"You will stand back!" Sena said, staring back at her. Tears burned in his eyes, and his legs trembled. He pushed the blade a little deeper, nicking the man's skin, and Maev froze. Blood dripped down Jeid's neck. "Stand back, Maev, or your father dies."

Ahead, a short young woman was holding a severed head. She had been shouting something earlier. Crouched in the forest among the dead, Sena had been unable to make out her words. The woman looked about his age, maybe older, but haggard and small, frail as if after a long illness. Her black hair was cut short, and her mouth was slanted, her chin thrust to the side. She stared at him, tilted her head, and approached slowly.

"Why do you do this?" she said. Her voice was vaguely slurred, perhaps due to her crooked jaw.

Sena glared at her, clutching Jeid. "I am a prince of Eteer! I don't belong here. I can't live in this place. I have to go home." A sob fled his throat. "If I kill a weredragon, my father will forgive me. If I bring him this man's body, his demons will sniff the weredragon curse. They will know I killed one. And my father, the king, will forgive my own curse. He will let me return to my palace. Maybe not as heir, but a prince again." His chest shook and he cursed himself for weeping. "I want to go home. I just want to go home. Oh Taal . . ."

The young woman with the short, black hair stepped closer to him. She raised her emptied palms in a gesture of peace.

"You are . . . the Prince of Eteer?" Her voice was soft, and she tilted her head. "You are Sena Seran, son of Raem."

He nodded, peering around Jeid's shoulder, keeping the knife in place. The bearded man was silent save for his gruff breath.

"And who are you?" Sena demanded. "Another one of this man's daughters who wants to crack my head?"

The young woman shook her head, and a tear streamed down her cheek. "My name is Laira."

Sena snorted. "I had a sister named Laira once. It's a name of Eteer, not this forsaken place. She was exiled years ago and—"

He froze.

Laira stared at him, eyes soft, and moved closer. She reached out her hands. "It's me, Sena," she whispered, tears falling. "It's me. Your sister. I'm here."

Sena lowered his head and closed his eyes. Sobs wracked his body.

My sister . . .

"Oh Taal. Oh righteous god of purity. What have they done to you, sister?" He looked at her through his tears. "We have to go home. Both of us. We have to kill the others so Father forgives us. I want to go home."

Laira smiled tremulously. She stepped across the boulders toward him, reached out, and gently touched his arm.

"We are home, brother. We are home."