“There they go,” Janine said, leaning out from the eastern watchtower, surveying the dozens of Passguards as they began their journey to the heart of the Py’riel’s ir. They ughed and joked amongst themselves as they departed, each eager for the glory a successful hunt would bring. “I won’t lie, I’m still a little envious.”

  Warren tugged at his mustache as he stood at an adjacent window. “I know the feeling, but think of the upside. At least you won’t be stuck marching with Rufel for a couple weeks.” He moved to the center of the tower’s topmost floor, running a finger along the gigantic brass bell at its center, disturbing a yer of dust that had collected on it. “Patrols always confronted threats long before they came near Quinn’s Peak, but with everyone gone, we might get the occasional visitor or two. Even if the walls and portcullises work as designed, I want you to sound the arm if anything shows up—we take no chances. Understood?”

  Janine nodded, giving her full attention to Warren after the st of the Passguards vanished down the road. “Yes sir. Anything else I should know?”

  “Hmm, I think that’s most of it,” Warren said. “The morning shift might get a little busy, but most traffic is leaving town during those hours so you shouldn’t have much trouble on your own. For the evening shift? Bring a book, is my advice. Be prepared for anything, but expect a lot of nothing.” Warren descended the staircase leading back down to the portcullis and its gatehouse, with Janine and myself in tow. “I think our off-shift presence is more important, anyway, so keep your tabard on. If Galen succeeds with vanquishing the Py’riel, he and his freence soldiers will vanish in a heartbeat—might as well get an early start rebuilding a friendlier image for the Passguards.”

  “Way ahead of you there. I promised Lucas I’d help trim the trees around town square, and Meridia said she’d stitch my uniform up better if I can install a new sign for her shop.”

  Warren smiled, patting Janine’s shoulder. “Good, good. You should go take care of those while you still have daylight, I’ll see you back here after dusk. Don’t be te, Robinson owes me a drink at the Alehorse tonight.”

  For the next few days, Quinn’s Peak returned to being the town I remembered all those years ago—minus the imposing citadel towering over the rooftops. As we strolled through town, we overheard neighbors gossiping about yields of nearby apple orchards instead of the test monster sighting rumors. The Alehorse and other taverns found themselves packed each night as residents didn’t have to worry about what trouble Rufel and his ilk might stir up after a couple rounds. Janine set a shining example as a model Passguard, providing directions or rounding up escaped chickens—seriously, how do they keep breaking that fence?—when she wasn’t watching the gate.

  I missed this. Seeing this little regain some of its charm brought everything together again again for me, where it felt like a bright future was on the brink of emerging to repce the grim years of recovery. I tried to pull back my magic from Janine as much as I could, to let her be herself again, but I did still occasionally give her a little nudge—to take the scenic routes along the bustling shops to admire the flowers blooming in the town square.

  On the fifth night, Evelyn followed Janine up to the top of the watchtower for her evening shift. With a bag of books and a quiver of arrows slung over a shoulder, Evelyn hummed as the two walked along.

  “You really didn’t have to come along if you don’t want, you know,” Janine said as she set her bag down along the wall, examining the forest beyond the wall for a moment before turning back to her cousin. “I mean, you’re free to stay, just that you’re going to be bored.”

  Squirmier than usual, Evelyn gnced around the watchtower with a grin on her face as she set her things aside near the rge bell. “Oh, I know. I won’t stay too long, dad’s quizzing me on hexes in the morning so I can’t stay up te.”

  Janine quirked an eyebrow as she noticed her cousin fidgeting. “Everything alright?”

  “Oh, yeah, peachy. Wow, the view is great up here, it’s so much nicer without walls in the way.” Evelyn looked out of each arched window as she meandered along the perimeter of the room, before she stopped. “Oh no! Janine, come look, quick!” Wide-eyed and mouth agape, Evelyn put her hands to her cheeks at some unknown presence just outside the watchtower.

  Jogging to the window, Janine gasped at the sight—along the wall-walk stood a wooden figure with two glowing purple eyes! Two eyes that looked suspiciously like glow gems from the magic shop... once she realized that we were looking at a pile of logs and sticks, Janine groaned and shoved the shoulder of a giggling Evelyn, before she started to giggle herself.

  “Warren said you were kind of jealous that you didn’t get to fight a Py’riel, so we made you one. Surprise!” Evelyn grinned even wider. “You can knock this one over all you want.”

  “It’s ridiculous. Thank you.”

  The two chattered about weird customers at the shop or the upcoming summer festival at first, but for most of the evening, Evelyn studied her spellbooks or loosed arrows at the false Py’riel—most sailed far astray from their target—while Janine scanned the surrounding woods and road for any threats. Other than the occasional owl swooping by the window, or fox running along the base of the wall, the world seemed still.

  Until the bell at the western watchtower began to ring.

  Janine tensed at the sound. She couldn’t see much other than the torches inside the western tower, but upon closer inspection, we spotted a faint purple glow reflected off the trees beyond the wall.

  “Evie, I think it’s time for you to head home,” Janine said, affixing her scabbard to her belt. “Warren said this might happen, it’s probably a stray.”

  The purple glow grew more pronounced among the trees—and not just to the west. The color crept along the wall to the north, then the south, moving our direction. These weren’t lone strays. Dozens of enchanted tree-creatures converged on the road in front of the eastern portcullis.

  The worst-case scenario stood at our doorstep. The Py’riel had returned.