A few more days passed after that evening in the backyard. Time did not slow for Erend, and he did not allow himself to drift.
He moved with quiet efficiency between worlds, making preparations in both his own realm and the Eternal Earth parallel world.
In his world, he recalibrated the subtle detection spells from Adrius that would warn him if something unnatural brushed too close to reality with Arty's help.
He did not tell anyone the full truth of what pressed against his thoughts, but he adjusted everything with the precision of someone who expected the worst and intended to meet it standing.
When he visited the Elf Palace, he went straight to King Gulben.
He did not waste time on ceremony. The towering white pillars and luminous crystal chandeliers above them reflected faintly in his eyes as he explained that he, Eccar, and Aesa would soon depart again to another world to carry out something important.
