The rain continued to pour over Ildemar and the small island harboring Star-gazer Garden, forming a curtain of gray over the fjord. The raindrops fell, heavy and cold, much colder than one would expect by the end of the fifth month, but Noah couldn’t feel them. His whole body was numb, drained, and moving only by the grace of his tenacity.

Cradling Shana to his chest, he descended the slippery steps of the gazebo. Around it, a silent drenched crowd had gathered, fine silks and golden embroideries now ruined by the rain and mud. The great powers of Norden watched in silence as their ruler approached. Finally, a young nobleman broke the line and stepped forth.

“Your Highness, are you and Lady Shana alright?”

“We are fine, Allen. Everything is over.” Noah glanced at the oldest De Mar brother. “Any injuries on your side?”

“None. The kukuls and their aides kept everyone safe. What was this magic? Did someone attack us?”

“Now’s not the time for explanations. Have someone to take care of Tikotse, Karusa, and Rasha. After that, go down the cliff and help your brother and Duncan.” Noah turned to the green-clad woman behind Allen. “Baroness, you should go with him. I leave my wife and Saya in your care.”

“Why are you alone?” The coldness in Lady Sigurd’s words couldn’t completely hide the tremble in her voice. “Where is the boy?”

“Make sure to bring them directly to the castle without delay,” Noah continued, ignoring her. “Have a healer from Wolf Mountain check the Duchess’ condition…”

“Why isn’t Gregor with you?” Baroness De Vindur brushed past him and ran up the gazebo’s stairs.

“... since she might have been ghost touched.”

“Merciful Saints! Gerash!”

A low cry came from behind Noah. He didn’t turn back. His grip on Shana’s body tightened as he stepped forward.

“Baroness, make sure Saya learns nothing while you escort them to Ildemar.”

Not waiting for her response, Noah walked through the crowd, oblivious to their whispers and worried glances. One after the other, courtiers and dignitaries followed their lord back to the castle.

The path through the pine forest felt endless, every root trying to trip Noah and halt his staggering step. Someone talked to him and tried taking Shana from his hands. A glare and a growl had them scurry away. When he reached the bridge the storm hit his face in full force. He stood motionless facing the sky for a moment, imagining the rain washing away his pain and burden. It didn’t. Instead, the howling wind carried someone’s shout.

“Your Highness!”

Noah lowered his head and saw Rish sprinting along the bridge, followed by two knights. With some effort, they slipped to a halt before him.

“Why are you here, Rish?” Noah’s words sounded harsher than he intended them to be. “I believe I had you detained until further notice. Who… Wait, is that blood?”

Indeed, there were some big red splatters across her clothes, the same being true for the surcoats of the two knights.

“Elder Kotrag sent me.” The young Binshi panted heavily. “There was an attempt to murder kush-turgan Bayan. Bear Ridge and Twilight Pass attacked out of nowhere… Mother Above, is that Shana?”

The young shaman stared at the child in her lord’s arms and her already pale face became even paler. Her eyes rounded and she opened her mouth but Noah didn’t give her a chance to speak.

“Shana is fine. Report the situation in the castle.”

“The attackers have been subdued and kush-turgan Bayan is alive but… kush-turgan Vukan is dead. Kush-turgan Nekor used a hex and managed to escape.”

“How? The protection barriers should have been up?”

“Elder Kotrag said that there was a… flicker in the charms. For a few minutes, all defenses were down…”

Noah gritted his teeth and a curse escaped his lips. Damn them Red Hands. There was no doubt in his mind who was behind all this. Trying to kidnap Shana by employing some unknown hexes; using the chaos to attack one of the kush-turgans - it sounded just like them. They hatched convoluted plans where no matter the outcome, they were the winners. It had been the same seven years ago. They had attacked the wedding procession of the De Vindur heir, killing everyone in sight, and while his main forces were pursuing them, the attack on Star-path Valley had been carried out. When they had attempted to kidnap Shana the first time, they had used the shamans they had sacrificed to cast a hex and desolate a whole farming village inhabited by mixed-bloods.

Continuing to curse, Noah marched forth towards the castle, forcing Rish and everyone else to scurry behind him. As he finally reached the shelter of Ildemar’s arches, a flood of Shadows and knights surrounded him. He gave some orders and then rushed to Shana’s room where he was finally willing to give her up to Wolf Mountain’s Elders. Despite their assurances, he vehemently refused to be separated from the child again, thus forcing them to leave him in the room and span a few snow-silk screens around her bed.

Some minutes later, a servant brought him a dry set of clothes and a cup of spiced wine. Noah quickly changed, downed the wine without tasting it, and began pacing back and forth. After some time, a knock on the door announced the arrival of Neli and Aiden. The old Marzbanati ran towards him and began checking his body.

“Are you injured? Ah, shekri, shekri, my darling boy, what devil made you jump down the cliff?! Why were you so reckless?”

“I’m fine, mother.” Noah grabbed her hands and kissed them. “And I did what I had to do. Besides, the one who really got hurt was Gerash.”

“What happened?” Neli’s tone was somber but the relief on her face couldn’t be hidden.

Noah briefly recalled what happened, his gaze constantly being drawn to the shadows behind the snow-silk screens. The lips of the old Marzbanati became thinner and thinner with each passing minute. When the report was over, she pressed Noah to her chest and then hurried to Shana’s bed.

Left alone with Aiden, Noah rubbed his face with a shaking hand.

“Tell me what happened here. Rish said that there was an attempt at Bayan’s life.”

“So it is, my lord.”

“Tell me all the details…”

A dizzy spell overcame Noah and he swayed. With trained reflexes, the knight caught his arm.

“Your Highness, you’d better take a seat. You don’t look very well.”

“I have no time to not feel well, Aiden,” grumbled Noah but allowed himself to be dragged to a nearby chair. “Report.”

“About the same time that strange thunderstorm began, we felt the castle shake. Then all of a sudden, people from Bear Ridge and Twilight Pass attacked their assigned Shadows. No one expected them to be able to use hexes so there was confusion and some casualties. The two kush-turgans personally stormed the chambers of Lord Bayan and managed to injure him before his aides and the Shadows were able to stop them. His condition is serious but not life-threatening. During the attack, kush-turgan Vukan was killed by Rish and Lord Bayan’s aid, Zeze…”

“What was Rish even doing there?” Noah pinched his nose. “She was supposed to be under house arrest for a week.”

“She… probably let herself out when she heard the commotion.” Aiden scratched his chin. “To be honest, the girl was a lot of help. I hope that Your Highness won’t punish her further.”

“Brave insubordinate fool… just like her cousin.” Noah sighed. “No, she won’t be punished. I can’t afford to lose one more capable shaman. Suppress information about everything that has occurred. Send Shadows and knights to hunt down Nekor. And bring William and Duncan to me.”

“I’ve already dispatched search parties. As for Sir Duncan and William, I will relay them your summons, but… shouldn’t you rest first, my lord? And I’ll call a healer to look at your leg…”

“I’ll have enough rest in the grave, Aiden. Go fetch them.”

The knight bowed and ran out to fulfill his orders.

Noah let out a long sigh and leaned back in his chair. Closing his eyes, he tried to gather his thoughts with little success. The Two Gods sure had a sick sense of humor. Or maybe this was punishment for all his sins? It felt like the more he tried to achieve peace and order, the thicker the chaos that surrounded him became. Today, he almost lost his wife, his daughter, and his best friend, and now had to deal with Binshi traitors. He was tired. So tired of everything…

When Duncan and William entered the room sometime later, they found Noah asleep in the chair, his head - leaning on one of his shoulders. The two men exchanged a look and nodded. Duncan silently sat in the chair next to his lord and the younger De Mar brother limped towards the wall of white screens. After exchanging a few words with one of the Elders, William quietly left the room.

Within half an hour, bird after bird flew out of the Falconer’s Tower of castle Ildemar, sending orders to the information network William had created and managed with a lot of passion, threats, and hefty bribes. Within two hours, the reports started to trickle in. The further the day progressed, the grimmer the Lord Steward’s expression became.