The dawn brought a pale, featureless gray light that bled slowly across the granite peaks. Marcus and a small detail of four vanguard warriors met them at the mouth of the lower pass exactly as the sun cleared the eastern horizon. No one spoke. The warriors kept their eyes on the trail, their expressions tight, while Marcus merely handed Nila the reins to her mare with a curt, formal nod.

The journey back to the permanent Up Pack fortress was only noised with the thud of horse hooves against damp earth and the heavy clatter of loose stone. Kaelen rode at the front of the column, his back straight, his...