The road stretched long and winding before them, a path carved through frostbitten fields and shadowed by the skeletal remains of winter-bare trees. Inside the carriage, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against packed dirt filled the silence, punctuated only by the occasional murmur of conversation.

  Otter leaned against the window, watching the landscape roll by.

  The others in the carriage weren’t much for talking, either. Erin sat across from him, arms crossed, gaze unfocused, lost in her own thoughts. She had been quiet since they’d boarded, though she had shot him the occasional glance, as if debating whether to say something. Torrin was huddled up in a corner and wouldn’t look at anyone.

  Otter wasn’t sure if talking would make him feel better or worse, so he just sat in silence and the tireless horses ate up the miles. Eventually, he took out the book Piper had given him and began reading. The next thing he knew, they were stopping for a midday break. All the passengers climbed out to stretch their legs and see to other necessary personal business behind a tree.

  Otter took the moment to breathe deeply, clearing his head. Soon, he would be back in Brighthaven. Soon, he would see his mother. That should have been enough to lift his spirits. But something gnawed at the edges of his thoughts. A tension in his chest that refused to ease.

  That night, they stopped at a roadside inn, a small but well-kept establishment catering to travelers. The students filed into cramped rooms, the warmth of the hearths a welcome contrast to the biting cold outside.

  Otter laid back on the too-firm mattress, staring at the ceiling. His mind refused to settle, thoughts spinning through the events of the last few weeks. He had survived things he never could have imagined, but somehow, facing Brighthaven again filled him with apprehension. Which was ridiculous.

  At some point, he fell asleep because he jolted awake at a pounding on the door. Otter sat up as someone knocked again, more insistently. “Wake up! All of you.”

  The other boys in the room were stirring. Otter swung his legs over the side of the bed, heart hammering. The door opened, revealing the carriage driver’s grim face. “Get up, boys.”

  “What’s going on?” Otter asked, the only one coherent enough to form words.

  The driver’s expression was grave. “Brighthaven’s been attacked.”

  The words shocked him into alertness. He was already pulling on his boots before the driver could say another word.

  They were back on the road within minutes. The urgency in the driver’s voice had filled them with fear, wiping away sleep and exhaustion. The carriages rattled down the darkened road, their pace faster now, horses urged onward despite the late hour.

  Otter, desperate for information, had climbed up beside the driver. “What do you know?”

  “Not much. I received a message from the Academy. It seems they just got word of the attack and wanted you all to know. I figured everyone would want to get there as quickly as possible.”

  “Attacked by what?” Otter’s voice was steady despite the fear curling in his stomach.

  The driver didn’t turn from the reins, his focus on keeping the horses steady as they barreled down the road. “Kaosborn.”

  Terror threatened to overwhelm Otter. “When?”

  “Two nights ago. Some adventurers put them down before things got too bad, but there were casualties.” The driver shook his head. “They say the city’s still on edge. Figured I should get you kids back as soon as possible.”

  Otter didn’t hear the last part. His brain was stuck on the word “casualties.” Was his mother one of them? Or Erin’s parents? He imagined a pack of rift-hounds tearing through the docks, phasing through walls, ripping flesh—

  He shook his head violently, shoving the thought away. He couldn’t afford to panic. Not now.

  His hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his palms. He forced himself to take slow, steady breaths. He couldn’t let fear take hold. He just had to get to Brighthaven, to see for himself, to make sure his mother was safe.

  They rode hard, the horses galloping beneath them, carrying them toward whatever awaited.

  Otter didn’t sleep. None of them could. They just watched the horizon, waiting for the first glimmer of dawn. Or the first lights of home.

  Otter desperately hoped Luck was still with him.

  After what seemed like an eternity, the city came into view just as the reaching red fingers of dawn brushed the horizon.

  The closer they got, the clearer the signs of battle became.

  Smoke curled from a few buildings near the gate, their rooftops blackened by fire. A section of the outer wall bore deep gouges, as if something massive had clawed through the stone itself. Guards stood in clusters near the entrance, their faces lined with exhaustion.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  The carriages slowed as they approached the gates, and Otter itched to jump down and finish the journey on foot. But he knew better. They had to get through the gates first.

  The guards double-checked the paperwork and inspected the carriages thoroughly before allowing them to enter, but once they did, Otter shoved open the door and scrambled out. His legs, stiff from hours of sitting, almost gave way, but he steadied himself and broke into a run.

  He barely registered Erin calling after him, and gave her a wave.

  There was no time. He had to get home.

  Otter sprinted through the familiar streets, dodging past carts and pedestrians. He took the quickest route he knew—cutting through alleyways, leaping over crates, slipping between buildings. His breath came fast and uneven, but he didn’t stop. When he finally rounded the last corner, his little cottage came into view.

  It was still standing. The only smoke came from the chimney.

  Relief washed over him, and he almost collapsed into the street. He bounded through the door so hard it nearly slammed into the wall.

  His mother sat at the table, peeling a few potatoes. Her head jerked up, eyes going wide.

  “Ma!” he cried as he rushed forward.

  The knife fell from her hand as she jumped up and wrapped him in a fierce hug.

  He squeezed his eyes shut and held on just as tightly. “You’re safe,” he breathed.

  She pulled back just enough to cup his face, her fingers pressing gently into his cheeks as she studied him. “As are you.”

  “I heard what happened,” he cut in. “Are you okay? Were you here when—”

  “I’m fine,” she assured him quickly. “I stayed inside, like everyone else. The city watch and the adventurers handled it.”

  Otter breathed a sigh of relief.

  His mother brushed his hair back, searching his face with careful eyes, then held him at arm’s length, looking him up and down. “You’ve changed,” she murmured.

  It was true. He wasn’t the same boy who had left for the Academy months ago. He had fought Kaosborn. He’d seen people die. He’d nearly died himself, for that matter. But he couldn’t tell her that.

  “I had a birthday,” he allowed. Then he hugged her again.

  He held her a few moments longer before she finally pulled away.

  “Let’s get you warmed up. I have tea on.”

  He hadn’t realized how badly he needed something warm until now. His fingers were cold, his chest tight, and exhaustion from the sleepless night was pressing in. He flopped down at the table, catching the faint hint of chamomile and honey mingling with the dried herbs hanging on the walls.

  His mother poured them each a cup of tea, then sat across from him. Otter wrapped his hands around the cup, letting the warmth seep into his skin.

  “Well, what are you waiting for? Tell me about the Academy.”

  So he did. Sort of. He told her about his courses and instructors, which subject was his favorite. He even told her about his struggles with Combat Basics. He told her about his job at the library, though he steered clear of the mysteries he’d stumbled into. But mostly, he talked about his friends.

  She smiled and nodded, asking questions when the time seemed right. All in all, it was a wonderful homecoming, and Otter found much of his stress and worry evaporating. As it did, weariness settled in and he yawned over and over.

  “Son,” his mother said. “You look exhausted. Go lay down. We’ll talk more later.”

  Reluctantly, Otter went to the next room and crawled into his palette. He decided he’d just close his eyes for a minute.

  It was dark when he woke up. He heard his mother moving around in the kitchen, so he sat up, digging crusties from the corner of his eye, then went to check on her. She was in the middle of decorating. She’d found running cedar somewhere and was tacking it up on the walls.

  She smiled at him as he came in. “Well, what do you think?”

  “It smells nice,” he said. “Just in time for Binding Eve.”

  Binding Eve! Things had been so hectic at the Academy, he’d completely forgotten to get his mother a gift. He’d have to do something about that in the next day or two.

  Marla scooped out a bowl of stew for him and put it on the table. “I wasn’t sure you’d ever wake up.”

  “It was a long night. We got word of the attack just after we stopped for the evening, so we decided to push on, to get here as soon as possible.”

  She nodded.

  “It must have been scary. Have you heard what happened?” Otter asked.

  His mother sighed, rubbing her forehead. “I didn’t see much of anything. It happened so fast. One moment, the city was quiet. The next, the bells were ringing, people were screaming. I locked the door and stayed inside, like everyone else.”

  Otter nodded.

  “I heard they broke through the west gate first. I don’t think they got too far. The city watch fought them, and then some Adventurers showed up. I don’t know where they came from, but they showed up fast.”

  “Did they kill all the Kaosborn?”

  “They drove them off,” she said. “But they put up a heck of a fight.” His mother sighed and took a bite of her own stew. “The watch and the adventurers patrolled all night, making sure the creatures didn’t come back. I think we’re safe now.”

  Otter leaned forward. “Did you hear who the adventurers were? Any famous names?”

  She frowned in thought, tapping a finger against her cup. “There were a lot of them. Some names I didn’t recognize. But there were a few I remember hearing.”

  Otter listened carefully as she listed them off. Most were names Otter didn’t recognize, some were from local guilds. Then she said a name that made his blood run cold. Holloway.

  “Holloway?” he repeated.

  She nodded. “Varek Holloway, I think.”

  Otter’s pulse quickened. That was impossible. Varek had been hunting his father. What was he doing in Brighthaven?

  His mother noticed the shift in his expression. “Do you know him?”

  Otter hesitated. “I… met him once. At the Academy.”

  Her frown deepened, but she didn’t press. “Well, he was here. He helped the city watch and kept a bunch of them alive, from what I heard.”

  Otter barely heard the rest. His mind was racing.

  Varek Holloway was in Brighthaven.