Charlaine was on the road early the following day, leaving the town behind her by first light. The sky remained clear and the sun warm, but the night’s chill persisted, reminding her that summer was almost over.
The road was easy to follow, which was helpful, for the land in these parts was flat, with little to serve as landmarks other than trees or the occasional stream. Off to the northwest stood the Brinwald, the thick cover of its canopy plunging the trunks into perpetual darkness.
To the southeast, she could just make out the edge of another forest, and it wasn"t long before she came across the area Lord Handrik had spoken of, a relatively narrow pass between the two woods.
The small stream that cut through this would not stop an army but would undoubtedly inconvenience anyone off
