He was waiting on the old watchtower above the west wall when I found him the next evening, exactly where his message had said he'd be, exactly as quiet as he'd promised. No guards up here, no map spread out to weigh conversation down with the illusion of business. Just Kravius, leaning against the crenellations with his staff propped beside him, watching the last color drain out of the sky over ground that would, within two days, be crossed by an army marching to kill everyone I'd sworn to protect.
"You came alone," he said, without turning.
"You asked me to."
"I did. I wasn't certain you'd honor it." He glanced back at me then, and whatever composure he'd worn in the war room the day before had thinned considerably, like a coat let out one size too far. "Zereth would have advised against it. Rena more than Zereth."
