Chapter Forty-Two

The Raven Flock fumes at Neema and at Sol, the fragment now lodged in Neema. Unable to return to the Hidden Realm without Dragon’s wrath, the Flock decides to remain on the Other Side and head for the Tiger palace to be with Cain, rationalizing that Sol’s plan is therefore their own.

Meanwhile, Neema plans to visit the imperial dungeons to demand Benna’s release but is blocked by a new Hound guard enforcing “Festival business only.” Pressed by Sol’s incessant urgings to prepare for her duel with Katsan, Neema threatens to cast Sol out unless he stops haranguing her, prompting Sol to retreat theatrically to his “field” within her.

Escorted to the armoury, Neema opens her raven-black weapons chest. She examines a warhammer, a longsword, and other tools, rejecting the sword as too heavy and the hammer as too brutal for killing Katsan. Sol insists he can help by distorting time once, but not in the opening round, pushing Neema to choose decisively.

Neema settles on the iron “claw” fork and discovers concealed black iron war fans shaped like a raven’s tail. Remembering Sol’s earlier lessons about Raven warriors and fans, she tests one as a surrogate shield, since the emperor’s rules forbid shields. She closes the chest resolved: she will face Katsan with the claw and war fans.