Then he looked at the interior again, the ancient ground, the presence that was coming from inside in the way the sun came from somewhere specific, the source of everything his senses had been building toward for the full journey from the plainfield.
Fenrir was still beneath him.
Lin was at the wolf's flank, the fox's golden eyes on the ring with the specific quality of attention that Lin brought to things that required real attention.
He looked at both of them.
"Stay here," he said.
Fenrir's ears turned toward him.
"Both of you."
He did not elaborate on this. They were his summons and they would follow the instruction and the instruction had a reason that he did not need to explain because the reason was visible in the quality of what was in front of them.
He swung his leg over Fenrir's back and dropped to the ground.
