‘This is a dark time for your people.’ Now it was Zachary who looked away from the fire of Dion’s gaze. The eldran stared into the trees in the direction of Xanthos, as if seeing the blood that would soon be shed dripping from the low branches. ‘But it is not our war.’

Dion knew Nikolas. He knew his brother would lead the army down from the Gates of Annika and try to retake the city.

For Nikolas was now the king of Xanthos.

‘But eldren are fighting on the side of the sun king,’ Dion persisted. ‘That makes it your war. Triton—’

Zachary’s eyes narrowed as he interrupted. ‘Did you say “Triton”?’

Dion nodded.

‘I have not heard that name in a long time.’

‘He says he is your king.’

‘Untrue,’ Zachary said as his wizened features curled in a scowl. ‘He has the blood of Marrix, but many can make that claim. He may lead those from the Waste, but only if he reclaims our homeland can he call himself our king.’

The pieces fitted together in Dion’s mind. Only now did he understand the truth. There was more at stake than the survival of Xanthos and Phalesia.

‘Triton needs the horn of Marrix,’ Dion said. ‘The horn is inside the Ark of Revelation, at the Temple of Aldus in Phalesia.’

Zachary drew back and his eyes went wide. ‘How do you know this?’

‘The two myths,’ Dion said. ‘They overlap. The story of King Palemon says he stole a magical horn and put it in an iron box, for eldren magic fails when confined by metal. The Ark of Revelation is said to contain holy tablets, and must never be opened or all will suffer.’

Dion waited for Zachary’s reaction, but it was a long time before he spoke.

Finally, the eldran nodded. ‘We know this. We’ve known this for a long time, and we’ve watched over the ark. But we did not know that Triton knew.’

‘He only just discovered the ark’s location,’ Dion said, remembering Chloe’s story. He hesitated. ‘The one thing in common with both tales is that if the ark opens then humanity is lost. What does the horn do?’

Zachary’s eyes stared into the distance, unfocused as he watched the surrounding forest, seeing something else altogether. ‘It would give Triton control over the wild ones. There are many more wildren than eldren. It would give him power over them all. Long ago, our people and yours fought. For Triton, that war never ended.’

‘And you?’

He looked at Dion. ‘We have no wish for more war between humans and eldren.’

‘If you help my brother retake Xanthos, together we will be able to save Phalesia. Nikolas has thousands of men under his command.’

Zachary’s expression was pained. ‘Some of us will die. We are barely a hundred.’