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The cool air rising from the gorge was most welcome. Elodi stood upon the spot where her father was bundled off the bridge. She still could not bring herself to look down to where he met his death hundreds of feet below, and part of her wished the Castellan had lived so he could face trial. She tipped back her head and drank in the fresh air. The stifling heat of the Great Hall had felt like a hot, wet towel draped over her as she held meetings with the generals yet to lead their forces north. Elodi had declined the offer to dine with Lord Kernlow, preferring to escape the cloying air of the citadel. The sun had bid farewell an hour ago, but the warmth looked set to continue its reign through the night and following days. She dearly wished she could remain on the bridge and delay returning to the stuffy halls until autumn. Elodi was a child of the north, accustomed to freezing winters and mild summers. But it was not only the cooler climes of the north that tempted her to leave. Each day since the departure of her forces, she had stood upon the North Terrace and searched for signs of Nyomae and Toryn. Her farsight was not as developed as the Imaari, her true powers lay elsewhere, but from the little she could perceive of their progress, she knew she would be leaving Archonholm soon. Sea Mist was also restless in his small stable. The opportunities to ride were limited with her new role, but he would not tolerate another on his back. She visited him when time allowed, ensuring he would be ready to ride out at a moment’s notice.

The sky flickered. Elodi looked up as thunder rumbled in the south beyond the mountain wall. Not so long ago she had mistaken Uluriel’s sabotage of the Archon’s Tower for thunder. But back then, they had been oblivious to the wiles of their enemy, convinced the danger came from an unseen foe in the south. And they had walked right into Uleva’s trap and placed their full strength to the Caerwal Gate. Yet all the while, the true threat had lain at their backs.

Elodi’s fingers numbed. She glanced down to find she grasped the rail so tight she could almost rip it free of its supports. Another flash. She flinched as lighting skimmed across the sky. Her father had told her it was the gods fighting their battles beyond the dome encasing their land. But all knew that tale was not true. The gods had long abandoned them, leaving them to stand against the darkness alone. But whoever disputed the skies today, lay down their claim with renewed vigor. The night briefly became day as lighting flashed so bright, Elodi believed she could hear it crackle. The breeze picked up and blew the hair from her face. She ducked as more joined the battle above, swinging their great blades with such force, the sky would surely shatter. She turned to face the mountains as another barrage discharged over the Caerwals. The peaks appeared taller, but another flare revealed what she thought were mountains were menacing, dark clouds. Elodi shuddered, reminded of the storm that had almost dragged the Celesta to the bottom of the Elessyn Sea.

The clouds gathered, piling ever higher until they had the strength to cross the Caerwals. Elodi edged back. The storm clouds poised as a gigantic wave ready to break over the mountains and topple Archonholm’s towers. She watched spellbound, full of admiration for the strategy. This was not to be a reckless attack. The gods took their time, sending their vanguard to weaken the fortress before committing themselves to the battle.

Another crack of thunder tore through the pass, crashing over Elodi’s head to hurtle north. It rumbled and echoed, rolling over the land of Holm bringing the fear of the old world to the mortals beneath. Elodi decided that was her cue to seek shelter. She turned her back on the attack and strode towards the citadel. The assault commenced as the clouds unleashed their first deluge. She shuddered as the driven hail struck like arrows at her back. Her soaked dress clung to her body like a sheet of ice. But Elodi laughed as she ran, splashing like a child through the puddles turning silver under the lightning.

Elodi reached the gate where others had taken refuge. The mountain wall suddenly looked small as the storm launched lightning bolts as if trying to break the age-old defense. Then, as fast as it had arrived, the storm passed them by to vent its fury elsewhere. Elodi stood dripping and shivering as the stars returned to glimmer in the calm, clear skies and restore order. She listened to the rumblings fade as the storm swept over the Foranfae, dearly wishing she could command such power to drive north and crush their foes. Elodi smiled to herself. She had survived the attention of the gods of the deep onboard the Celestra, and now the gods of the skies had taken their aim and had also failed to defeat her.

Dried and refreshed from her ordeal, Elodi sat at the desk in her room. As was his habit, Lord Kernlow had retired early, leaving her the remainder of the evening alone. She looked at the two messages that had arrived late that afternoon. Nyomae’s note was brief. Neverdor had delivered what she needed, and she now headed for the second library. Wary of enemy hawks, Nyomae had not mentioned Abernost by name. And following Toryn’s account of a giant bird, Elodi appreciated her caution. Her eyes wandered back to Toryn’s message. It did not make for a good read on which to go to one’s bed. But at least she now knew how Uleva had been able to find Toryn in Foranfae only days after the assault on Calerdorn. But how many of these foul corvraak beasts did their foe possess? If these creatures held dominion over the skies, Elodi’s ability to send messages would be compromised. Could they be brought down by archers? She must act now, taking the risk to send her own birds to inform her forces of the need for skilled archers.

Elodi placed her candle beside the bed and opened the box Wendel had given to her on the Celestra before he died. The plan revealing the secret entrance to Calerdorn was always at the back of her mind. She had devised numerous ways to exploit it, but had to remain patient as it would be months before she could be in a position to retake her city… if at all.

She lay down and closed her eyes. Immediately, Kernlow’s map appeared. The thick embroidered spine of the Kolossos split the land in two as it did her mind. Would the enemy strike down the west or east side? Or worse, did they have the strength for a simultaneous attack?

The knock at the door startled her. The plan of Calerdorn fell from her hands. She had been asleep, dreaming of the moment she would win back her city. ‘Ma’am?’ Her guard spoke through the door. ‘Marrick requests an audience. Should I allow him entry at this late hour?’

‘Just a moment, please.’ She slid from the bed, picked up the plan and placed it back in the box. ‘Coming.’ Elodi threw her gown over her shoulders. ‘Yes. Please allow him to enter.’ The door opened. Kernlow’s new adviser hurried in.

‘Apologies, ma’am, but I believe you’d want to see this.’ He held out a leather tube used by the birds. ‘It arrived minutes ago. I was about to place it with the rest for tomorrow’s meeting, when I noticed it came from Garamund.’

‘Garamund? We’ve not received word from them in weeks.’

‘Exactly, ma’am. I assumed it would be remiss of me not to bring it to your immediate attention.’

‘You assumed correctly, Marrick. Thank you.’ She broke the seal and slipped out the message. Elodi reached for the candle. Her hand shook as she read the note. She looked to Marrick. ‘A ship! A ship has been sighted off their coast?’

‘One of ours? Perhaps a survivor of Bardon’s fleet?’

Elodi re-read the message. Her heart hammered in her ears. ‘No. It appears not. From what they can tell, it’s barely seaworthy, and cannot be one built in Caermund.’ She let the paper drop. ‘Poor quality or not, it’s a ship all the same. It must be from the north.’

Marrick pointed to the dispatch. ‘May I, ma’am?’ Elodi nodded. He read the message. ‘This is what we feared. While Nordyn has yet to take our forests, he must have other sources of timber. Even if not the hardy wood of Ormsk, it's obviously sufficient to build a craft to bring a force south.’

Elodi sat on the bed and invited Marrick to pull up a chair. ‘If this single ship is one of Nordryn’s… what could be his objective? Would you sail close enough to the shore to be spotted?’

‘It could be a scout ship, ma’am.’

‘But if I was planning an invasion by sea, I wouldn’t make my intention known. I’d stay well clear of the coast and venture in at night, maybe sending a small boat ashore to learn what I wish to know.’ Her eyes settled back on the message. ‘Besides, Nordryn has maps of the region at hand. Surely, he would already know of the places suitable to land a raiding party. Yet the action of this lone ship alerts the settlements along our shore.’

‘Perhaps that’s its purpose, ma’am? Those living in coastal regions will now be wary and fearful of an invasion. And… this ship now weighs on your mind, and thus draw our limited resources to the coast.’

‘Ah yes, that could explain such a maneuver.’ Elodi’s heart sank. ‘But there is another. One that would account for the drifting nature of its course… and as the fisherman have noted, little sign of life onboard.’ Her eyes went to the flickering candle.

Elodi looked up. ‘I must leave, Marrick. Muster the last of the First Horse. I shall lead a detachment to Caermund. Send word to all the settlements along the coast of Mund. This craft must not be allowed to put ashore. They must stop it by any means possible.’ Elodi reached for her sword belt and strode to the wardrobe.