Book One – Chapter 17

Yu had no … reference to determine closeness or to measure friendships, not really. All he had felt in those four weeks was his own position as the outsider. He was the least included, the least liked. But that did not mean the rest of them liked each other equally. It did not mean they were close, even though it had felt just like that. Of course it had seemed that way from the periphery. It always did, when you stood on the outside looking in. But looking back now, Yu had this growing suspicion that they were not as unified as they appeared. That maybe… they were keeping secrets from one another.

Could it be, just maybe, that… only some of them were in on it? That not all, but only a few, belonged to the syndicate? What if there were overlapping agendas — Some knowing, some not? That would explain so much more.

Say Fallem really was searching for his brother. He had even spoken of recruiting another ker for the rescue. If that was nothing but a fake front, then why had he been so anxious? Why had he spent the entire day hovering in the common room, pacing and waiting? Was it not because of her? That general who was also absent, conveniently “on patrol”, alongside the captain.

What if Fallem, too full of love and worry for his brother, had fallen for the lie just as Yu had, and had been waiting ever since?

So maybe Fallem was true to his word. Maybe Imbiad really wanted to help. Maybe their plan was sincere they really wante to go —

No. Stop.

Nothing could change the utter absurdity of this rescue plan.

If some of the people around Harrow were not part of the syndicate, then they must be here for something else entirely. Something they would obviously not share with a random nobody like Yu, so they concocted Fallem’s brother story instead.

They could still need the ker general for this something else. What was it? Treasure? Lost artefacts? Hidden knowledge? Wizard secrets buried beneath the Albweiss ice? It could be something honourable and good, even. Or something dangerous.

And Harrow — how did she fit in? Maybe the wizards had revealed their true intent, to recruit her as their guide or extra muscle. And maybe she would come along, just long enough to foil their plan or steal what they were after. If loyal to the witches, Harrow the Witch-Blessed might deliver the two wizards straight to the Shaira. If in direct league with the shaman mouth-monster, she could just as easily make them disappear, if needed to cover their syndicate’s tracks.