Page 202 of Harbinger

This time, when I pause on the gravel drive and look at the house, it doesn’t feel like home at all.

The Marius outpost sits where farmland gives way to the Cinderwald. The barracks and officers’ cottages cluster like a shield between Damalis and the black forest that grew from the ashes of Calvera. Even the pair of sentries stationed atop the tall watchtower are focused on the gnarled mass of trees beyond, like they believe the stories that the ruined land was cursed when Ravenell fell.

Bishop leads me through the outpost yard toward a stone house situated closer to the watchtower than the barracks. A few soldiers straighten as we pass, then hurry away, stealing glances back at us. It’s hard to know which of us has the more dangerous reputation here.

“I thought this was a cottage.” It’s nearly as big as Journey’s End. The cottage is made of the same pale limestone as my family’s estate, but the structure is in better condition.

“An officer’s cottage,” he says, reaching for the knob with a grin. “It will have to do.”

He swings the door open and waits for me to step through. The entry is small but comfortable, with a sitting room on one side and a dining room on the other. A stone hearth dominates the parlor to my right, its iron grate swept clean of ash. Furniture is spread throughout, worn and comfortable-looking but not quite enough to fill the large room. Bishop turns left, pausing to take off his cloak by a table long enough to seat ten.

I hang my satchel on the back of one of the chairs before unfastening my baldric. I prop the sword against the table. “Do I want to know what happened with my brother?”

Neither of us said much on the walk from Journey’s End, like we both needed to think after seeing my family.

“Probably not,” he says, settling into a chair by the fireplace. “I know we just got here, but I heard—”

A knock on the door interrupts us.

“Whoever it is, tell them I said no,” he grumbles, but he’s already getting up before I can open the door.

My sister stands on the threshold, teeth nipping her lower lip as she scans the outpost. “Isidore?”

“Good. A problem for you,” Bishop mutters under his breath so only I can hear him.

She turns, her smile faltering when she sees he’s here, too. “I’m sorry,” she says. “I came to bring you this.”

She passes me a letter with Patron Ravenell scrawled across the front in elegant script, and my stomach knots. My brother will have plenty to say about that designation. I break its wax seal, fingers trembling slightly.

“The queen has summoned me to Wintour,” I say faintly, adding, “immediately. She sent word to Broderic.”

Why him? Before I can ask, Bishop moves closer and snatches it from me. “Interesting.”

It’s never a good sign when he uses that word.

“I received the summons as well before leaving for your brother’s,” he says. “We should respond that we will come, before she sends another.”

That’s what he was about to tell me. Interesting is definitely the wrong word. Fuck is far more appropriate. “No.”

“No?” he repeats with a hint of a smile. “Shall I send your whole response, Patron Ravenell?”

My sister’s eyes widen, and I rush to correct him. “Do not call me that. Besides, I’m having dinner with my family tomorrow.” Only half of whom want me here, but who’s counting?

“I’ll tell her we’ll come following the equinox, in a few days,” Bishop clarifies.

“If the queen summoned you, you should go. You’re a patron now!” Isidore interjects. “I’ll go with you. It will be fun to see the capital again.”

She’s desperate to get out of Damalis, and all I want is to linger.

Bishop shakes his head. “It’s better for you to stay put,” he says. Isidore’s face falls, and he hastily adds, “But thank you for delivering this.”

She turns, still crestfallen, and looks at me. “I thought we could talk, but if you’re busy …”

“You can come in.” I step to the side. I could use the distraction. “He won’t bite.”

But she glances over her shoulder at the barracks in the distance. “Actually, I’ve been wanting to see the outpost. Broderic forbade me from visiting it.”

I can guess why our brother did that.