The northern courier arrived before the last of the dust had settled from the group's return. He was a thin man in travel-stained grey, and he did not waste time on greetings.
Marta Vey stood beside him in the temple's lower hall, her left arm bound tight against her ribs, face pale but set.
"The house requires a stronger guarantee," she said. The courier nodded once. "No more exchanges until the road is watched. Joint watch. Your people and ours. Permanent until the remnants are broken."
Selene kept her voice even. "We already bled for the last exchange."
"And we lost men," Marta answered. "The house will not risk another. Commit the watch or the next shipment stays north."
Aiden stood a half-step behind Selene. Kaelara leaned against the wall near the door, arms folded, listening. The hall was quiet except for the scrape of boots on stone as temple runners moved past outside.
Selene looked at the courier. "How many of your people?"
