The storm broke in shattered fragments.
In the instant it was gone from one side of the wall of wind and dust, it was already tearing open towards the pale high ground and open sky beyond. Lucian felt the key against his side immediately and rank signals layered themselves in warning at the boundary.
Rhel had no need to call them back, the far side was already occupied.
Seat marked hunters held the ridge ahead but they were not the significant figures. In the open ground in front of them stood one man in darker armor than any other, unhelmeted and in a long black coat tailored to permit movement and a seat mark at the throat that left the others looking like borrowed ink. The hunters observed him without being ordered to.
Sera wiped the water from her eyes. 'Please tell me that is not the verdict.'
'It is,' Rhel said. 'Or the first real piece of it.'
