They stood on an exposed mountainside. If there were sentries on the wall of that distant construction, the three on the trail were still too distant to be noticed, but if there were sentries at the bottom of this long trail down, or anywhere nearer, they were not visible should anyone look in their direction.

Sandreena pointed to a depression down about a dozen yards below the trail. “That’s a stream bed when there are rains, if I haven’t missed my guess,” she said. She turned off the switchback and carefully led her horse down the loose rocks and scrub, looking at each step for treacherous footing. When she reached the indicated gully, it quickly deepened. Reaching the bottom, she halted. “We leave the horses here and tonight we get as close as we can to investigate.”

“Leave the horses, Sergeant?” asked Farson.

“The thing about switchback trails is there is no cover and those below can just sit there and start shooting arrows at you like swinging targets in the marshaling yard.” She glanced upward. “We have three trails above and five or six below.” She looked at the two Knights. “Farson, I want you to lead the horses back up to the top.” She pointed to a notch directly above where they crouched. “Wait up there. Untack them, clean them, water them, and wait until sundown. Then tack them up again and be ready to ride at a moment’s notice.” She sensed he was about to object, but cut off anything he might say. “You have the most critical duty. If we are not back in a day’s time, by sunrise tomorrow, you assume we are dead. You must get back to Durban and take the fastest route to Krondor, by ship if you can, or trade the three horses in for fresh mounts and then get to the Temple.”

She realized there was only one man at the Temple who was on that list. “Brother Willoby, in Father-Bishop Creegan’s office. Find him and tell him what we’ve found. He’ll know what to do.”

Brother Farson said, “What have we found, Sergeant?” He pointed in the general direction of the distant construction. “I don’t even know if I can describe what we’re seeing, let alone divine its purpose.”

“It is an invasion point,” said Sandreena. “Can’t you feel them?”

“Who?” asked Jaliel, his dark brown eyebrows knitted in concentration or worry.

“Demons,” said Sandreena. “The place below is crawling with them if my skin is any indication.”

Farson said, “Sergeant, I feel a little…on edge, but…I just don’t feel it.”

“Me, neither,” agreed Jaliel.