63 West

Glorian arrives at Arondine with a vast train, turning seventeen en route. She accepts that hiding in caves may be the best defense against Fýredel and directs Lord Damud to arm the city, control its gates, and prepare Stathalstan’s caverns for a mass retreat. Within Arondine, she secures the castellan’s support, orders tallow production, and steels herself to lead despite her youth.

Glorian tours the fortifications as trenches, stockades, engines, and water stores are planned; she insists miners, not nobles, take precedence in the western mines. Among the people, she promises to be their shield. At night, a summons arrives from Lady Gladwin to meet at Glowan, and Glorian rides out at dawn through fields ruined by Fýredel.

At Glowan, Lady Gladwin, Lord Edrick, and Wulf reveal Robart’s secret heathen rites in the haithwood and present letters proving Prince Guma shares that faith and plotted to sway Glorian and her heir. Glorian declines to dissolve the marriage, choosing to keep Yscalin’s support while constraining Guma. She proposes Lady Marian, her grandmother, as regent for the remainder of her minority.

Privately, Glorian and Wulf decide to pursue conception discreetly to secure the succession. They handfast for a year and a day and spend the night together, trusting Helisent and Julain to guard the secret.

Before dawn, Glorian confronts the imprisoned Robart, who claims his rites honor the Lady of the Woods and seeks to restore balance against Galian’s legacy. He asserts Wulf bears a mark of that power and warns Glorian’s reign may end in fire. Glorian rejects his beliefs and confirms his fall and confinement.