The journey back to Castle Town took three days of steady travel through Raze's domain. The expanded group made for a more crowded caravan than the trip out had been. Four new knights, Sophie clinging close, and everyone still processing the chaos that Clearwater had become.
Raze spent most of the journey in quiet contemplation, watching the landscape roll past while Asura's presence hummed beneath his thoughts. The ancient entity had been surprisingly quiet since the fight, apparently content to let him process everything without constant commentary.
Sophie sat beside him in the carriage, her small hand finding his whenever the road got rough. She hadn't said much since leaving Clearwater, but her grip spoke volumes about her fear of separation.
"You'll write?" she asked on the second day.
"Every week," he promised. "And you'll be safe in Castle Town. Mariabel, Aslan, and Kael will all be there. Plus royal guards."
"It's not the same as having you there."
