Kidu walked out of the cabin with Sefene holding his hand. Her fingers were smooth and slender, and he felt like a child as he walked beside her. She was as tall as he was as she walked with a stride full of purpose and grace, and her bare footsteps were as light as a young maiden walking on an afternoon meadow of flowers.

All the animals that were by the pond were now gone, the jackals, the deer, the rabbit, the birds. The entire forest felt empty and quiet, and almost dark if not for the lady Sefene, who now seemed to prevent the forest from being dark. She let go of his hand and continued walking.

“Where are you going?” he asked. His hand felt cold without her touch. “I have so many questions.”

“All things spring from the Elder Tree,” she said. “Including all answers, if there any questions that remain. That is where I am going.”

“The Elder Tree.”

“You may know it as the Seat of the World,” she smiled. “You know of this place. One day you will find me there.”

She stepped through the growth of the forest without a sound and disappeared behind the trees.

Kidu clasped his hands together to not feel alone. He wanted to know what this gift was, and why she wanted to give it to Edmon but gave it to him instead. He wanted to understand what the very old knowledge was. He wanted to ask if she was one of the Five Gods, come down to earth to prove to him everything he was taught was all real. But as soon as he had discovered her, she was gone.

There was something about her that seemed so familiar. It wasn’t her face, nor was it a memory, but rather the feeling he had when she kissed his forehead, it felt like it was something that had happened before.

He heard a rustling and footsteps from the trees. Perhaps the lady had returned to answer his questions. He took a step forward and a grey wolf stepped from the trees.

Its eyes were bright yellow and its snout was thick and strong. The wolf sauntered over to Kidu and stood before him, unmoving. Kidu stayed calm though his heart raced. The wolf was nearly as large as a man and he was sure he could not outrun it. The wolf licked its nose and howled into the sky.

Three more wolves emerged from the forest. They stood at different distances but all stood in the same position, looking at Kidu.

When it was clear that the wolves would not approach any further, Kidu took a step away. The wolves stirred but did not take any steps closer. Kidu took another step.

He started walking without looking at the wolves. He thought of the jackals, the deer, the rabbit, and the birds. The singing was gone. The forest was empty save for himself and the wolves. When he turned for a sideways glance, he found the wolves walking with him, keeping their distance.

When he stopped, they stopped. When he walked, they walked. Still, they never appeared aggressive or came any closer. The large wolf was always in front of the pack.

Kidu thought of Edmon, and started to jog. The wolves again kept pace with him. He felt an abundance of energy within him, and before he realized it he was running through the forest. He ran through the afternoon and into the night, not tiring. The wolves panted.

Kidu ran through the night, following the direction of the stars. He needed no rest but stopped only to eat and drink, and was grateful that the queen mother had given him rations.

Deep into the dark of early morning he reached the edge of the forest. He could not explain to himself why he was as not tired, except maybe that was the gift. As he stepped out to the open field, he scanned for his horse. The wolves stayed by the trees in the forest. The large wolf sat and perked his ears while the others paced between the trees. He smiled when he realized that the wolves were simply running with him, almost guiding him back to the edge of the forest. It was as if they knew he didn’t belong in the Irmingard.

We are but leaves of a season to the timeless tree, he thought to himself. You come, and then soon you too shall pass. There is only one truth, only one constant that never wavers.

He saw a flash of movement in the distance. A figure in white moving into the forest. The crescent moon offered little light but it was enough for more than a glimpse. There really was someone else out there, shrouded in complete white.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

He thought of the two strange riders he and Edmon came across back on the Crossing. They too were wearing all white. The wolves perked and pointed themselves at the direction of the white figure. Then they disappeared back into the forest.

Kidu squinted but he couldn’t see the figure anymore. He took a few steps to get a different angle and a horse then neighed. The horse that the queen mother had given him was still there, grazing in the dim moonlight. He laughed and called to the horse, who bobbed her head as she trotted over. Kidu patted her on the side of her neck but he didn’t mount her, as he was waiting to see if the figure would appear again, but after a while the horse shook her head to remind him to leave this place. He patted her again and mounted the horse and before dawn he had reached the gates of the Gildemanse.

Kidu slept through the morning and when he woke, it was already past noon. After changing into fresh clothes, he looked for Edmon. A servant told him that he had gone to the Senate House.

The servant led Kidu to the Senate House, which was not far away. The afternoon wind brought a chill to Kidu’s arms, making him wish he had brought his coat. Unlike the narrow buildings in Lanfrydhall that were built connected to each other, the buildings of the Gildemanse were flatter and spaced out, allowing the wind its way through the streets.

The house was an old square brick building surrounded by marble columns with a single flight of steps that led to double bronze doors. When Kidu entered the house, he found the hall empty except for Edmon sitting on a stone bench. The empty chamber reminded him of the temple from home, so instinctively he removed the necklace Rengu had given him and started thumbing through the glass beads. The hall was dark, but Edmon seemed to have the same type of subtle glow that the lady Sefene had, as if the dark didn’t touch him.

"Good afternoon," Edmon said. "I've been sitting here, admiring this altar. It’s statue of a rider on a winged horse. The rider has a scepter in one hand and a wreath in the other. I think this is supposed to be King Germaint."

Kidu sat on the bench beside Edmon, leaning back with his legs crossed.

"The guards let me know you had returned early in the morning, but I wanted to let you sleep in," Edmon continued. "How was your adventure? Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No. The forest..." he said, pausing. "There’s nothing there. I found the pond, like the Queen Mother said but there was no life there. I hoped but…I’m sorry I failed you."

"Nonsense," Edmon shook his head. "I think I was the least hopeful among all of us that I'd be fortunate enough to stumble into a magical cure, waiting for me in the forest. This whole thing felt a little convenient, don’t you think? I’ve learned long ago hope does not sit on my side.”

Kidu laid his hand upon Edmon's shoulder. "I will always be by your side, until you send me away that is.”

Edmon smiled and placed his hand on top of Kidu's. "You were right from before; it seems like there's always a council. The meeting today with the Aredunian senate was fruitless. It seems that with Prince Andrew's dismissal of me as steward I don't have the political clout I once had. They will not support us, as long as Padrig holds the power of the Republic. The boy isn’t terribly popular here. Their gain lies in Padrig's defeat. These senators serve only the greedy governors, and they in turn would let the Republic fall to chaos and ruin to restore the old bloodlines."

"What use is a king if he can't command these governors?" Kidu asked. "Maybe it is all worth falling to chaos and ruin."

“A king without his governors, imagine that,” Edmon said, rubbing his chin. “Or a king without his Earls. I wonder sometimes. Would that be better? Or would a nation of governors or Earls without a king move us further toward unity?”

“The fingers cannot exist without a hand.”

"Aye, the hand,” Edmon nodded as he stood up. “They also lob rumors against Padrig's legitimacy. Rumors of who his real father is. It was indeed an ugly day. Our best option for now is to secure help from their neigbors to the north and force their hand."

"The neighbors to the north?"

"Yes, the Yghrs," Edmon said as he began walking. "What bothers me is that the Queen Mother and the king never got my letter. This could have been avoided if that letter was delivered. Either something foul fell to Remy the driver, or he purposely never delivered it. That would be a massive betrayal for someone in his position. Someone may be working against us now. So I've been sitting here since the meeting ended, thinking of our next move. We have friends waiting for us in Banningtown."

“Banningtown? Are we about to go on the road again?”

“Unfortunately yes. There was an alternate plan, set forth by the second letter, do you remember? One from me that was to be delivered here. Another from Menquist to be delivered in Banningtown. I just hope that letter found it’s way to its intended recipient.”

Kidu rubbed his fingers on the glass beads of his necklace and looked out the open door. The sound of the wind filled the empty chamber, hissing and whispering like a warning. He thought of telling Edmon of the gift Sefene had given him in the forest, but then it might have angered Edmon if he realized the gift was intended for him. Kidu would have to keep this to himself, just as he had to keep the secret of the two lost letters to himself. All of his secrets weighed on him like waking up to morning snowfall, like so long ago when he and Timlan climbed the Mirror.

“Are you alright?” Edmon asked.

Kidu’s thoughts jumped to the wolf that escorted him through the forest. Perhaps he was supposed to be the wolf.

“Of course. I left the Scales to see the world. Whenever you’re ready.”