Gathering supplies for the trip didn’t involve all that much. Astrophel’s friends were quick to take over, planning to go up the cliff, and find a spot in which to settle. They all agreed it would be best to keep their packs light, to make progress and cover distance more quickly...

Sunlight hits him with the same pounding headache as though he were waking up drunk. The light is too bright; chatter around him is too loud; his skin feels too tight. Rolling to his side, he sees Dionne watching him right before he coughs, expelling a lungful of sea water, his throat burning, eyes watering. He doesn’t remember swallowing that much water, let alone coming back to shore half drowned...

After Seyune, Kildanagan appears humble and down to earth as the caravan arrives back at the port-city. Bustling with life, the people...

The procession as it enters through the wall surrounding Seyune proper is a crew of armored warriors atop J’korun and carts alike...

Chapter 33: Missive Veyda The water caller, as he calls himself, bends over the wide, polished wooden desk of the palace’s office. It’s...

The white Thralkin’s wings cup against the wind, shaping the air to suit her needs as she slows, her lower half dropping toward...

Chapter 31: Absorption Vance After the display with the prisoner, Vance had been offered a room in the palace. He took it, knowing his...

Chapter 30: Pioneer Astrophel By the end of the first day of travel, Seri, Dionne and Astrophel raced away from the curve of the river...

“What is your name, water caller?” the red queen asks, leaning back in the throne, fingertips tapping against her mouth...

When Astrophel got back to the boats, Iska was waiting for him, snuffling through his stuff and dripping water over everything...

If he thought the buildings in Kildangan were tall, the walls of Seyune were something else entirely. Over the tops of the trees...

The sun is already overhead by the time the crashing of the waves seeps through the dark space of unconsciousness to rouse Astrophel...

The cart bobbed along for the full first day, unbothered by the condition of the road they traveled. The second day, however...

Chapter 24: Intrigue Astrophel Astrophel and the others get back to the ships and signal for everyone to unload their cargo; there’s...

Vance hangs back as Astrophel and his friends file back down the road toward the ships to catch the others up on what they’ve discovered...

The next few days pass in a blurr. There are enough volunteers to fill three forty-oar longships - provided by Yerevan - by the time...

Astrophel wakes to a hand shaking him. Squinting open his sleep crusted eyes, the night sky blushes with the very first rays of dawn...

As the new Five, Astrophel and his friends take their seats upon the thrones for their respective tribes as the crowd continues cheering...

The days between Valskog and Caladija pass uneventfully, though Astrophel keeps returning to the image of Sulien’s haunted expression...

Midnight hangs over the temple at Falun like a secret holding its breath. The dark night sky embedded with jewel-like stars is reflected...