She’d scouted the place, years back, in the hopes of using Konor Belenzo’s old tunnels as a stronghold. Something about the sunken passageways had set her nerves on edge. Most of the Forbidden Places did, of course. The legacy of old magic, and the touch of gods. But Skazit was colder, somehow – worse even than the brooding treeline of Maiden’s Hollow. The whispers were louder there, closer to the surface of Revekah’s dreams. Shadows cast without light. But for all that, what had worried Revekah more was how the tunnels had felt like home – welcoming in a way she couldn’t describe. When she’d left, she’d never looked back, and warned all who’d listen to give Skazit a wide berth. No surprise to learn some hadn’t heeded her words.

Vorn rubbed at his eyes. Revekah recognised an echo of her own sleepless nights in his expression. “Didn’t have much choice, not with those cursed lions at my heel.”

Crovan met Revekah’s gaze. “A dozen farmers dead, their families homeless, and you think I hadn’t the right to act? Should I have let them drag the survivors to Cragwatch?”

“You should have asked for help,” she replied. “From me. From the others. We’re stronger together.”

“There was no time. I scarcely had opportunity to get my people organised, let alone beg your permission.”

“Really? Because I’d have had twenty of my phoenixes here within an hour.” Revekah leaned forward. She’d been fairly sure before, but now she was certain. “Do you know what I think?”

“I know you’re going to tell me.”

“I think this was about you. Like it’s always about you. About Drakos Crovan, the Wolf King, liberator of the Southshires and his reputation. Boldness is not the same as recklessness.”

“And cowardice is too often passed off as caution,” he snapped.

Revekah stifled a grimace. “I didn’t come here to argue with you.”

“Ha!” Crovan crooked a half-smile, his temper fading as swift as it had flared. “You always say that.”

“It’s always true.” Enough, Revekah decided. She’d delivered her rebuke, he’d ignored it and no amount of quarrelling would change that. “Your heart’s in the right place, Crovan. I’m not denying that. And you’ve a gift for getting folk to follow you. But reckless deeds should be our last resort, not our first.”

He scowled and nodded – though Revekah knew better than to take it as agreement. “If you didn’t come to argue, why are you here? To bask in my praise for humiliating the archimandrite? Don’t deny that was your work. Surprised you didn’t kill him.”

“Makrov’s more trouble dead than alive.”

“Now there we can agree. It’s an escalation we don’t need. So what do you want?”