Chapter 12

Under cover of night, Kazhimyr and Ravezio ride from the chaos at the castle and gain on six Solassion and Nyxterosi soldiers entering a boggy gorge. Kazhimyr freezes the water, trapping their mounts, then weathers arrows and lightning to close the distance. He kills one archer with ice and snow‑blade shards while Ravezio advances under a barrage, his scales deflecting shots.

As three soldiers flee up the mountainside, Kazhimyr wounds one and Ravezio petrifies him mid‑ice, lamenting the lodged dagger. Kazhimyr counters a lightning caster by drawing the charge and impaling the man with an ice spike. Recognizing the pinned soldier as a former torturer, Kazhimyr demands Prince Dorjan’s location. When the soldier pleads ignorance, Kazhimyr refuses mercy and leaves him for an approaching Boggyr, walking away to the man’s screams.

They return to Castle Eidolon and find it dark, wards silent, and firedrakes half‑feral from hunger. After sweeping empty halls and cells, they discover only webs in a chained dungeon alcove. Branimir answers from the shadows through his monstrous spiders, testing Kazhimyr by pinning him. Kazhimyr reaffirms his oath to protect Branimir’s family, and the spider retreats.

Kazhimyr warns that more hunters will come and offers to divert them while tracking Dolion and Rykaia. Branimir allows the door to remain unlocked and prepares to greet “unwelcome guests.” Kazhimyr and Ravezio decide Dolion and Rykaia likely sailed toward Wyntertide and plan to secure illicit papers in Susurria to infiltrate tightly controlled Calyxar by sea via Qu’brysian Bay.