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“They stay on their lands and never violate the pact.”
“Good.”
“But there was a ship a while ago.”
My eyes narrowed on his face.
“It was sailing away by the time scouts notified me. The wood was dark, almost black, but with flecks of gold that reflected the light, a kind of ship none have ever seen before. Its sails were black too, like it was meant to sail only in darkness. We launched a fleet to search for it, but we never found it again.”
I digested every word. “The outcasts?”
“Maybe.”
“They were sailing away from us?”
“Yes.”
“Which means they got whatever they wanted and left.”
“I suppose.”
“Did you take Pyre and search?”
“I did, and he saw nothing.”
“Your scouts didn’t report someone moving at the bottom of the cliffs?”
He shook his head. “There was one time when two yetis were roaring in the middle of the night, not from the mountains, but the valley. A search party was sent in the morning, and they eventually came across their bodies, bloody and defeated by blades.”
“It’s not easy to take down a yeti, let alone two.”
“I agree.”
“Even a ship full of people would have had a hard time.”
“I agree.”
I continued to stare at my brother, my mind working furiously to unlock the mystery. “Where were the bodies discovered?”
“About fifty leagues east of our camp.”
“So, closer to the Teeth.”
“I would say halfway.”
My blood ran cold. “You think they’re planning something?”
“I doubt they would invite someone to their lands and risk getting caught.”
“Unless they didn’t invite anyone…and they came of their own accord.”
Ian was about to take a drink, but he lowered his glass instead. “Who?”
“I don’t know…”
“There’s only one way to find out. We speak to Rancor. If we’re right, he knows we’re onto him and might abandon whatever he’s plotting. If we aren’t right, then he knows we’re still suspicious of him and haven’t dropped our guard.”
After I considered it for a long time in silence, I gave a nod. “These past decades of peace have been the best of my life. I’m not going to let the Teeth squander it.”
