(LOCKE)
It's late at night by the time I return to the human world. If I hadn't had help from a witch to use portal magic, it would have taken me a couple of days to get here. Fortunately, Freya, the witch Corrine befriended in her short time in the North, now works at the border, creating portals for me and my soldiers to travel back and forth between the castle and the Veil, saving us a lot of time. The young woman seems to like money, and I give her plenty of it.
I see Derrick sitting on the steps outside Corrine's house. When he spots me, he straightens up. "What happened? Why did Rothan call you away so urgently?"
"A new scheme by the elders to force Ravenna into my bed." I glance at the dark house. "Is she sleeping?"
He shrugs. "She offered for me and Edgar to come inside, but we refused. We've been patrolling since you left. Nobody around."
I see the small, empty food container next to him. "And that?"
