Chapter Seventeen
Hunting the Hunters
Early the following morning, Lodariel gathered the twelve elves she had chosen from the home guard to accompany her on the scouting expedition. They waited while she exchanged a few last words with Daroandir. She had selected each of them for their steadiness as well as their tracking abilities. She couldn’t afford to be distracted by any enthusiasts on this mission.
The predawn air was chill with the bite of autumn. A rolling fog covered the grassy plain. Lodariel pulled the collar of her gray cloak closer around her neck. She was eager to be gone, but only so she could get this journey over with and return to Vila Eadros where she belonged, protecting Valanandir and Iadrawyn.
“Don’t let them leave the village, unless you escort them personally, a
