She found a small ledge partway up the slope, a comfortable-looking spot of grass just about big enough for a house cat to curl up on. It might have served as a decent perch in broad daylight, but it was far too small and narrow to serve as a bed. What’s more, it seemed to be the terminus of a narrow path leading further up into the mountains. Eppie readjusted the sword on her back, took a last swig of the water she’d taken at the crossroads that morning, and followed the trail a little farther.
From the top of the ridge, Eppie could see the dusky land sloping away in all directions. To the west, it flowed up into the sunset, into the heart of Na’s country. To the southeast, it reached down, the mountaintops narrowing into a point that jutted out into the sea. Behind her, to the north, Ep
