, a handful of defenders would be able to withstand a small army.

“I can fix the bridge too,” Ellerie offered. “I don’t think that miniature bridge will hold up for long once we’ve got trade caravans coming through here.”

Corec nodded, then turned to Katrin. “Are you sure you don’t mind being this far from town?” he asked her. She couldn’t have had long to think about the idea, and she’d always been reluctant to settle down too far away from civilization.

She shrugged. “It won’t be forever, and maybe Leena would be willing to take me to the city once in a while. Besides, I can sing for the caravans that come through. The building where Shavala’s got those dragon eggs used to be a tavern, I think. We can clean it up and open for business on nights that traders are here.”

Corec could start to see the idea coming together. “If there’s something for them to do here, the caravan masters will probably make this a regular overnight stop,” he said. “Especially since there aren’t any towns within fifty miles. We can make arrangements with one of the trading houses to bring in supplies on their way through, so we won’t have to keep making the trip ourselves.”

“Are we going to do it, then?” Ellerie asked.

“We should ask the others.”

“I already have, but there wasn’t much to talk about. It’s the same thing we were already planning to do, just better. Nobody’s opposed, and Boktar’s pushing for it.”

Corec nodded. They’d be farther from town than they’d planned, but Katrin had been the one most concerned about that. If she didn’t mind, then it wasn’t an issue.

Making their home here would introduce a new problem, though—one that Ellerie likely hadn’t considered. This place was much farther south than Four Roads. If King Rusol sent a large force to assault them, it would most likely come through the southern passes rather than the northern passes, which meant Corec’s friends from Fort Hightower might be involved in the attack.

But perhaps that would be a good thing. The knights weren’t red-eyes, and they’d be more likely to listen to reason than someone who didn’t know him.

“I suppose we should start making arrangements, then,” he said.

Katrin nodded, while Ellerie gave a quick grin.

There was a heavy clomping sound as someone climbed the stairs leading up the tower, and then Kevik came out through the open doorway.

“Miss Ellerie, Miss Katrin,” he said with a small bow. He didn’t seem surprised that Katrin was there, which meant he’d probably seen her arrive. “Heya, Corec.”

“Hey, Kevik,” Corec said.

“We’re going to head out now. What do you want us to do with the weapons and armor?”

“Yours and Trentin’s were gifts. The others …” Corec shrugged. “They can keep it if they want.” It was only three extra sets of gear, and perhaps it could serve as a bribe to keep this batch of knights friendly in case they were sent out on patrol again. “Did you get your bonuses and the last of your pay?”

“Yes, we’re all settled up. I’ll see that Willem’s family gets his share.”

Corec sighed. “Thank you. Are you sure you don’t want to wait? We’ll be starting back in two days. Some of us anyway.” If they were going to claim the keep, perhaps a small group should remain.

“With the dragon dead, you don’t need us anymore, and it’s a long walk back to Four Roads. We’ll make it there faster without the wagons, and Boktar sold us two mules and some supplies.” Losing two mules would leave another ballista behind, but there wasn’t any reason to drag the weapons back to town. “After we get our horses and gear, we’ll head home.”

“North or south?”

“Probably straight to Fort Hightower, but we haven’t decided yet. I’m not eager to get back—the priests are going to ask questions once they find out we fought alongside mages—but it’s time.”

“If you’re going to Hightower, we might run into you along the way.”

Kevik shook his head. “This road’s too slow for the horses. If we do come back south, we’ll cut over and take the hill roads instead.”

“We might have things in better shape the next time you bring a patrol out here.”

“You’re thinking of staying?”

“Someone’s got to clean this place up.”

Kevik glanced down at the fortress. “Not a bad idea.”

“I’ll come down with you. I should try to talk to Trentin before you leave.” The younger knight had been avoiding Corec since the battle.

“He doesn’t want to speak to you right now. Willem was his friend.”

Corec looked away. “I’m sorry. I tried to plan for everything, but …” He trailed off.

“People die in war, but Trentin’s never lost anyone before. He’ll get over it; just give him some time. And the plan was fine—no one’s ever taken out a full-sized adult dragon and only lost three men before.”

That wasn’t true, but Kevik was referring to the historical records kept by the Knights of Pallisur, who’d never lost fewer than ten knights or soldiers when facing an adult dragon. The battle was less impressive when compared to some of the stories Bobo knew, where the forces had fought with both arms and magic.

“Maybe, but I wish it had turned out differently,” Corec said.

“We knew what we were getting into. At least we’ll be able to tell his parents he didn’t run away. We can pretend he died a hero, rather than freezing up.”

“He didn’t freeze,” Ellerie said.

The knight turned to her, a question on his face.

“He didn’t freeze,” she repeated. “He forgot about his pike, and he forgot he was supposed to run, but he was ready to fight. He had time to draw his sword.”

Kevik drew in a deep breath, then nodded. “That helps. Thank you.” He clasped Corec’s forearm. “See you around.”

“See you around, Kev.”

“Ladies,” the knight said with one last bow before he headed down the stairwell.

Ellerie watched him leave. “I’m sorry,” she said to Corec. “I should have gotten Willem and Nale out of there. I didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late.”

“It’s not your fault—they knew the plan as well as you did. We trained, but … I don’t know how anyone trains for that. We were lucky to do as well as we did.” He was trying to reassure her, but he wasn’t sure he believed the words himself.

The look she gave him suggested she knew what he was thinking, but she changed the subject. “I’ll leave you two alone and go let Boktar know we’re taking over the keep. He’ll be happy.”

#

There was a festive mood in the air as the recruits celebrated the successful conclusion of their task. They had reason to be happy—Leena and Katrin had brought their bonuses, ten gold for each man. For some of them, that was more than a year’s pay. There was nothing to spend it on here, and no alcohol available this far from civilization, but that didn’t seem to matter. Some played dice or cards, while others sang folk songs or told stories. Boktar and Sarette were quietly taking a few of the men aside to ask them to consider staying on.

Ariadne didn’t take part in the celebrating. Instead, she found herself hesitating just outside the glow of Corec’s mage light. He was sitting in a semi-circle with Treya, Katrin, and Shavala, discussing plans for how to make the keep livable again.

Perhaps this wasn’t a good time. She turned to leave, but it was too late—they’d seen her.

“Come join us,” Treya said, waving her over. They made room for her on the piles of stone they were using as seats.

Ariadne sighed and made her way over to the campfire.

Corec nodded to her as she sat. “Did you decide whether you want to stay here or go with the group that’s heading back to Four Roads?” he asked.

He and some others had decided to remain at the keep, but Boktar would be leading the bulk of the expedition on their return to Four Roads. The group’s horses were still there, and they would need more supplies if they intended to stay in this isolated location. The men they were hiring would have the chance to gather their belongings and inform their families before escorting the supply caravan back to the fortress.

“I’ll go,” she said. The Mage Knights’ armor and weapons were still back in Four Roads, hidden away in the wheelwright’s shop the group had been using as their headquarters. Ellerie had cast mage locks on the doors and windows, but the building could hardly be considered secure.

“Will you come back?” Treya asked.

It was a legitimate question—Ariadne hadn’t made any commitments to the group. It was also the perfect opening to ask what she’d come to ask, but she didn’t take it.

“I will, at least for now,” she said. “I don’t have any plans other than going to the Storm Heights with Sarette when she’s ready.”

Corec nodded. “We won’t be doing much here other than cleaning and building, but you’re welcome to stick around.”

“Thank you.”

Katrin stood and stretched. “I should really go find Leena and see if she can take me back to Four Roads. It’s getting late and I didn’t ask Nallee to watch the children overnight.”

“I’ll trade off with you if you want to stay here,” Treya told her after a quick glance at Corec. “I’d like to visit the chapter house anyway.”

Katrin grinned and sat back down. “Sure. I didn’t bring a change of clothing, but one night won’t hurt.” She ruffled Corec’s hair. “I guess you’re stuck with me.”

He chuckled.

Treya got up to leave, but Ariadne held out a hand to stop her.

“Wait,” she said. “There’s something I wanted to ask.” She turned to the others. “To ask all of you.”

“What is it?” Treya asked.

Now that she’d started, Ariadne wasn’t sure how to continue. “When we fought the dragon, I should have been able to help more, like Sarette did,” she said.

Corec furrowed his brow. “What do you mean? You did fine.”

“Maybe, but … my elder magic has always been weak. You could change that if you bonded me.” She’d said it. She still wasn’t sure if it was the right choice, but she’d come to feel a sense of camaraderie with this group, something she’d feared she’d never feel again.

“The warden bond?” Corec asked. “Treya and Sarette said you were interested, but I always figured you had other things you wanted to do.”

Treya gave them both a brief smile of encouragement.

Ariadne regarded the group silently for a moment, then said, “I think we all know I’m not going to find the Chosar.” It was the first time she’d admitted it out loud. “I needed time to realize that for myself. I still want to find out what happened to them, but whatever it was, it was in the past. There’s nothing I can do to change it. I need …”

She trailed off, not knowing how to put it into words. The wardens were the last remnants of the world she remembered, and Corec and his friends were the people she knew best in this time. If she left them, where would she go?

He nodded in understanding. “Are you sure?” he asked. “We waited for you in case Sarette and Treya were right, but you don’t have to go through with it just to stay. You’re welcome here either way.”

“I’m sure.” She’d spent months considering her decision.

He looked to Treya, Katrin, and Shavala in turn. They each gave a quick nod.

“Then let’s do it,” he said. “This won’t take long.” He closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate, then opened them again. “There’s something wrong. There’s …”

He stopped talking and they all stared at Ariadne’s forehead.

She touched her brow. “I don’t feel any different.”

“That’s the wrong shade of blue—it’s too light. And it’s not the rune I tried to use. You were already bonded.”

“What? No, I wasn’t! It had to be you.”

“My spell failed. It felt just like when I cast it on Venni for practice. She was already Yelena’s bondmate so nothing happened.”

Ariadne tried to think through the implications. “Was it Hildra? Did she do it when I visited her?”

Corec shook his head. “Hildra’s runes are purple, and she already has eight bondmates. Or had—two died, but from what she told me, that doesn’t change anything.”

“Yelena, then!” Ariadne had never met Yelena, but who else could it have been?

“Yelena’s runes are red. Unless there’s a way to change the color?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think so.” Except for two brief conversations with Hera, she’d only seen the old wardens from a distance. She’d never discussed the details of their abilities with them. “I … how could it happen? Who else could have done it?”

“Maybe another warden found us in Four Roads,” Corec said. “Or snuck into our camp. It could have been anyone—I didn’t know Hildra was a warden until she told me.”

“But why? Why would they bond someone they don’t know?” Could it explain why elder magic had been coming to her more easily? Before she’d gone into stasis, her proficiency had been at a standstill. Recently, though, her skill had begun growing again. Not by much, but then, she hadn’t been practicing much.

“The first few times I cast the binding spell, it was an accident,” Corec said. “I didn’t realize what I was doing. There could be someone else out there like me. Or maybe it’s Rusol.” Then he frowned and shook his head. “No, as king, I don’t see how Rusol could be away from Larso for so long. Even if he’s found a Traveler somehow, he’d still need time to put a plan together, and how would it help him to cast the binding spell on you?”

Ariadne didn’t understand it either. How could she be a bondmate without a warden? Corec’s experiences aside, wardens didn’t bond people by accident.

“Can you sense what direction the bond points to?” Katrin asked. “We couldn’t do that right away—it took time—but if you’re not sure how long it’s been …”

Ariadne tried, but she wasn’t sure what she was looking for. “I don’t feel anything,” she said.

She stared at Katrin’s and Shavala’s sigils, glowing on their brows. Like her own, she supposed … but now she would never be part of their group.

What was she supposed to do?

Where did she belong?