Epilogue
The two apprentices had passed their technical test with ease, but Thorat scarcely slept the night Eppie kept her vigil at the shrine. After she emerged, wits intact, Sovara decided that it was high time one of them ventured up to the palace to volunteer for Midsummer guard duty. Thorat drew the short straw. He was passing through the palace hill market when someone hailed him from a tavern.
“Ho, Thorat!” the man said.
Thorat looked around and raised his hand to return the salute. It was one of the guardsmen from Tiadun Keep. He went over to exchange greetings.
“Come sit for a minute.”
Thorat racked his mind but could not recall the man’s name, or come up with a good excuse to hurry away.
“I thought you’d be off at your farm now.”
Thorat shook his head ruefully. “Well, it d
