It was very late when Harlyn and I rode into Highwyn. Rawk probably wasn’t far away, but with these tall buildings and narrow roads, I couldn’t see the dragon anywhere. The streets were exceptionally quiet, even for this time of night. Usually I would have expected to evade endless patrols of Dominion soldiers, but perhaps with so many soldiers sent to All Spirits Forest, and after his losses in our battle last fall, Lord Endrick had fewer soldiers to spare. I hoped that was the case, anyway.
Near the center of Highwyn, the Coracks kept a small base disguised as a Loyalist home for those occasions when we needed to be in the capital. For safety reasons, we rarely had more than two or three people here at any given time, but the last I had heard, my younger sister, Rosaleen, had been one of those stationed here. Much as I loved her, I had mixed feelings about seeing her again. It had been almost a year since our last meeting, and my life had almost entirely changed. Her life had too. I wasn’t sure if she knew that our mother had died, and how it had happened, and why. Every time I had started to write her a note, I changed my mind and crumpled it up. This had to be something I told her in person.
“Are you all right?” Harlyn asked. I didn’t answer immediately and she added, “I can see that you’re not. What can I do?”
“All I ask is for the truth.”
Now it was her turn to fall silent, and we rode on without speaking.
Many more than two or three people were here now. Lights inside the home illuminated shadows of at least a half dozen people. As we approached, a large Corack named Hugh, but whom we called Huge, immediately walked outside to greet us. He must have been assigned to the watch.
“We weren’t sure if you’d come, but it’s good to see you both.” Huge offered to help Harlyn off her horse, and while she dismounted, he added, “I’ll get your horses fed and watered while you go inside. They’re making final plans for a morning rescue.”
I thanked him, and once I’d climbed off my horse and grabbed my satchel, Harlyn and I cautiously opened the door, announcing ourselves as we entered. I didn’t want to raise anyone’s alarm if they didn’t immediately recognize us.
“Simon!” Trina was the first to run up to us and enclosed me in a hug; then she stood back and studied Harlyn. They had been friendly before, so at first I didn’t understand Trina’s cool welcome. Perhaps it was a recent loyalty that Trina had developed to Kestra. Trina had been there when Loelle took Kestra away; in fact, she had been there for part of their journey to … wherever. Trina believed that Harlyn had been in on the plan to send Kestra away, one of the many questions Harlyn had never fully answered.
/> Gabe was the next to greet us. The last time I’d seen him, he had been recovering from some terrible injuries, a gift from the Dominion. But he seemed to be back to his usual self, though perhaps a little tired. No one had done more to search for Kestra than he and Trina.
Gabe gave Harlyn a warmer greeting than Trina had done, then invited us into the rear parlor to discuss the rescue plans for Basil.
Captain Tenger was in the room, standing over a table with a large piece of parchment on it, upon which was a map of Woodcourt. He looked up at me; then he noticed Harlyn and nodded, pleased to see her.
“We didn’t think you’d make it in time,” he said. “But we can definitely use your help.”
“We intend to give it,” I said. “But I had hoped to see my sister first. Is she still assigned to this base?”
Tenger’s eyes darted, and I instantly knew something was wrong.
My voice lowered. “Where is my sister?”
Trina touched my arm. “Rosaleen was on patrol a couple of weeks ago and never returned. It’s believed that she was captured by the Dominion. We think she’s still alive, but that she’s an Ironheart now.”
My chest tightened, and I was vaguely aware that Harlyn had taken my hand. “Do we know where she is?”
Trina only shook her head, but there was deep sorrow in her eyes. She and Rosaleen had fought together several times in the past.
Tenger cleared his throat to get my attention. “Simon, as always, the best plan for rescue is defeat of the Dominion. Are you still willing to help?”
I gritted my teeth and nodded, irritated at his dismissal of the awful news I’d just received, but I also knew he was right. Defeat of the Dominion wasn’t our best plan for rescuing those we had lost; it was our only plan.
Tenger picked up the parchment. “We only know a few things for certain.” He pointed at the lowest level of Woodcourt. “Basil was dragged from the basin beneath the dungeons where he had somehow managed to stay alive and to hide for a month. We know he is in such bad condition that the Dominion’s usual method of torturing information out of him simply isn’t possible, so they are trying to get him well enough for questioning. But we also have to accept that, in his delirium and weakness, he will tell them where the Olden Blade is.”
“Do we know where he is now?” I asked.
Tenger nodded. “That’s why it’s so important you’ve come. He’s somewhere in Woodcourt, but we know nothing more specific than that. Since the death of Sir Henry, it’s been abandoned by its servants, but the Dominion still uses it. Of all of us, you and Trina know it best, so we need you both to lead the search. The rest of us will be there for support.”
Harlyn leaned forward. “You say the Dominion uses it. What does that mean?”
“We’re not sure of their current numbers, only that there are fewer soldiers now than there were a few days ago, so at least that is good news. We need to expect a heavy defense—as many as five Ironhearts for each one of us.”
Harlyn smiled over at me. “That’s a relief. I thought we’d have more of a challenge.”
Tenger’s sharp glance showed no humor whatsoever. “This is nothing to joke about. It is possible, even likely, that we will lose some people in this mission, or worse, that we won’t get Basil out alive.” He turned to the rest of the group. “Our top priority is to learn from Basil where he hid the Olden Blade. That is more important than his survival, and more important than yours.” Now his eyes returned to me. “Even more than a king.”
“I’ll go in with the rest of you,” Gabe said, “but we need more of a plan than each of us taking down five Ironhearts.”
Trina’s eye flicked to my hardened right forearm. I knew what she was thinking, and I was too.