He’d taken the money they’d offered, and he’d taken a land grant, and he’d come here, to the edge of the place that had changed his sorry existence forever. Nowhere else seemed fitting. Bilbalo was a hive now, as the refugees flooded back and began two long processes – rebuilding, and draining. With the destruction of the Miremancers the miremere was once again simply a marsh. The Protectorate had started to shrink its borders it with a vengeance, starting with their streets and the filth which had flooded the broken south Wall.
Lorenzo’s daughter had been escorted from the city just before it was overrun. She now ruled, with Novo as her chief councillor. Roddick had heard they’d promoted him to Marshal. He’d formally exonerated Roddick of the charges of murder and unlawful escape – Roddick still hadn’t stuck around for the awards ceremony.
He didn’t see the others anymore either, least of all the werekynd. They kept themselves to themselves, tending to their ancient forest and its slow regeneration. Now that the scent of blood was on the wind again he was sure they’d be happy, but the wars along the Tanglewild’s borders between man and man-beast were long over.
Sometimes, after he’d been working his land all day and hunger had finally gotten the better of him, he’d return home to find a gutted branchwalker or some other small beast laid outside the front door. He’d sense the eyes of the Pup on him then, lost somewhere amidst the edge of the forest. He would turn and nod his thanks, and carry his dinner indoors. He never saw Ulthric again, but he always knew he was there.
He dug a few more shovelfuls of the turnip patch, then paused to wipe the sweat from his brow. A light breeze was coming up from the south, cooling him and making the branches of the Tanglewild rustle and murmur. He listened to it for a while, smiled, and went back to work.
The forest was at peace today. It would be a long, good summer.
Werekynd - Beasts of the Tanglewild Page 18