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There was a lot she wanted to say, but one of the soldiers headed their way.

“I still have a lot of fight left.” He quirked a brow. “Do you?”

“I don’t know when to give up, remember?”

He leaned a little closer, perhaps too close for what was appropriate in front of others. “Good.”

Then he was rolling up the map and leaving her by the fallen tree. “We’ll be at the temple soon,” he called over his shoulder as he moved to intercept the soldier headed their way.

Hopefully, things would be easier there.

It had taken them exactly one week to march to Noshriven Temple. Seven long, painful days. They had a few more fights with the dakii on the way, but they had gone better than that first attempt. When the small moss and vine-covered temple emerged from the forest, they’d all picked up their pace in relief.

It had taken over a week to make her own forgings, but when they’d organized this mission, Pyetar had said it would be longer than that for a larger group.

Levek and the others being forged would be down in the bowels of the temple for weeks, so her goal was to make sure Edvar got to know her old team away from the more irritating soldiers. Going one person at a time might be her best bet. Once most of them were won over, surely the rest would follow more quickly.

Shifting her pack against her back to relieve the aching in her muscles, Iryana looked at the stone walls and sturdy portcullis that kept the fortress safe despite being in the middle of the dakii’s woods. The sight of it, the reminder of how she’d had to rip herself open the last time she was inside, made her want to build her own defenses back up. To avoid the vulnerability.

But that was just her fear talking.

When the gate opened and Keeper Tomislar came out to greet them, he blinked in surprise at the mix of soldiers and guardians, but when his eyes landed on Iryana, understanding lit those eyes and he smiled.

The well is open to anyone who can get here. That is what he’d said after her forging.

Iryana nodded at the slim, older Keeper. His robes were thicker than before, more prepared for the cold, but he wore the same small felt cap with the metal symbols faintly stitched around the edge.

“Welcome to Noshriven Temple.” Keeper Tomilar spread his arms wide, looking them over, and then gestured them inside.

Once they were herded into the grounds of the temple, the Keeper gestured for the unforged to step forward. Other than Levek, they were shaking like leaves. This was a moment they had anticipated their entire lives, yet what they’d have to go through would be unknown to them until they descended into the well.

Edvar and the soldiers lingered around the edge of the yard. Some had blank stares or their eyes were glued to their feet or they chatted a little too animatedly or clenched their fists. She could only imagine they were sifting through their own memories of being forged. Her heart panged. This world had been cruel to them all.

She wondered if their charges could sense the heaviness in the air.

The garden beds from before were barren, the grass mostly dead, but the one furry cow watched them scornfully as chickens pecked around its feet. It was strange to be back. Iryana meandered around the grounds, settling herself. She came to a stop beside Edvar. Her gaze slid back to the unforged when the Keeper started talking.

Keeper Tomislar offered the nervous group a gentle smile. “You will be brought in one at a time to complete the forging tattoos, then proceed to the forging itself. We will do this in order of how much magic you have to forge with. Keeper Lukarta will sort this out if you’ll go with her, please.”

Another Keeper stepped into the courtyard, almost as old as Tomislar with a gray braid as thick as Iryana’s finger trailing down her back. Levek looked back at her and Edvar with a bit of worry on his focused face, but he let himself be led away. She tried to offer an encouraging smile.

Iryana wasn’t entirely sure how four people could work on forgings at once, given there was only one actual well. But clearly the Keepers knew what they were doing.

Once the unforged were in the temple to prepare, Iryana and Pyetar took their spot.

“It’s good to see you both here again.” The Keeper smiled. “And congratulations, General. We received the notice, but I haven’t had a chance to write. You should be proud. We’re all happy for the news.”

Pyetar straightened. There was an intensity to the Keeper’s gaze. Iryana could only imagine the secrets he knew… truths that had been shared with no other living person. The things he might know about Pyetar.

“Thank you, Keeper.” Pyetar bowed to him. “We need to travel back before the snows start. I hope that will be enough time.”

“Plenty of time for a forging or two each, General.”

“Good.” Pyetar looked around at their large group that filled most of the temple’s small courtyard. “If you don’t have room to house us all, we can camp in the courtyard. It isn’t an issue.”

Iryana grimaced at the thought. It was cold at night, though, and everyone was looking forward to a proper bed.

“We have no other guests right now, so I think there will be a bunk for everyone, especially once the unforged are all down at the well.”