Branwen arrived barely twenty minutes after Verdan had sent her the message, looking like she’d thrown some clothes on and raced out straight away. Tom ran along beside her, his tunic on backwards and a mace in hand as he watched their surroundings warily.

  Tom was an Earth Sorcerer who had once been Verdan’s guard and was now a member of the Eternal Wardens. He was a few inches above six feet tall, broad and with short blonde hair, but looked small and dainty compared to the Idrisyr at his side.

  “Branwen, Tom, thank you for coming so quickly,” Verdan called out, waving them over to the small guard post where the two injured were being kept.

  “What happened?” Branwen asked, squeezing into the building as Tom took up a watchful position outside.

  “Two attackers, they used some sort of item to project silence and then cut down the guards. They would have done more, but Rocky dealt with them.” Verdan tried to keep the rage from his voice as Branwen knelt down and examined Neld and the other guard before laying a hand on each of them.

  “Lord of Earth, lend us your aid to reform what has been sundered. Lend these stalwart guardians the strength of your children that they might rise and continue their noble work.”

  Golden light flared around Branwen’s hands, growing swiftly before flooding into the two injured guards and being absorbed somehow. Exeon, the celestial magic of the gods. It was beyond Verdan’s ken, but that didn’t matter, not now. All he could see was the colour returning to the cheeks of his people as Branwen let out a ragged breath.

  “There, that was the most I can do in one go. I’ll see them again tomorrow, though, to ensure they keep recovering.” Branwen’s tone brooked no argument, but she’d get none from him. “Let us speak outside.”

  Verdan nodded and stepped outside, patting Tom on the shoulder as he did and thanking him for coming.

  “It’s no problem. When she said where she was going, I had to come,” Tom said with a shrug of his broad shoulders as he slid his mace back into his belt. “Besides, there’s a lot of tension in the air, and I’d rather be next to her with my mace ready.”

  Verdan frowned and looked between the two of them. “Have you two had any issues?”

  Branwen looked uncomfortable and said nothing, but Tom snorted and folded his arms. “Hardly. They know better than to say anything to my face. There’s been whispers, though. People who used to not care suddenly have a problem with us.”

  Verdan scowled before grimacing in distaste. Tom and Branwen had been an item for some time, and he’d be hard pressed to find two people who’d done more for the city. The fact that anyone dared speak out against them being together showed just how far things had deteriorated. “If you need anything, just let me know.”

  “Our problems are our own,” Branwen said firmly. “But we appreciate your support. Now, what do you know about the attackers?”

  “Precious little,” Verdan said, pulling out a handful of fractured pieces of metal as he spoke. “This was what they used to cause the silence. I believe it was through Sigils, but my disruption of the effect caused it to break apart. Something I will test in the future, but if it was an item bearing Sigils, this might well be an effort by the Brotherhood.”

  “I see.” Branwen fell silent as she regarded the pieces of metal with a thoughtful expression. “With the potentially missing Idrisyr, I’ve been on edge recently now that there are more of us in the city. If the Brotherhood is indeed here, I will need to take steps to protect us.”

  “I will let you know what I find as we investigate.”

  “Thank you.” Branwen stared off into the distance for a moment before shaking herself. “I need to go home and get some sleep. I’ll be back tomorrow for a second healing. Come on, Tom.”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The earth Sorcerer nodded and fell into step beside the big woman as the two of them left the estate.

  “Boss?” Nikau hurried over once Verdan was free. “We’ve checked the area, no sign of anything else. Should I start sending people back to bed?”

  Verdan hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yes. Stand down all but a few to keep watch. Before that, though, what of the bodies?”

  The remains of the attackers had been removed while Verdan was in the small guard post with Branwen, though their blood still stained the paved stone. Once he was sure that they didn’t need to maintain the area, though, Verdan would clean it up with a spell. He didn’t want Adrienne to think it had been left for her to clean up.

  “They’ve been searched and stored in a spare room. Should we keep them for the city guard or dispose of them?”

  Verdan arched one brow, unsure of just how Nikau thought he’d dispose of the two bodies in the middle of the city. Then again, maybe he was best off not knowing the answer to that. “Keep them. I expect we’ll see the guards soon, I’ll wait up until then.”

  “No need, I’ll stay awake for the guards,” Nikau said, gesturing towards the mansion. “I can explain what happened here just as much as you can. Get some sleep, Boss. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

  Verdan winced, knowing that the Captain was right. Commander Silver and the council would no doubt want to hear more, and he wanted to be well rested for that sort of meeting. “Alright, I’ll go. Wake me up the moment you need me, though, understood?”

  “Sure, sure, now go.” Nikau gestured off to the side and Verdan had to laugh as he saw Ruan gently but firmly guiding Natalia back to the mansion as well. She’d already administered a potion apiece to the injured guards before Branwen arrived, so there was nothing more she could do.

  Following Ruan and Natalia inside, Verdan yawned heavily as he slowly made his way back to bed.

  -**-

  To Verdan’s surprise, Commander Silver wasn’t the first caller they had the following morning. A patrol had come by in response to the shriek, shouting and bright lights, but according to Nikau they’d simply left with the bodies.

  Verdan had assumed that meant they’d get an early visit, but the first visitors turned out to be Ciaran, Maeve, Dirk and Sinead. Three Chosen and a Keeper. Whatever had all four of them moving together was big news for the Kranjir, that much was certain.

  It wasn’t just the four, of course. Each Chosen had at least five of their Thearns, accompanying them, and Sinead had a trio of gruff, veteran shieldguards at her side. The apparent leader wasn’t someone that Verdan recognised, but Sinead introduced him as Baird Doullstan, the new leader of the Mhorgain shieldguards in Hobson’s Point.

  “I hadn’t realised that we’d reached the point that they needed their own leadership,” Verdan said, giving the man an appraising look.

  “With the people that Baird has brought in, we’re up to almost three hundred shieldguards, with more ready to volunteer once we can support them.” Sinead announced proudly, and rightfully so. That was a long way from the meagre number they’d once had.

  Giving Baird a once over, Verdan wasn’t quite sure what to make of him. The other man was stocky and muscular, but had long shaggy hair and an equally unkempt beard. A pair of the darkest eyes Verdan had ever seen peered out through the man’s wild mane, and what Verdan could see of the man’s Caelin was intricate and heavy.

  In contrast to his unkempt appearance, Baird was wearing a set of old armour, mainly leather but with metal over key areas. An old worn out emblem was carved into the heart plate, showing a pair of wolves on either side of a staff.

  The Mhorgain emblem was a dark staff, something which had far more significance now that they knew more about the potential origins of the Kranjir. The wolves would be the Doull family symbol, and Verdan saw it on the armour of both of the other shieldguards.

  The other two weren’t as unkempt as their leader, but they had the look of tough veterans, and their armour and weapons were kept to a high standard. For now, that was all Verdan needed to know about them.

  “So,” Verdan said, turning to face the group as a whole. “What brings you all to my door today?”

  “As you might expect, we have news of the Darjee,” Ciaran said in a grim tone that matched his serious expression. “Our expedition went well, and the Vespa were a great help, but we need to discuss our findings with the city council. I had hoped you would accompany us to meet them. I know your standing with the new council is tenuous, but any aid would be appreciated.”

  “Of course,” Verdan said firmly. “I am always happy to help where I can. The council will likely be summoning me this morning anyway.”

  “Would that have anything to do with why your people look so tense?” Maeve asked, giving him a concerned look. “What has happened?”

  “I believe there was an attempt either to assassinate or to steal from me,” Verdan said, holding up his hands to quiet down the immediate reaction of the Kranjir. “Two of my guards were injured, but their attackers are dead, so their true aim will remain a mystery. I have my suspicions, though.”

  “You suspect the Brotherhood,” Dirk said knowingly.

  “I do, but with everything that has happened recently, I’m wary of simply assuming they are at fault.”

  “I would offer to lend aid to secure your home, but our news complicates matters,” Ciaran said, drumming his fingers on the axe hanging at his belt. “We should speak with the council first, then we can discuss our next steps.”