The Duke's Study. Evening.
The room was crowded.
Maps covered the table—the same maps they had been studying for weeks, the same thin places, the same hills where the creature had come from. But now there were new marks. New sightings. New places where something had gone wrong.
Vance stood at the head of the table, his arms crossed, his face carved from stone. He had spread his own map across the others—a map he had been keeping secret, a map the Duke had not even seen.
The Duke sat behind his desk, his hands clasped, his face unreadable. Edward stood beside him, his arms crossed, his jaw tight. William stood by the window, his back to the others, his eyes on the courtyard below.
Grog sat in a chair near the fire, his chest still bandaged, his face still pale. The rings were in his pocket—eleven of them, plain silver, warm. He had insisted on coming, despite the healers' warnings. Lira sat beside him, her bow across her knees, her eyes on Vance.
Mirena stood at the table, her staff in her hand, the stone in her pocket pulsing against her hip. She had been studying the maps all day, tracing the lines, marking the places where the residue was strongest.
Aldric was there too, his leg propped, his cane beside him. Gwen sat beside him, her hand on his arm, steadying him.
The volunteers were not invited. This was not for them.
Vance spoke. "The sightings are increasing."
He pointed to the map. "Three regions. The hills where you killed the creature. The forest to the north. And the mountains to the east."
Mirena leaned forward. "The mountains—the thin places are thickest there. The old texts say the veil has always been weak in those mountains."
Grog nodded slowly. "That's where the portal is."
Vance looked at him. "You're sure?"
Grog shook his head. "No. But it's the best lead we have."
---
The Duke spoke. "The King's orders are clear. Investigate the sightings. Find the source. Close the portal."
William turned from the window. "We'll need to split up."
Edward's jaw tightened. "Split up?"
"There are three regions. We can't cover them all with one group."
Grog nodded slowly. "He's right."
Edward looked at his brother. "You want to lead one of them."
William met his eyes. "I do."
Edward was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "Fine."
---
Vance spread his hands over the map. "The hills are the closest. We've already been there. We know what to expect. A small group of trained soldiers could cover that territory in a week."
William nodded. "I'll take them."
Grog looked at him. "You've never led soldiers before."
William met his eyes. "I've never done a lot of things. But I've learned."
Grog was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "Take a dozen. No more. Move fast. Don't take unnecessary risks."
William nodded. "I will."
---
Mirena pointed to the forest. "The residue is strong here. If the portal moved, it might have left traces."
Lira leaned forward. "I could scout it. Alone. I'm faster alone."
Grog shook his head. "No."
"Grog—"
"No." His voice was firm. "We don't know what's out there. You're not going alone."
Lira held his gaze for a moment. Then she nodded. "Fine. But I'm not taking a dozen soldiers. They'll just slow me down."
Grog looked at Mirena. "Take Mirena with you. Her magic might be useful."
Mirena nodded. "I can track the residue. Find where it's strongest."
"And take Gwen," Grog said.
Gwen looked up. "Me?"
"You can shoot. You can ride. You've been training." Grog met her eyes. "You're ready."
Gwen was quiet for a moment. Then she nodded. "I'll go."
---
The Duke looked at the map. "The mountains are the farthest. And the most dangerous."
Vance nodded. "The thin places are thickest there. If the portal is anywhere, it's there."
Mirena pointed to a cluster of marks. "There have been more sightings in the last week than in the previous month. Something is happening in those mountains."
Grog was quiet for a moment. "That's where I'll go."
Aldric leaned forward. "With who?"
Grog looked at him. "You're not coming."
Aldric's jaw tightened. "My leg is—"
"Your leg is healing. But you can't climb mountains. Not yet."
Aldric stared at him. Then he looked away. He didn't argue. He couldn't.
---
William spoke. "The volunteers—what about them?"
The Duke looked at him. "They stay here. They train. They prepare."
Edward nodded. "Aldric can train them. He's been training longer than anyone. He knows what they need to learn."
Aldric looked up. "Me?"
"You can't climb mountains. You can't scout forests. But you can teach." Edward's voice was steady. "That's not nothing."
Aldric was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "I'll do it."
---
Grog stood. "Then it's settled. William takes the hills. Lira takes the forest. I take the mountains. Aldric trains the volunteers."
He looked at each of them in turn.
"We leave in three days."
The room was silent.
Then, one by one, they nodded.
---
The meeting ended.
The maps were rolled, the chairs pushed back, the people filed out. William was the last to leave. He paused at the door, looked back at his brother.
Edward stood at the window, his back to the room, his hands clasped behind him.
"Edward."
Edward didn't turn.
"I'll come back."
Edward was quiet for a moment. "You'd better."
William left.
---
Grog sat alone in the study.
The fire was low, the room dark, the maps gone. He looked at the rings in his pocket—eleven of them, plain silver, warm. He thought about the poison in the one he had given Mirena. He thought about the creature. He thought about the portal.
He didn't know if they would find it. He didn't know if they could close it.
But they had to try.
He stood. Walked to the door. Left.