The cavern fell silent.
Even Ashra and Veyra stopped fighting. Ashra lowered her dagger, and a thin smile spread across her lips. Veyra stood frozen with blood running down her arm, staring at the broad figure in the tunnel's mouth.
Simon's gaze didn't leave the Garrun.
First.
Thorgan's eldest brother. The one who controlled the masked corpses that had killed Torvek and tried to kill Zarven.
He had been here all along. Standing beside Seraya.
Behind Simon, the chains of ice around Darik stopped creaking. Darik had stopped struggling completely. His head hung forward, and he stood perfectly still, like a doll that someone had set down and forgotten.
Seraya's voice was hoarse.
"Garrun… why?"
The Garrun looked down at her.
"You keep calling me that," he said gently. "I suppose it can't be helped."
He reached up and touched the plain bronze ring hanging from his left ear.
It cracked.
