Dagon was cheerful after a good night’s sleep, but Einion remained brooding.
It’s no wonder, Lucius thought, with all the pressure of the task ahead.
All three of them wondered what they would find once they entered Einion’s kingdom.
“What did your veteran friends have to say last night?” Dagon asked as they rode at a trot down the last stretch of sunlit road before Isca. “Anything useful?”
“Just trading war stories,” Lucius said. “They’ve all had their encounters with the Caledonii.”
Dagon’s face grew dark. “If we ever have to fight them again, I won’t rest until every last one lies dead upon the field and our walls are covered with their bleeding heads.”
“Easy, my friend,” Lucius urged. “That fight is for another day. Focus on what lies directly ahead.”
“We’ll need to stop in Isca
