Marcum captured Jimson with a pointed look and said, “All of them.” Sighing loudly, he continued. “Apparently, he took the first two in the span of a single day and then used them to destroy the third. You may remember the news of bodies lined up along the riverbank.” Frisha, Tam, and Jimson all nodded acknowledgement, but this was news to Reaylin who had not joined them until Lorelis. “Well, that was just the first wave. The madness did not stop in Justain. It has spread to all of the larger cities in the north: Caradon, Drennil, Umbrell. There are even whispers of his name as far East as Krellis.”

That was news to Rezkin. He had not specifically ordered anyone to Krellis. Actually, the general’s news was much more up-to-date than what he had gathered since Marcum received the most recent news through the Mage Relay. While Rezkin could gain access and make use of the Mage Relay, his contacts could not, so he depended on messengers and information attained by his new spies in official channels.

“Cheswick?” Tam asked anxiously.

Marcum nodded, “Cheswick, too. Reports claim there was some resistance in Caradon, but now any who live swear loyalty to the Raven.”

“The Raven?” Frisha asked with wide eyes. “He sounds ominous,” she said with a shiver. Rezkin idly squeezed her shoulder for comfort, and she reached up to stroke his fingers with her daintier ones.

“It is, Frisha. It most certainly is. He has even made his presence known here in Kaibain. I have received multiple reports today that the Kaibainian thieves’ guilds have fallen to the Raven. Bodies already line the riverbank, all marked with a raven upon their brows. We know he cannot be in all of these places at once, and it has been difficult to pinpoint his location, but this being the Seat of the King, I think there is a good chance he is here.”

“I have never heard of such a thing,” Captain Jimson remarked. “How can one man commandeer half a kingdom worth of criminals? The greatest advantage we have for keeping them in check is the fact that they are so greedy and unscrupulous that they will never unite. Their guild wars alone keep their numbers at bay.”

“Yes, well, with the state of the kingdom, more people are turning to crime. You have already experienced the results of the rising number of countryside bandits. The cities’ thieves’ guilds are growing their numbers as well. Additionally, I do not believe this Raven intends to stop with the north.”

“You think he will claim the other cities as well?” Jimson asked with concern.