The broadcast reached every faction in Duskmere by midday.
Caelan’s steward brought him the report as we were returning to Vaelthorn, a sealed message that he read on horseback with an expression that made Oryn look over immediately.
“Tell me,” Oryn said.
“The Hollow Court leadership sent a reply to Maren’s initial report last night. Before the convergence began.”
He handed the message to Oryn without comment.
I read it over Oryn’s shoulder.
The message was short and very clear. If the candidate undergoes willing convergence before acquisition, deploy the secondary protocol. Secondary protocol: use the king’s fractured soul anchor to force incomplete integration. An incomplete convergence in a willing candidate produces an unstable split. An unstable split produces a different kind
