The road east of Dustfall stretched like a scar through the countryside, and Meriel walked it with the patience of a man who had already decided how this story would end.
His boots crunched against packed earth, his longsword a familiar weight against his spine, and in his chest, the cold fire of vengeance burned steady and untiring.
'Kai. The name rattles around my skull like a loose tooth. Every time I close my eyes, I see their faces. My mother. My father. My little sister.'
If anything, Meriel should thank Kai for killing Lilith.
But if he had just let them reach the capital, his family would've escaped from their demise.
After all, he already knew how they would arrive.
That was the mistake.
He was too reliant on his past knowledge to see there was another Anomaly.
A caravan appeared on the horizon, three wagons laden with spices and textiles, guarded by a handful of hired swords who looked soft and undertrained.
Meriel stepped into the middle of the road and waited.
