9. SwordmasterThey left the Eagle Rider Building, Aiden following Tristan across the Palace gardens and out through a small, well-guarded gate into the Restricted Zone. There were no streets here, only a scattering of tracks and fields separated by fences with wooden huts interspersed. To their left, standing sentinel over the fields, was the great walled arena where Aiden had snuck onto the roof and learnt how to cast Uath, dread.
“This way,” said Tristan, taking a track leading away from the arena. The ground was hard packed from the passing of hundreds of feet, the grass worn bare. Groups of people sparred in the fields, swords clacking, while others leaned on the fences watching. A man in the field beside them cried out in sudden pain. Aiden looked round quickly to see another man sta
