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“And did she get away?” Kato again.

Skye shifted, inching towards the entrance of the tent, but Ivain’s eyes locked with his, anchoring him in place.

“Vale is only a few hours on foot,” Skye said, clinging precariously to what was left of his composure. He could make it there before dawn, have the entire area scouted and surveyed before even the earliest of early risers began to stir.

“I’m aware,” Ivain said, never letting Skye out from underneath that icy blue stare. “And I’ve already sent Aiden to search the area. He left shortly after we made camp in Della.”

Skye’s brows rose. “Aiden?” he asked. That didn’t make any sense. True, he and Taly were friends, had grown even closer after the incident with the harpy. But Aiden was an earth mage. Why would Ivain risk a healer when there were so many wounded?

Sensing the question, Ivain said, “He insisted. Quite vehemently.” Sadness tempered with guilt flickered in his eyes, as if to say,I couldn’t say no.

Healers were precious, but Taly was as much a daughter to Ivain as if she’d been born of his own flesh. If she was in danger, he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Not when someone was volunteering to go where he couldn’t because the situation demanded he prioritize the lives of the many over the lives of those he never wanted to live without.

“Now then,” Ivain said, and Skye breathed out a slow sigh when those eyes finally slid away. “Harin, Eula, you’re dismissed. Skye and Kato—you stay.”

Harin made a hasty exit, shoulders straight and head held high. Eula lingered, accepting a firm clap on the shoulder from Ivain as well as a few words of encouragement. She gave Skye a tight smile before she too exited the tent.

When they were alone, Ivain turned to Kato, who—to Skye’s surprise—had the good sense to hang his head.

“Kato Emrys,” Ivain drawled with something that almost sounded like amusement. “To say that you were the last person I expected to see today would be quite the understatement. Would you mind telling me just what you’re doing on my island?”

“I’m a Marshal in the Gate Watchers, Sire.” Kato’s answer was easy and swift, said with a hint of a smile—so at odds with the tense set of his shoulders and the way he shifted from foot-to-foot.

“So I’ve gathered,” Ivain said. “However, I’m curious to know why I was unaware of your enrollment until just a few hours ago. The GateWatchers are an elite group, and I take pride in cultivating the men and women in our ranks. I can’t review every new application, but I still should have been made aware when you began to advance. Especially considering how quickly. Why have I never seen your name, Marshal?”

Kato’s throat bobbed. “A little bit of persuasion and a sizeable donation,” he answered, then hastily added, “I’m not here to cause trouble, Sire. I just wasn’t willing to risk having my relationship with my brother be the reason for having my application rejected. I have legitimate business to attend to in the mortal realm, and I wanted to be close by when the Aion Gate opened. That’s all.”

“The Aion Gate won’t be opening for a few months yet,” Ivain countered. “Eula tells me you’ve been here for almost a year.”

“True,” Kato conceded. “But the bridging connections have been less and less stable, the last one only lasting a week. I needed more time than that, so I decided to come to Tempris to see the gates for myself. I’ve been working on the Mechanica for almost two decades, and there’s so much proprietary technology tied up in those suits of armor. I thought there might be something that could stabilize the connection, keep the gates open longer. Turns out I was right. That new tuning harmonic you’re using this year? That was me. It was part of the comm system for a prototype suit I was helping to develop.”

Ivain almost looked impressed as he slipped his hands into his pockets. “I require loyalty from my recruits. Loyalty and honesty and honor—all things you have yet to demonstrate.”

“Sire,” was all Kato said in reply. Not arguing for once.

Ivain looked to Skye. “Is this going to be a problem?”

Skye heard Kato’s heart fumble. He waited just a beat longer than necessary before saying, “No. My brother fought well today, and I have no doubt that he will commit himself to this cause and these people. He has shown himself to be a man willing to make difficult decisions in the pursuit of what he believes to be right.”

Kato’s face went slack with surprise, but Skye just shrugged. He’d meant every word.

Ivain’s lips thinned as he glanced between the two men, his attention finally settling on Kato. “A ringing endorsement, your history considered. You’ll be on guard duty every night until I say otherwise, and if I were you, I’d use those hours to consider the role of subterfuge and just how far itwon’tget you within this organization. Prove to me that you’re worthy of my trust. You won’t be getting a second chance. Dismissed.”

Skye watched his brother slink through the break in the canvas, waiting for the flicker of the air wards as they reengaged. When he turned, Ivain was already staring at him expectantly.

“Well?” he asked.

Skye schooled his expression. “Well what?”

“Skylen,” Ivain warned. “Do not test my patience. Word around camp is that you sent Taly to the relay as your scout, but I sincerely hope you’re not dumb enough to try to pass that off on me. You’d sooner throw yourself in front of a sword than put that girl in harm’s way. Why was she in Vale? Explain.”

Skye ran a nervous hand through his hair, eyeing the break in the canvas and the shadows that flickered just outside. “You’re right,” he whispered, quiet enough to confuse any listening ears. “And for what’s it’s worth, I had my reasons for lying.”

Reasons he explained as calmly and succinctly as possible. He told him about the traitor, about the missing crystals in the Seren Gate. He explained the spells that Kato had uncovered and the glamour concealing the underlying web of magic. He even showed him the note she’d left behind—the few lines of scribbled text that had knocked the world out from underneath him and sent him spinning through space.

And when Skye was done, the older man stared at him for a long moment, eyes wide and skin too pale, as though the weight of all his many years had crashed into him at once. “Oh, my little one…” He blinked, and a tear slipped free. “What did you do?”

Skye glanced at the darkened interface that lay discarded on the table. “The spells—what do you make of them?”