It wasn’t long before a servant knocked on the door, announcing the arrival of Prophet Keitra. The Gentis stood to greet her, even the Rei. Rose and the others followed suit.

Keitra was an older woman, with grey streaking her hair and wrinkles pulling the corners of her eyes downwards. She stood proudly upright and glided gracefully into the room, bowing to the King with the poise of a woman half her age. The Rei returned her bow with a deep inclination of his head.

“Prophet Keitra,” he addressed her. “We require your services once more.” Keitra took her place at the end of the table opposite the Rei.

“I am here to serve,” she said. She turned to the strangers. “You wish to know more about our enemies.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes, O Profeta,” Navihm said respectfully.

“I cannot see our enemy, they are too strange to me. I can only see how they will devastate our country.” She closed her eyes. “You are on the right path. I can see that you already know where you're heading.” She opened her eyes to look directly at Navihm. Keitra had just confirmed Navihm’s suspicion that the invasion was going to start further North at the Ninth.

“Can you tell us what will be waiting for us when we arrive?” asked Hart.

“To win this war, allies must be made in unlikely places.” She looked around the room at the people of the Tribes and the Lowlands that had gathered together to fight the invaders. “Genti magic and the blood of our youth will not be enough to win this war. Rei Nael of the Fifth was right to search for help in the Lowlands. Navihm, only you can bring together what has never been allied before. You will understand when you arrive at your destination.”

The Prophet was exactly what Rose had expected her to be; wise, but completely unhelpful. How were they supposed to understand when they reached their destination if they didn't know what their destination was? Apparently Navihm knew where they were heading. Of course the Prophet would make this about Navihm. Ever since Rose had started this journey, everything had revolved around Navihm. Navihm got chosen by the council to go along on the journey, even though he had almost no magic to speak of and had been at the school for less than a season. Navihm set up the wards that protected their camp every night. Navihm was friends with all the guards and was Professor Ward’s favourite student. Now they were sitting with Navihm’s family, being told that Navihm was the only person that could save the whole continent.

It wasn't fair, Rose could do things too.

“We can provide maybe two unum at such short notice. Our army can't spare much more than that,” said the Rei. 

“It would take too much time to gather up more men than that. Still, that’s another forty men at your disposal.”

“I volunteer the Sword Guard for your cause cousin,” said Hart. “If we leave the bare minimum of men to protect the city that is still another fifteen elite men added to your group.” Adding to the pitifully small group of five guards that had traveled from Ianterra, that made their group 60 fighting men strong.

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“Will less than a hundred men be enough to fight off a whole army?” asked Professor Ward.

“I told you that you are on the right path,” said Keitra sourly, all traces of wise solemnity gone from her voice. “Have a little faith.”

“You must all stay the night here,” said Reina Lia. “It will be more comfortable than an inn and we need until morning at least to gather the men.”

Professor Ward bowed to the Reina. “Thank you, your Majesty.” Ward was picking up on Genti customs quickly.

The Queen oversaw the preparation of dinner and rooms for their guests, while the rest of the group discussed the logistics of providing food, horses and camping equipment for a group of over sixty people.

Navihm bowed to Rei Jethro in the light of the dawn. They had assembled on the edge of the village. The soldiers going with them from the Second were preparing their horses to leave and Hart and Navihm were taking the chance to say goodbye to their family. Hart was currently being smothered by his mother.

“Don't do anything too dangerous,” she was saying to him, brushing the hair out of his eyes. Hart smiled and hugged her again, not at all hesitant to show affection in front of his men.

“I will be fine, mother.”

Navihm and his uncle were looking on, smiling.

“You will look after him, won't you Navihm?” asked the Rei seriously.

“Of course, Uncle.” Hart didn’t need looking after, he was a very capable warrior, more skilled than Navihm even. That wouldn't stop Navihm taking care of his younger cousin though.

“And will you let Hart look after you?”

“Now, that I cannot promise.” Navihm grinned. Navihm would put himself in any amount of danger to protect Hart but he would never allow Hart to do the same for him. Rei Jethro returned Navihm’s grin and clasped his shoulder in farewell. Lia pulled Navihm away from his uncle to fuss over him for the few minutes he had before they had to leave.

“Boys,” Professor Ward called from atop his mount. “It’s time to go.” They waved goodbye one last time and mounted their horses.

“Where are we going?” asked Hart.

“We go north. To the Ninth,” Navihm replied.

They headed off to war.