Chapter 40

The first patrol went out at dawn, and Arianna insisted on joining it despite Elena's protests about her leg.

"I need to see what we're promising Thomas," she argued. "And the warriors need to see that I'm not asking them to do anything I wouldn't do myself."

Helena led the patrol—herself, two other Clearwater warriors named Marcus (not Arianna's Marcus, which made things confusing) and Devon, plus Arianna and Peter as a guide. They'd mapped out a route that covered the main trade road from the northern territories down through Riverford's crossing.

"The goal isn't to fight," Helena explained as they set out. "It's to be visible. Merchants...