‘Ah. Here we go,’ Tatum said, his voice low. ‘Is it weird that I’ve been a defender for five years and I still get nervous when I see the warden approaching?’

The question prompted Blackmane and Alveye to look over their shoulders. There was Shapur Wright marching towards them, framed by the royal castle.

‘Where’s Hadewaye?’ Shapur asked as he came to a stop before the three men.

Alveye straightened. ‘Armoury, sir.’

They were either about to be reprimanded or given orders. Blackmane waited to see which one it was.

‘I am sending the four of you to Carmarthenshire,’ Shapur announced.

Orders were always preferable. So they were going to Carmarthenshire—again.

Tatum and Alveye exchanged a look of surprise.

Before the famine, Carmarthenshire had been a county in Wales. During the famine, the name became a blanket phrase used for all the land between England’s border and the newly formed kingdom of Chadora. And when all the villages had been deserted, the forests stripped of food, and the region abandoned by their king, it became known simply as ‘the wastelands’.

The return of the marcher lords along the border had been the first sign of renewed interest in the region. The dispatching of units was the second. The defenders had been keeping an eye on the situation for some time, watching from the safety of their walls as entire rebel groups were removed or extinguished.

‘You will go to Hampstead Keep and meet with the new Earl of Hereford,’ Shapur continued. ‘Lord Hodge has offered to take you on a tour of the region and show you the advancements they have made. It seems progress has stalled. There are two groups proving to be problematic—St Clare and Emlyn.’

‘Oh. The groups have names now,’ Tatum said, pretending to be impressed.

Shapur gave him a disapproving look. ‘General terms like ‘wastelander’ are not helpful in these types of situations. Better to identify what part of the region they are from in order to truly know what we are up against.’

Alveye nodded. ‘Makes sense. Every county will have their own unique history.’

‘And trauma response,’ Tatum muttered.

Blackmane shifted his weight. ‘What kind of problems are they having with these groups?’

Shapur crossed his arms. ‘Lord Hodge claims they frequently attack the camps in the region. I suspect he is hoping for some assistance with this.’

Blackmane narrowed his brows. ‘Why would these groups attack the camps? Food shortages are no longer an issue, and they can hunt and gather in the regions they still control.’

Shapur nodded. ‘King Becket’s thoughts exactly. That is why he is sending a small unit of defenders to see what is going on. He wants to fully understand what is happening before getting involved.’

‘Exactly how small a unit, sir?’ Alveye asked.

Shapur gestured between them. ‘You are looking at it.’

Blackmane had been afraid of that.

‘Plus Hadewaye,’ Shapur added. He looked at Tatum. ‘I am putting you in charge. Make sure everyone gets home safely.’