Despair’s steel grip tightened around my soul. The stark realization of how immense the odds were stacked against the child me made the idea of even living another fortnight incomprehensible. And all the others, as well, were going to forfeit their lives. Eggar of Fyodor’s Crossing and all the peasantry of that village were now equally condemned in the eyes of the Niscians. Jojin Bok, and whoever he might recruit to fight along with us, were condemned men. And the old Niscian monk, Alvus Fairhands, would be soon labeled as such once word reached the Ruling Fathers of his decision to join us.
I came to my feet, knowing what I had come to Karlsburg to accomplish, I still had to do. Even though now it meant all the monks within the monastery would be ten times more alert for my possible appr
