There was a cave along the Sea of Skulls, small and cool, hollowed from heavy stone. I stood by the entrance and watched as the figure approached. His face was wrapped in a heavy scarf to keep out the sun and shield his face from view, but I knew him by the way he rolled his shoulders and leaned forward to squint.

“You’re late,” I said softly as he neared.

Slowly, Khalad pulled back the head covering. “How did you know?” His eyes drifted to where my half-finished heartsglass glowed in the glass case I had compelled a passing merchant to sell to me. “I thought… The elders—”

“My strength is not up to par yet. I can scry upon those who wander close to the beach, but the Dark grows in me every day. How is Likh?”

Khalad’s eyes looked tired. “She hasn’t woken up. Not since the elders brought us back. I… Nothing I did could wake her.”

“Is that why you’re here?”

He seemed taken aback by my quiet, gentle tone. Had he imagined he’d find a madwoman lurking along the Sea of Skulls, haunting her lover’s tomb like a forgotten ghost? “Yes and no. I was worried about you.”

“Do they know where I am?” Does Fox know where I am? was what I meant, and he understood.

He shook his head. “No one but the elders. They knew well enough to swear me to secrecy, in exchange for Likh’s treatment. They know I never break my oaths, and I know they could not afford to spare me, now that Master is gone.”

I murmured my sympathies.

He continued. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to come. The only reason I knew you were alive was because of Fox. He believes that I don’t know where you are. I said nothing because of my oath. I…I told no one about Altaecia either. No one’s seen the oracle, but people think she’s ill. I said nothing about her as well. I couldn’t… I knew I had to talk to you first.”

“You made the right choice. Druj might have given up her disguise as the oracle, but she is still dangerous.”

“I’m not even certain there isn’t a spy on my back tailing me. My leaving Kion would make the elders suspicious.”

“They have someone. I turned him away at the borders, sent an illusion of you down to Amarai for him to chase.”

He stared. “You’ve gotten stronger.”

“Black heartsglass takes in more of the Dark, or so some Gorvekai say,” I said.

His gaze traveled to my regenerating heartsglass again. “How?”