“He’s in the new Lupine Territory northeast of here,” Trystan says, turning to meet my gaze with his kohl-rimmed eyes. “Rafe’s Lupine now.”

Stark relief wells. “And Diana?”

“She’s with Rafe,” he assures me. “And Jarod, Aislinn and Andras...they’re all here. All Lupine.”

“Aislinn too?”

“Jarod recently turned her. They’re all part of the newly established Gerwulf pack.”

I let out a hard, wavering breath, realizing that if Aislinn made it here, that means Sparrow, Effrey, and Thierren are likely here in the East, as well. “Tierney?” I ask.

“She’s in the Wyvernguard. With me. She’s claimed this river as her kindred.” He gestures toward the staggeringly huge river below us.

An emotional laugh escapes me. “Of course she would. The largest river on all of Erthia.”

Trystan shoots me a knowing grin.

“And Sage?” I ask, basking in my brother’s presence despite the dire state of things.

He nods. “She joined the Wyvernguard and settled in the Eastern Sublands with her partner, Ra’Ven, and their child.”

Fyn’ir. The little purple-winged Icaral child.

“Fyn’ir’s under heavy Smaragdalfar guard.” Trystan gives me a tense look.

“Ancient One,” I breathe, remembering how Yvan kept his identity so carefully hidden in Verpacia, wings tightly glamoured down. A sudden longing for him grips my chest as I glance searchingly toward the northeast.

I know it was your fire that I felt, I think out toward Yvan. Please, be alive.

Trystan swerves through the thickening air traffic, rune skiffs of all shapes and sizes soaring around us. “Gareth’s here,” he says as he turns our course due south. “He’s in the Vu Trin navy now. Stationed near the Salishen Isles. And Olilly and Fern are settled here. Jules Kristian and Lucretia. Everyone Kam Vin promised she’d bring east.”

My ragged relief swells. “Oh, Trystan...”

He reaches back to take hold of my hand, and I grip his in turn as I’m hit by a strong wave of grief. “Trystan,” I say, barely able to get the words out. “Uncle Edwin...”

His jaw tenses, a flare of chaotic turbulence running through his lines as he meets my eyes. “I know. Jules told me soon after he got to Voloi.”

We’re quiet for a moment as Trystan navigates the air traffic, glancing over his shoulder every now and then as if he’s trying to spot anything that could be tailing us.

My nerves prickle with concern. “Do you think anyone will come after us?”

He tilts his head, as if equivocating. “Yes, but I’ll report back before my absence raises alarms. I think our timing was...lucky.”

I nod with some relief before a sudden heat sparks over my back in a static rush, every one of my muscles tensing against it. Alarmed, I turn toward its origin, my eyes widening as I peer past the skiff’s stern.