The Palace. Dawn.
Mirena found the pattern in the night.
She had been studying the maps for hours, tracing the portal's movements, marking the places where the residue was strongest. The stone was in her hand, pulsing faintly, warm against her palm. The ring was in her pocket, the one that held the poison, still and quiet.
The portal was circling.
Not randomly—deliberately. Moving from thin place to thin place, staying just ahead of them, always one step beyond reach. But the circle was getting smaller. The center was holding.
The mountains.
She stood, walked to the window, looked out at the peaks in the distance. The sun was rising, painting the snow pink and gold, beautiful and cold.
The portal was going back to where it started.
She gathered her maps and went to find the Duke.
---
The council gathered in the Duke's study.
The room was crowded—Grog, Lira, Aldric, William, Edward, the Duke. Ken stood apart, his back to the wall, his arms crossed, his eyes on the window. Mirena spread her maps across the table.
"The portal is moving in a circle," she said. "It's been drawn to the thin places—the places where the veil is weak. But the circle is getting smaller. The center is in the mountains."
Grog leaned forward. "Where we found Ken."
Mirena nodded. "Where the creature came through. Where the portal first opened."
The Duke looked at the map. "Can you predict where it will go next?"
Mirena pointed to a cluster of marks in the eastern range. "Here. The thin places are thickest in these peaks. The portal will be drawn there. It's already heading that way."
William spoke. "How long do we have?"
Mirena shook her head. "Days. Maybe less. The portal is moving faster now."
---
The Duke made his decision.
"We ride at dawn," he said. "A small group. Fast. Light. No volunteers."
William frowned. "The volunteers have earned the right—"
"They're not ready." The Duke's voice was firm. "This is not a training exercise. This is the portal. This is what we've been hunting."
William was quiet for a moment. Then he nodded. "Fine."
Grog looked at Ken. "You're coming."
Ken met his eyes. "I know."
---
They spent the rest of the day preparing.
Lira checked her arrows, her bow, her quiver. The mana stones were full, glowing faintly in the dim light of her room. She had been practicing with the bow for weeks, learning its rhythms, its limits. She was ready.
Aldric sat on his bed, his leg stretched out, his cane beside him. He had been training with the volunteers, pushing himself harder than he should. His leg was stronger, but not strong enough. He wouldn't be climbing mountains. He would be staying behind.
Gwen sat beside him.
"You're not coming," she said.
He shook his head. "I can't."
She was quiet for a moment. "I'll go. For you."
He looked at her. "You don't have to."
"I know." She met his eyes. "I want to."
---
William stood at the window of his room, looking out at the mountains.
Edward stood behind him.
"You're going."
William nodded. "I'm going."
Edward was quiet for a moment. "Be careful."
William turned. "You're not going to tell me to stay?"
Edward shook his head. "You wouldn't listen."
William almost smiled. Almost. "No. I wouldn't."
---
Mirena packed her supplies.
The stone was in her pocket, the ring in a leather pouch at her belt. The staff was in her hand, its crystal glowing faintly. She had been studying the portal for weeks, tracking its movements, learning its patterns. Now she would see it. Touch it. Understand it.
She hoped she was ready.
---
Ken sat alone in his room.
The door was unlocked now. The guard was gone. He was not a prisoner anymore—not exactly. He was something else. Something he didn't have a name for.
His wounds were healing. His weapons were sharp. His mind was clear.
He thought about the portal. About the creatures. About the things that had come through. He had been hunting them for months, alone, surviving, killing. He had never thought about what came after.
Now he was going back. With others.
He didn't know if he was ready.
---
Grog stood in the training yard, alone.
The sun was setting, the sky red and gold, the shadows long. His sword was in his hand, the blade dark, the edge sharp. He could feel the berserker stirring, restless, hungry.
The apple was in his blood. The berserker was in his blood. The sword was in his hand.
He was ready.
He sheathed his sword and walked to the palace.