Chapter 740: The River and the Wall

Eldric adjusted his glasses, his fingers tracing the faded edge of the ancient text. The dust from the book clung to his sleeves, and a thin line of it smudged across his cheek where he had rubbed his face absentmindedly.

"I am not certain that this text actually translates to what was written on the stones," he admitted slowly. "But it has the exact same wording: ’Wash the eyes of the earth.’ That cannot be a coincidence, right?"

Tobias read through the translation again, his eyes moving slowly across the parchment. He set it down and looked at Eldric.

"You may not be far off," he said. "Think about it. The Trine of Ash and Vein was meant to curtail, to hold in, to contain Dolion, right? What if these writings on the stones were like a ritual? Or some kind of rite? What if all of these were warnings we failed to heed?"

He paused, his gaze sharpening.

"What if it actually signals something more?"

Eldric nodded slowly, his fingers still resting on the ancient text. "That is exactly why we are trying to get the meaning behind it. There must be something there. Something we are missing."

The silence that followed was broken by Jarek clearing his throat.

Both Tobias and Eldric turned to him.

"I have something to say," Jarek said quietly.

Tobias tilted his head. "What is it?"

Jarek swallowed, his gaze dropping briefly to the parchment before lifting again. "The symbol of the Black Circle... it’s a black river."

Tobias’s brow furrowed. "A black river?"

Jarek nodded. "Honestly, I should not have spoken like I was so certain. This is all just a rumor I heard. But some people in the black market were of the opinion that if one saw the symbol with a black river, it meant the Black Circle. I have never actually seen it with my own eyes."

He paused, his finger moving to the parchment, circling the words: "And the sea seeks a new successor of the night."

"But now that I am seeing this," he continued, "I wonder."

Tobias leaned closer. "What do you wonder?"

Jarek’s voice dropped slightly. "The previous ruler—the one they worshipped—was the first priest to practice black magic, right?"

Tobias nodded.

"And like you said, these writings on the stones were more like a warning. The sea seeking a new successor could be the Black Circle. Those who walk in the darkness, seeking a new successor."

Tobias nodded slowly. "There is already a successor, though."

Jarek met his gaze. "There is. And I suspect it is Victoria."

Tobias’s expression hardened. "That is the truth. And Orion killing Dolion just made things faster."

Eldric frowned, his finger tracing the next line of the translation. "The part about the silt—where the blood runs black before the rain..."

Tobias and Jarek spoke at the same time. "That is obviously black magic."

Eldric nodded. "So this stone speaks of purification and the successor. But what does the first key turning mean? Things are only happening now, right? What could the first key turning mean?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered.

---

While the conversation unfolded in the library, Caspian stood at the base of the eastern wall, his breath fogging in the cold air. His hand pressed against his lower back, a familiar gesture of discomfort that had become second nature over the years.

He had gathered some of the builders, those he could get from Mary. They moved along the wall in a slow, methodical line, their eyes scanning for cracks, weaknesses, places where the frost had eaten away at the mortar.

Caspian walked alongside them, his gaze fixed on the ancient stones that had stood for longer than anyone could remember.

"There," he said, pointing to a section near the base. "That needs reinforcement. The frost has been eating at it for years. And if there’s even the slightest pressure against it, it may collapse, or worse, it may be used as a weak point against us. Enemies may enter the pack."

One of the builders nodded, making a note on the parchment he carried. "Yes, sir. We’ll need more stone and mortar, though."

Caspian grunted. "Calculate how much we need and immediately start the process."

The builder hesitated. "Elder Caspian, with respect, we have two weeks. Two weeks to gather materials, reinforce the wall, and prepare for a war. That is not a lot of time."

Caspian turned to him, his eyes sharp. "I know how much time we have. But I also know that if this wall falls, we lose everything. So you will find a way. Understood?"

The builder swallowed and nodded.

Caspian turned back to the wall, his gaze sweeping across its length. The snow fell steadily around him, dusting his shoulders and the edges of his cloak.

"Notes," he said, not looking at anyone in particular. "Take notes on everything. Every crack, every weakness, every spot that needs attention. I want a full report by the end of the day."

The builders moved to obey, their tools clinking softly as they began their work.

---

At the smithy, Mary stood before the gathered craftspeople.

They had come from every corner of the pack—blacksmiths, carpenters, leatherworkers, and all those whose hands shaped the materials that kept the pack alive. They stood in a loose crowd before the smithy, their feather earrings glinting in the pale light.

Mary stood in front of them, her arms crossed over her broad chest. Her red hair was cropped close to her scalp, and the scars on her forearms caught the light.

She let the silence stretch for a moment, her gaze sweeping across the faces before her.

"I am sure you are all wondering why I have called this meeting," she said.

Her voice carried easily across the gathered crowd, sharp and clear.

"I’ll tell you why. War is coming. You have all heard the rumors, and I can confirm that they are true. We have two weeks to prepare for what is coming."