“It’s not so much a risk as you might think. Even if Sir Oreth should be in Atrine, it would still take time for him to locate all the people he needs to call Censure against me. It’s a much larger number than Tamin required—who, after all, had lost so much of his banner’s population. As long as I don’t linger, I can slip in to see the duke and be gone before Oreth has a chance to confront me.”

“She has a point,” Sir Baramon said.

Dorna pressed her lips together into a thin line. “Still don’t like it.”

Janel smiled. “Noted, dear Dorna.” She turned to Ninavis. “Does this satisfy you? I know it must seem like I’m deserting you, but I’m doing the opposite. I must find out who this Relos Var is, who Senera is, and most of all, what they are attempting to accomplish. It’s the best chance we have to stop them.”

Ninavis looked sullen and still not placated, but she nodded and ducked her head in agreement. “Fine. You lot go to Atrine. We’ll stay here and rebuild.” She paused. “We’ll have a hard time of it. There’s not many able bodies left.”

“Do what you have to do,” Janel said, “although I would recommend trying to convince the army to leave a segment here, as a precautionary measure. It may be the whole goal was to weaken this region of Jorat’s defenses.”

Ninavis stared at her. “This region of Jorat? We’re in the middle of Jorat. Right smack in the middle. If someone invaded, they’d have to cross a half dozen cantons and thirty or so banners to get to this point. It’s not exactly a choke point for military invasion.”

“It is if you have an undefended Gatestone, with no Gatekeeper,” Janel said. “Then it becomes an excellent way to flank and sneak Yorans into our dominion.”

“I suppose, but still, I would think there are better places to gain a foothold. I don’t know…” Ninavis waved her hand.

“Tolamer,” Sir Baramon offered. “Count Janel’s canton would be perfect.”

“Right. Tolamer,” Ninavis agreed. Then she paused and looked back at Janel.

“Yes,” Janel said, “even more reason I want the issue with Sir Oreth cleared up, but I doubt he’s in league with invading Yorans.”

“Can Yorans invade?” Brother Qown asked. “I mean, they’re part of the empire. Seems a little odd for one section of the empire to try to take over another, doesn’t it?”

The other three people looked at each other as if sharing a silent communication—and reminding each other Brother Qown wasn’t from the eastern side of the Dragonspire Mountains.

“Yor was the last dominion added to the empire,” Dorna explained.

“I know that,” Brother Qown said.