Sebastian didn't know what to expect when he passed through Hodvekt's front gates, but what he saw rattled him to his core.

After Hannibal relayed the message back to the guards at the gate, the Arkangel convoy continued their journey toward the village. They were ordered to remain just outside the entrance while Sebastian, Imogen, Dorian, and Jocasta followed Catherine inside. The head of House Brynjir elected to have a word with the Arkangel's leader before officially letting them into her camp.

The Arkangels refused to let Jocasta go in alone, afraid of an ambush, but the woman insisted on adhering to Catherine's wishes. The two of them had been rather cordial since their meeting. Sebastian wasn't sure how long it'd last, though. House Brynjir interacted with the Arkangels the most. The two groups shared the most animosity. If they hadn't fought yet, it was only a matter of time before they were at each other's throats.

That's why Sebastian kept close by with his eyes and ears at the ready in case anything popped off. But as they walked through Hodvekt, he couldn't help but notice the stark difference in how it looked now versus when he was last there.

The village hidden in the lush forests of the Pacific Northwest didn't look as domineering and proud as it once was. A light dusting of snow covered the ground and the Nordic-inspired structures that populated the dead grass. Many of them sported burn marks, tattered roofing, and splintered pieces of dark wood. Despite the wind sneaking around them, House Brynjir's green flags refused to wave as Sebastian and company passed them by.

He arched an eyebrow as they crossed paths with a few Brynjirs. They hung their heads as they went, their shoulders weighed down by an invisible force. Depressed looks covered their soot-stained faces.

"I've never been to one of your settlements," Jocasta said as she took note of everything around her. "I must say, I'm impressed."

Hannibal snorted.

Catherine kept her face pointed forward. "I'd hope you hadn't been to any of our cities." That was all she said.

Jocasta's blue eyes darkened with contempt at the short remark. "It doesn't look very secure, though," she added. "Even with your magic, my forces would be able to take this village with ease."

Catherine scowled but said nothing.

Sebastian exhaled, his shoulders sagging with exhaustion. Watching the two women interact was akin to observing two animals circling each other in a jungle. The pettiness would've been amusing had the stakes of their situation been any lower. But they were as high as they could've possibly been. There was no time to be at each other's throats. The Order of the Black Lotus had already taken ownership of the space.

Behind him, Dorian sniffed the air a few times. Then he sneered. He whipped his head around as if he'd been yanked about by an imaginary lasso. Sebastian furrowed his brow at the werewolf.

"What?"

"Wolves are close by. Too close, for my liking."

"Redfangs?"

"Yes...and not just them. I smell monsters too."

Sebastian's steps faltered. Jocasta's words, coupled with the current state of Hodvekt, suddenly made a lot more sense. He turned to Catherine, who was a few paces ahead. "Catherine...what happened here?"

She glanced at him over her shoulder. There was no more smile on her face. No joy in her green eyes. "Since Achilles was killed, we haven't stopped being attacked. Constant hits every few days by an array of creatures. Werewolves, wendigos, even beasts we haven't seen for decades."

Hannibal spat on the ground scornfully. "We can thank Thorian for that."

Sebastian couldn't help but feel the blame coating his words. It stuck to him like glue. He looked up to the grey sky. It seemed like it was seconds away from raining. His nose crinkled.

"The Order is surely to blame," Catherine added. "It's a smart play by Thorian, honestly. With both House Brynjir and House Aegeon tied up, there won't be many people to oppose him."

"House Oseda too," Imogen said.

Catherine nodded solemnly. "Right. I'd almost forgotten. We've only heard bits and pieces about what happened in Vashara." Her expression darkened. "Many of my people have been mourning Jorgen's death."

Jorgen Vestergaard's death replayed in Sebastian's head like a bad movie. Or perhaps a nightmare. He could still see the wolves mauling his body as he tried futilely to take them down on his own. Sebastian might not have always seen eye-to-eye with the man, but his death kept him up at night sometimes. When they were thrown in the same cell after being captured by Shades in Vashara, Jorgen told him something he'd never forget.

"You'll make a great leader of the Eldenarian Council."

That's what the late general of the Eldai told Sebastian. He was destined to lead the magicians. Not Olivier, not Ajax, and not Makaela. It was supposed to be him. He was the king the prophecy spoke of.

Every choice he'd made thus far, every action he'd taken... It was all leading up to the day he took that black throne in the council room. He just hoped he was prepared when the time finally came.

Ahead of him, Catherine arrived at a log cabin at the top of a hill. It was isolated from the rest of the village, separated by a low cobblestone fence and a few poles propping up the vermillion flags of House Brynjir. As Sebastian and his companions attempted to follow Catherine and Jocasta through the gate, the ginger woman turned and stopped them.

"You will wait here."

Hannibal cleared his throat. "Surely you just mean them."

"You too, Hanny."

Groaning, he kicked an innocent rock near his foot. Sebastian watched as it tumbled down the hill. He arched an eyebrow at Catherine.

"Why can't we come inside?"

"Because I'd like to have a chat with our new friend alone."

A flash of worry crossed Jocasta's face for a moment. She was quick to disguise it with her typical stoic expression. She nodded at Catherine before following the taller woman into the cabin. The pair then disappeared behind the door. A lock clicked shortly after.

Imogen crossed her arms. "We should be in there."

Sebastian agreed. He didn't trust the two women to have a level-headed conversation without any mediators. But it was out of their hands now. All they could do now was wait until they returned. Sighing, he took a seat on the gate and kept his eyes on the cabin. He couldn't hear what was being said inside, which only drove his curiosity further. A tiny voice in the back of his head urged him to perform an eavesdropping charm, but he decided against it.

He'd simply just have to trust Jocasta and Catherine.

Imogen settled in next to him on the fence while Dorian took a seat on the ground. Hannibal remained standing with his furry brows knit together like a thick sweater.

By the time Catherine and Jocasta emerged from the cabin, the sun had nearly finished its journey across the sky. Smudged hues of marigold, orange, and purple streaked across the sky like strokes from a watercolor painter's-stained brush. The last slivers of sunlight broke through the colored clouds. Warmth poured over the snow-covered village, even if just for a few moments.

Sebastian closed his eyes and basked in the fleeting sunlight.

Imogen nudged him until he opened them again. "Look. They're back."

Jocasta left the cabin first. Sebastian watched her intently, studying her features for any indication of how her talk with Catherine went. Once that failed, he moved to the chief of House Brynjir herself. She sported a huge, toothy grin. At that moment, he realized just how much Ajax resembled his mother.

"Well?" Hannibal asked his mother.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't take that tone with me, young man."

"I'm twenty-nine..."

Sebastian couldn't help but laugh.

Catherine glanced at Jocasta before continuing. "We have reached an agreement that, should we survive the Order of the Black Lotus' wrath, will carry on into the future. As Jocasta told me, we do not have to be enemies. Mistakes were made in the past on both sides; it is up to us to make sure we don't continue to make those same mistakes."

Hannibal's eyes widened.

Sebastian could barely believe what he was hearing. They had agreed on a truce. Without his or Imogen's influence. He couldn't believe it. Maybe there was hope for the world after all. But it all meant nothing if they didn't defeat the Order.

"So, what now?" Hannibal grumbled. Clearly, he wasn't on board with a truce with the Arkangels. But Sebastian knew he—and any other Brynjirs who might've sided with him—had every reason not to be. Hopefully, his housemates had enough loyalty and self-control to put their egos aside to ally with the hunters until they won this war.

"We need to get everyone back to the Eldenarian Palace," Sebastian answered. "I've got a plan on how we can defeat the Order. But it's going to take everyone."

Catherine nodded. "Yes, yes, of course." Her grin widened. "But that can wait until the morning. For now," She paused to turn to her son, "have mess hall prepare a feast."

"A feast?! We don't have time for this—"

"I'm about to risk the lives of my housemates for you, Sebastian. The least I can do is throw them a party they'll never forget."

Scoffing, he crossed his arms and hung his head in defeat. While his statement still stood, she had a point. The battlemages of House Brynjir deserved one last hurray before charging into a fight they might not return from.

"I hope you're all hungry." Catherine patted her stomach. "Because I'm starving."

#

The Arkangels left their vehicles, weapons, and tents outside Hodvekt's gates but were allowed to enter the village. They cautiously walked in neat lines throughout the home of the battlemages, wary of the villagers eyeing them as they went. Not everyone was happy to let magician hunters into what was supposed to be a haven from the rest of humanity.

Jocasta promised Catherine her soldiers would stay in line, but Sebastian wasn't sure how much control she'd have over them if things went left. House Brynjir wasn't just known for its mastery over the art of battlemagic. They were also known for their beer. Barrels of it had been brought out in anticipation of the party. Sebastian eyed them with dread.

Still, Catherine promised her housemates would be on their best behavior. Jocasta promised the same. Sebastian hoped both women would be able to keep their word.

The sun had fully sunken beneath the horizon by the time the feast was ready. Workers carried trays of food and drinks out of the canteen and into the central courtyard. Tables and benches were set up for everyone to sit at. They gathered around the massive wood carving of a bear standing tall in the center of the square. Torches burned in the night, illuminating the weathered stone bricks beneath them.

Sebastian and Imogen sat at a table with Catherine and her family. Jocasta split off to join her Arkangels while Dorian vanished into the woods, likely to catch some food for himself. There was more than enough for to go around, but he claimed to enjoy doing his own hunting. It helped to clear his mind. Much like himself, the shifter had a lot going on in his head.

He didn't have the luxury of transforming into an animal and galloping through the forest, though. He was forced to sit amongst the battlemages of House Brynjir with his head on a constant swivel in case anything popped off.

Much to his surprise, nothing did.

The two groups mostly kept to themselves. The Arkangels sat on one side of the pavilion while House Brynjir remained on the other. But once the barrels of mead were pushed towards the center, they were forced to interact.

Sebastian watched as an Arkangel accidentally bumped into a huddle of battlemages. He was ready to spring out of his seat to break up the fight. The warrior magicians simply clapped the Ordinaire on the back and offered them a huge, drunken smile. The Arkangel returned it. Crisis averted.

"Calm down," Imogen whispered to him. "Things are going great."

"Yeah, but for how long?"

"You worry too much."

"Someone has to."

"You're right about that."

They continued eating and enjoying the moment of peace the feast brought them. Sebastian had to admit that Catherine's idea to throw a feast was brilliant. Having everyone mingle this early was risky, but it seemed to be paying off. If they all were going to fight for each other, some sense of community and trust needed to be built. The Order were at the height of its powers; they didn't need division amongst their ranks while taking on the most dangerous magicians on the planet. Besides, they all could've used a break—even if it only lasted for a night.

Once Sebastian and Imogen finished his meal, the latter pulled him away from their table and away from the noisy courtyard. They fled the sound of laughter and music. She led him to the treeline past the row of buildings circling the pavilion hosting the feast. He followed her with raised eyebrows. Had he not known any better, he would've thought she was leading him to be killed.

Eventually, she brought them into an open glade nestled between the edge of the village and the wooden walls surrounding it.

Above them, the moon twinkled in the very center of the inky, starlit sky. A cool breeze filtered through the pine trees, carrying their strong scent straight to Sebastian's nose. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he looked around before his eyes settled on the girl standing in front of him.

"Alright, what're we doing out here?"

"Figured you'd want to get away for a bit."

She knew him well. There was only so much social interaction he could take before his head exploded.

"Besides," she continued, "you were only going to stress yourself out waiting for someone to mess up."

"I just didn't want them to kill each other."

"And they won't." Imogen took his hand. "It's okay to see the good in people, you know."

"I see the good people," he argued. "Okay, that was a lie." He looked into her warm, hazel eyes. He definitely saw the good in her, though.

Imogen's cheeks reddened. Her hand trembled in his hold. He noticed her entire body was shivering slightly in the cold breeze pushing past them.

"You're cold."

"How'd you figure that one out, genius?"

Ignoring her sarcasm, he removed his jacket and handed it to her. She eyed it with a raised brow and a hint of a smirk on her lips. He frowned.

"Take it before I put it back on."

Laughing, she took it and placed it around her shoulders. She let out a content sigh and smiled. "Much better." He rolled his eyes at her.

Goosebumps immediately spread across his pale skin once the air hit him. The cold didn't bother him too much, though. They'd likely head back toward the feast in a few minutes anyway. Until then, he'd enjoy this brief moment with Imogen. They hadn't had a real chance to be alone since they kissed for the first time back at The Ark.

The feeling of her lips returned to him like a boomerang. Something stirred deep within his core. Warmth spread across his cheeks.

Imogen looked up at him with a coy smile. "What are you thinking about?"

"You," he blurted out, face hot. He hadn't meant to say it. Nevertheless, he was glad he did.

She stepped toward him and draped her hands around his neck. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close to his chest. Her heart beat against his, the two sounds moving in unison as they stood in comfortable silence. Nothing needed to be said. The looks in their eyes said everything.

"Well?" Imogen finally said. "Go on then."

Cupping her face with both hands, Sebastian planted a soft kiss on her mouth. It quickly grew into something more passionate, lighting a fire within them both. For that moment, nothing plagued his mind. Not the Order, not the prophecy, not even Makaela. Just Imogen Madani-Brigham—the halfling ordinaire. The girl who took his heart against all odds.

By the looks of things, she had no intentions of giving it back.

That was fine with him.

#

Sebastian couldn't sleep.

Following the feast, he and Imogen retired to the cabin gifted to them by Catherine. While she slept beside him, he remained wide awake until the sun peeked its head through the window across the room. He could feel the bags pulling his eyes downward, but he still couldn't bring himself to sleep. His mind buzzed with anticipation and nervousness.

One single thought kept him awake.

What if his plan didn't work?

There was every chance it wouldn't. He might've gotten the hardest part over with, he still needed other things to fall into place—not to mention the final stage of his plan that involved House Doragon. He'd been putting it off; after all, the dragon riders were allied with his father. But his plan required their help.

His father didn't trust anyone, but he wouldn't be too quick to suspect a betrayal from Karuma Kasai—House Doragon's leader. If they hadn't turned on him yet, he'd assume they were in it for the long haul. On the other hand, Sebastian was banking on Karuma having any semblance of a conscience.

The Order would've been smart to keep them in the dark about any details surrounding their actions—specifically the siege of Thania and the battle in Vashara. But news traveled. Karuma and her magicians likely heard about what happened. If he could manage to speak with them, there was a chance he could get them to turn on the Order of the Black Lotus and rejoin the Eldenarian Council.

House Doragon only sided with the Order because of their shared goal of returning magicians to power. Much of his plan banked on them not being willing to reach that goal at the expense and bloodshed of millions of people—magician and ordinaire alike.

As for the rest of his plan...

He still wasn't sure if it was a good idea. No one would've seen it coming—a fact that both excited and frightened him. It was crazy and bold and dangerous, but that's exactly why it could work.

But lives were at stake here. Could work needed to become would work. No more lives needed to be wasted because of his incompetence. He knew that now and was determined to not repeat his previous mistakes. At the same time, his reluctance to strike the Order could've resulted in even more deaths. If he didn't hit them first, they'd come swinging. His father had already made one move on the chessboard with his new army. Something told Sebastian that wasn't the only card he had in his deck. If he was to be the leader the magicians needed him to be, he had to make a move of his own.

And this was it.

This had to be it.

Shaking his head, he quietly got out of bed and moved toward the bathroom. The day loomed large ahead of him. A long, cold shower was needed before he could face it.