Chapter 5: Part 10 - Stone
The screams were all Erin could hear. The world seemed to come to her in fractured images, one little piece at a time. The face of the human Talon she was grappling with in the moment before he pitched over the side of the Victory. A flash of blue-grey Priory robes and what she was almost certain was Marta’s face. A pool of blood spreading across the deck beneath her, making her footing uncertain. And the sudden parting of the crowd on the ship’s deck as Talons and Priory alike scrambled for safety.
Chapter 5: Part 8 - The Flawless Victory
It had taken all Erin had to put her trust in Vasha. Even now, crouched in the undergrowth of Bloodtide Fen, she wasn’t quite sure what she’d let herself in for.
Chapter 5: Part 7 - Good Luck With Thieves
After days of frenetic activity, the guild hall had fallen eerily quiet. Oska was gone, of course, chasing Spark’s trail into the depths of Ascalon. Erin had tasked Marissa, Roan, Jean, and Caolinn to go after him. She was certain they had enough experience to handle Spark, especially Caolinn, who’d worked with the charr years before Light’s Memory formed.
Chapter 5: Part 6 - Mercy
Spark had always expected to go out fighting. It wasn’t only that that was the charr way. She’d scraped and battled her way through life from the day she’d left the fahrar, suffering untold losses, devastating failures, and more bloodshed than any one individual should witness. Two things had always carried her through: her work as an engineer, which she was certain held the key to bringing peace to Tyria… And Weir.
Chapter 5: Part 4 - Blind Spot
Chapter 5: Part 2 - Honesty and Humility
Chapter 5: Part 1 - The Right Thing
Fourth Interlude: Loyalty
Blackthorn Manor was dark and silent, but it wasn’t empty. Erin had been at the door for only a few moments before it swung inwards, revealing a stern-faced servant.
Fourth Interlude: Worse Than Nothing
Plans were being made, Jean knew. They’d been in motion from the moment Oska appeared on a hill in the Shiverpeaks, visibly alone. His appearance had sent a ripple through both sides of the battle and finally brought it to a shuddering stop.
Chapter 4: Part 10 - Fury and Despair
Oska’s world had slowed to a crawl. He saw the arrow drop out of the sky and strike Erin in the chest. He saw her stagger backwards, unharmed, and brush the arrow away as though it was nothing more than a biting insect. He saw, through the thickening snow flurries, weapons being drawn and spells prepared.
Chapter 4: Part 9 - A Hundred Years in the Wilderness
It was a long time since Erin had spent any real time in the Shiverpeaks. Over her years with Amber and then with Light’s Memory, she’d passed through from time to time, but that simply wasn’t the same. Wading through knee-deep snow, waking to ice in your hair and eyelashes, feeling the cold sink right down to your bones… She knew Amber would call her mad for it, but she missed everyone one of those things.
Chapter 4: Part 6 - Ruses and Lies
The carriage ride was cramped and uncomfortable. Erin was certain Ruby had chosen the smallest vehicle possible, just to spite her. They sat across from one another, the curtains closed and Ruby’s eyes glinting in the darkness. The girl managed to look both comfortable enough to fall asleep and yet ready to stab someone as quickly as blinking. Erin, on the other hand, was forced to pull her knees up almost to her chest.
Chapter 4: Part 5 - Foolish Moves
Chapter 4: Part 4 - Starry-Eyed Idealists
Chapter 4: Part 3 - A Loose Cannon
“What are you doing here?” Erin had spoken the words before she could stop herself.
Chapter 4: Part 2 - The Upper Hand
Marta’s office was both tiny and alarmingly familiar to Erin. It had once been a storeroom, stuffed full of unused scrolls and abandoned student theses. It had also been just about roomy enough, Erin recalled, for two norn who’d had one too many ales and ended up wearing too few clothes. They’d been a pair of drunken fools, all right. No wonder Marta had called the relationship off before it could really get started.