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Still, a shock of relief sweeps through me. After all this time, I’m home.

I waste no time throwing open the doors of the forge, finding everything in here also as I left it. Ash in the kiln. My tools laid out along the worktables. For nostalgia’s sake, I light the kiln and open the windows.

Kellyn stands in the doorway as he watches me man the bellows, staring into the flames.

“Are you making something?” he asks.

“No. Just going through the motions.”

He doesn’t ask why.

I’m not entirely sure myself.

Temra enters through the shop and stands beside Kellyn. “All the food has gone bad, obviously. Shall I make a run to the store?”

I shrug.

Temra leaves wordlessly.

“Are you all right?” Kellyn asks me.

I genuinely don’t know how to answer. Because I’m here, but I can never truly return home. I will never again be who I once was—that smithy who only worried about the next time she’d have to leave her forge.

I’ve traveled half the kingdom, seen its horrors and its beauty.

There’s a sadness in not being able to go back. But I’m also awed by how I’ve moved forward.

“I will be,” I answer.

Petrik leads Skiro and his men back to our modest home after their visit with the governor.

“Solid man,” Skiro says when Temra asks how the visit went. “I like him. He’s a man of action. He’s ready to help. He’s already pledged his small guard to our aid, and he’s calling all the contestants of the tournament together for a meeting tomorrow.”

“The pieces are in place,” Petrik says.

“All that’s left is a grand speech on my part. Lots of money from you girls. Maybe a testimonial from Kellyn, since you’re one of their kind.”

“How can I help?” Petrik asks.

Skiro thinks. “I want you to meet with the governor’s husband tomorrow. Tell him all you know about Kymora. Work together to strategize where our troops can camp until the battle, what to do with the townsfolk until then. Learn all you can about the city and how to use it to our advantage. The governor will be unable to join you because he’ll be at the meeting with the rest of us.”

Petrik nods. “I can do that.”

“Then it’s settled. We all have our parts to play. Let’s hope we can sway a bunch of greedy mercenaries to our cause.”

“We’re not all greedy,” Kellyn says. “Some of us are just trying to make an honest living.”

“Right,” Skiro says. “Sorry.” His eyes dart to me briefly before looking away. “What are the sleeping arrangements for tonight?”

We all agreed that the prince and his guards staying in a localtavern would draw too much attention. We’re safer if we stay together.

But that doesn’t change the fact that the house only has two rooms and two beds.

“Find a spot on the floor, Prince,” Kellyn says. “The girls are taking the beds.”

Skiro scoffs. “I wouldn’t dream of taking one of their beds.”

“You could stay with the governor,” Petrik suggests.