Chapter 21 — The Reed Crown's Mark
They made camp on a dry rise in the marsh, a rare patch of solid ground. The noble was too shaken to sleep, pacing in small circles like a caged animal.
Kael sat on a flat stone, mask in his lap. The wood was strange — not carved from any tree he recognized. Fine etchings ran along the inside, nearly invisible without the firelight.
—That's script, Side noted. Not decorative. It's binding magic.
Kael tilted it to catch more light. "Binding who to what?"
—Given the poison, the organization, and the way they backed off after you killed their leader… I'd say these hunters aren't acting freely.
The noble stopped pacing. "You mean they're slaves?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. His eyes tracked the marsh's darkness. "They're weapons."
He flipped the mask over and tapped the inside, focusing. Shadows curled from his fingers, seeping into the grooves of the carvings. The lines flared — faintly red, then quickly dimmed as if resisting him.
Side's tone sharpened. That's not resistance, Kael. That's surveillance. Someone knows you have it now.
"Good," Kael said flatly.
The noble nearly tripped over himself. "Good? Are you insane?"
Kael stood, tossing the mask once before catching it. "If they want it back, they'll have to send someone. That's how we find their master."
The noble shook his head. "You're making enemies before you even have a kingdom to rule."
"Kingdoms aren't built by waiting for enemies to knock politely," Kael replied, voice cool.
A distant horn echoed through the marsh — deep, slow, and deliberate. The noble's eyes went wide. "That's them!"
Kael shook his head. "No. Different pitch. That's a signal from outside the marsh."
They both turned toward the faint glow on the horizon.
—City fires, Side murmured. Looks like one of the border towns.
Kael sheathed his sword. "Then this hunt isn't over. It's spreading."
The noble hesitated. "What do we do?"
Kael smiled faintly, though his eyes were cold. "We follow the fire."
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