Taelord and Rehs were both distracted at breakfast. Rehs was eager – Taelord guessed he was waiting for word that Kiran had broken Leran out of the Imperial dungeons. Taelord feared hearing the same.

Everything seemed to be falling apart. War seemed closer every time Taelord woke. He still had the broadsword he had taken from Srung, and he slept with it nearby, half expecting to be woken from sleep by the sounds of battle.

There was of course a logical way to look at it. War was probably going to happen with or without the Volcarrens. There was no reason that they couldn’t just leave, whether or not it started. And maybe that was exactly what Taelord would have to do – flee Helsng with his mother and find somewhere else to stay. But it would mean leaving G’shar and his family to their own devices.

But then what could he do? He hadn’t caused this, and he certainly couldn’t stop it. Taelord frowned, and forced himself to eat more of the breakfast Syafa had put before him. He wanted peace. He hated the Empire. But he needed peace.

There had been no word yet. Had the Empire decided to release Leran? Had they even heard Jer? Or had Kiran already penetrated the keep, and freed Leran?

The only word had been from Kran – he had knocked on G’shar’s door late last night to deliver a message from Utgar to all the Volcarrens: not to take any action against the Empire which could lead to war. Veth and Scar-shoulder had frowned at the words, and Rehs had looked disappointed. Taelord only hoped the Volcarrens would listen.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knocking at the door. G’shar frowned. Rehs, Veth, and Scar-shoulder looked up eagerly. Taelord looked at the door fearfully, as did Aiiva. Syafa glanced at her husband. Taelord’s mother continued eating.

G’shar stood, and pulled the door open. “Marenn!” he cried.

A man who looked to be about G’shar’s age stood at the door. He was no common laborer, Taelord could see that instantly. He had the orange-brown skin of a Southern kyrie, but he had an air about him of being well-kept. He wore the wool trousers and shirt most farmers wore, but he also had on a leather vest over them, which was clean and looked new. His hands and face were clean, as where G’shar’s were almost always somewhat dirty from working in the fields.

“G’shar!” he said, embracing him like an old friend.

“Come in,” G’shar said, gesturing at his own seat.

Marenn stepped inside, and G’shar closed the door.

“Rehs, Aiiva,” G’shar said, “this is Marenn. We were both in Kelen’s army. We fought together in the Midland campaigns. I owe my life to him several times over.”

“And I owe mine to you,” Marenn said, sitting down. “So we’re even.” He smiled at Syafa. “I feel like I know you,” he said. “G’shar talked about you so often that sometimes I felt like I’d known you my whole life.”

Syafa smiled and busied herself ladling some breakfast into a bowl.

“You’ve done alright for yourself, G’shar,” Marenn said, leaning back and glancing around the house. “Not exactly pulling in the harvest, but you’ve stayed afloat. Better than I have, anyway.”

“You’re still a freeman, though?” G’shar said quickly, standing by the door since the table was full.

“Technically,” Marenn said. “Honestly I don’t know what I am at the moment. I had to flee Taeleron.”

“Why?” Rehs asked, eager.

“Rebels,” Marenn said grimly. “The Empire must have known they were coming. Pulled out during the night, and I woke up to an army swarming through the town.”

“An army?” G’shar said. “An actual army?”

Marenn nodded. “Ill-equipped. Low on food and other supplies. But yes, a real army. Decent size, too.”

“But if they’re at Taeleron—”

“They’ll be here soon enough,” Marenn said solemnly. “Helsng is the next logical target. The Imperial garrison here won’t pull out this time though. Helsng is defensible, and there’s a Wellspring here. There will be fighting.”

Syafa put a bowl down in front of him, and then sat back down, casting a worried glance at G’shar. Everyone was silent. It was real. The rebels were coming.

“You left,” G’shar said.

Marenn nodded, attacking the food before him. “The rebels were plain about it. They needed everything I had, and they took it. A years’ crop, gone. But once they realized I didn’t want to join them, they let me go, easy as that. That was… at least three days ago now. I’ve been flying north ever since. Figured I would make it here, then get on a boat and be well away by the time the rebels got here.”

“Where will you go?” Syafa asked.

“Anywhere,” Marenn said, glancing at her. “Somewhere north. I have no love for the Empire, but the South is in turmoil right now. The rebels practically own everything south of here, and I don’t doubt their aim is to at least control all of Kinsland. They have spies everywhere, stirring up the workers.”

“You think there are spies here?” Rehs said, barely able to keep the excitement from his voice.

“I’m sure of it,” Marenn said, chewing. He swallowed. “And the Empire is too, for that matter. They stopped me on my way in, asked me who I was and where I was from. Wanted to know what I was doing here. Told them, plain as day. Don’t know if they believed me though.”

“Why wouldn’t they believe you?” Aiiva asked, her voice sounding small.

“They’re looking for spies,” Marenn said darkly. “They’re desperate to catch them. It started in Taeleron with spies: soldiers getting jumped at night, barracks catching fire, prisoners being freed.”

Rehs stood, glancing at his father and then back at Marenn, a gleam in his eye. “But if there are spies here, then—”

Another knock came at the door. Everyone turned – Marenn faster than any – and fell silent as G’shar opened it.

“Is Taelord here?” a familiar voice said. “Someone said he was…”

“Runa?” Taelord said, swinging off of the bench he was sitting on and standing up. G’shar stood aside to reveal Runa standing just outside the door. She smiled when she saw Taelord.

Rehs, who had stood at Marenn’s words, now gaped at Runa stupidly, as if her arrival had temporarily robbed him of ordered thought. Behind him, Fera glanced up from her meal.

“Are you a friend of Taelord’s?” G’shar said. “Come in, come in. We’ll be somewhat cramped, but—”

“It’s fine,” Taelord said, crossing to the door. “I don’t want to interrupt Marenn.” He stepped outside with Runa, and closed the door behind himself.

“What are you doing here?” he said, turning to her.

She shrugged. “I asked around, and finally someone said they thought you were here.”

“You’ve been wandering around Helsng?” Taelord said, torn between happiness at seeing her and exasperation that she hadn’t thought of the danger. Only Runa… “It isn’t safe.”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s what my father said. ‘You must stay here. It isn’t safe in the city.’”

“He was right,” Taelord said. “Don’t you realize how close things are to falling apart? If something happened to you, that could be all the Volcarrens need to attack the Empire outright.”

Runa frowned at him. “I should have known you’d be worried about the worst possible way things could turn out,” she said.

Taelord’s happiness at seeing her was quickly fading. “What else should I be worried about?” he said, folding his arms. “Or are you saying that a war isn’t inevitable?”

“Of course it isn’t inevitable,” Runa said. “It’s possible, I don’t deny that, but there’s no point in acting like it’s already here.”

Taelord glanced around. “It is already here, Runa. There is a rebel army in the south. They’ll be at Helsng soon.”

She seemed unfazed by his words. Perhaps she had already known, from hearing the reports Taelord was sure Utgar was receiving. “That doesn’t mean there will be war,” she said, shrugging. “I know it’s likely,” she said, hurrying on before he could interrupt, “but there’s a chance the Empire will listen to whatever demands they make. They don’t want a fight any more than my father does.”

“It won’t matter if the Empire listens,” Taelord said. “These people want blood, Runa. They hate the Empire, and for good reason. The Empire could outright surrender, and the rebels would probably still attack.”

“Maybe,” Runa said. “Or they might realize they can work things out without violence.”

Taelord watched her with exasperation. “How can you say that?” he finally said.

She shrugged again. “My father has a Wellspring. Many Volcarrens don’t want war. The Empire wants to avoid it. The reasons aren’t really important. What matters is that peace is possible. It can happen. We just have to make the right choices.”

“Maybe,” Taelord admitted. “Maybe there can be peace. But how likely do you think it is? How can you fly through Helsng, and still think war won’t happen?”

She frowned at him. “I choose to have hope, Taelord,” she said. “Peace is possible. I choose to believe in it.”

Taelord didn’t know what to say. Runa wasn’t blind – she saw the same city he did. But her optimism – her unquenchable optimism – it baffled him. “Why did you come here?” he finally asked.

“I wanted to talk to someone,” Runa said. “Father’s kept me in that tent ever since we got here, and every time I try to speak with him, he’s been preoccupied. About the Empire, or the Wellspring, or what could happen next. So I thought I would find you.”

“Why me?” Taelord asked.

“You talk to me,” Runa said. “At Vraen’s camp, no one wanted to be near me because I was a Valkyrie. But you didn’t care. You talked to me. We’re friends.”

Taelord stared at her blankly. “Friends?” he repeated. “Runa… I betrayed you to Ahnvad. I nearly got you killed.”

She smiled. “You weren’t trying to, though,” she said. “You were trying to fix things. Besides, I like talking to you. Usually,” she added, her smile slipping.

Taelord found himself fighting back his own smile. Runa always seemed to have that effect on him. “Well,” he said and then stopped as two soldiers dropped to the ground nearby.

They approached quickly, wearing the partial plate common amongst the guards in Helsng.

“Move,” one of them said shortly to Taelord, jerking his head to the side.

Taelord stepped away from the door. He had no desire to stand in the Empire’s way. Runa remained where she was, frowning at the guard, so Taelord put out an arm, and pulled her back as well.

The soldiers stopped before the door, and the one who had spoken hammered on it three times with his gloved fist. The door was opened by G’shar.

“Are you harboring the individual known as Marenn?” the guard asked roughly.

“Harboring?” G’shar repeated. “We aren’t ‘harboring’ anyone. Marenn is a friend, and welcome in this house any—”

The guard shoved him aside and strode past him. Inside, Taelord saw Marenn stand up from his chair.

“Marenn,” the guard said, “we are to bring you with us.”

“For what reason?”

“You are wanted for questioning, about your activities in Taeleron.”

Marenn glanced from one guard to the other. “You think I’m a spy don’t you?” he said, licking his lips. “I’m a freeman. I’m loyal to the Empire.”

“Come with us,” the second guard said, grabbing Marenn by the upper arm and practically pulling him out the door.

“Release him,” G’shar said angrily. “He’s—”

“Stay out of this,” the guard said warningly, turning to G’shar. “Unless you want to join him.”

Marenn tried to pull back against the guard’s grip. “I’m not a spy!” he protested.

The first guard grabbed his other arm, and began hauling him out of the door.

“I’m not a spy!” Marenn repeated. “I’m a subject of the Empire! You can’t—”

His words were cut off as the guards leaped skyward, snapped their wings down, and shot up and away.

Taelord watched them for a moment, Marenn growing smaller in the sky, still struggling fruitlessly against the two guards.

“I should go,” Runa said.

Taelord looked down.

“Father thinks I’m still in the tent,” she said. “If he finds out…” She shook her head, and leapt to the air, winging her way towards Utgar’s pavilion.

G’shar remained standing just inside the doorway, still looking at the sky, where Marenn and Runa had disappeared. “We need to leave,” he said, looking down.

Syafa glanced at him.

“It’s not safe here,” he said. “I’ve misjudged things – put us all in danger. We need to get out now, before things get worse.”

Syafa nodded, though she looked frightened. Inside, Taelord could see Aiiva, glancing between her mother and father, fearful. Rehs was still sitting at the table, silent, staring at his empty bowl. For once, Fera seemed to be listening, watching G’shar attentively.

“There’s a boat,” Taelord said, making up his mind. “The Windchaser, Yesen’s fishing boat. He said he could take your family away from here in a few days’ time.”

“We’ll be on it,” G’shar said without hesitation. “As will you,” he added over his shoulder, to Rehs. Rehs said nothing.

He turned back to Taelord, frowning. “I don’t know how this will play out for your people,” he said. “But, if possible… you are welcome to come with us. It will be just as dangerous here for you as it would be for us – more so in fact. The fishers will not turn away another able body.”

“I…” Taelord paused. Could he leave? Should he? It was certainly dangerous in Helsng, and it would only get worse. Leaving was probably the best thing he could do. The best chance of staying safe. It would mean leaving Runa, but…

The small flicker of hope within Taelord winked out. Utgar would never let him leave. He knew the location of the Wellspring. He should have remembered that. As long as he knew, Utgar would want him nearby, where he could keep an eye on him. He would have to stay. He would have to—

“Rehs!”

A shout interrupted Taelord’s thoughts. He turned, and saw Jer approaching at a fast walk.

Rehs appeared in the doorway. “What is it?” he called, grimacing as G’shar looked between him and Jer with confusion.

“It’s failed,” Jer said, drawing up a short distance away. “I spoke to Yiven, but he refused. So Kiran went in, and we waited, and… Rehs, they got him. They… They killed him, trying to get Leran out. Ran him through in the halls. He’s dead.”

“Kiran,” G’shar said slowly. “Isn’t he the one—”

“It gets worse,” Jer interrupted. “The Empire… They’ve reached a decision. Leran will be executed. Today. At noon.”