As the sun crypt up the sky, Ramas shook his head. With every motion, the wanderer’s helm softened and elongated. Within moments, the steel had transformed from a protective piece of armor into a hooded cloak. When the edge of the garment reached his calves, he pulled it tightly around his shoulder before pulling the hood down to obscure his milky white eyes. With a sudden inhalation, he emerged from the shadows, stepping onto the town’s main thoroughfare and weaving between the early risers.

Halfway down the street, someone emerged from a crossing path and stepped in front of Ramas, forcing the wanderer to stop. Prior to scanning the area, the stranger leaned in so closely that Ramas could discern the man’s last meal. “What kept you?”

Ramas’s shoulders relaxed as he identified his mark upon the newcomer. With an obscured smile, his hooded eyes soaked in everything despite their deformity. “I’m not that late, Jandar.” Ramas inched closer as he ran his thumb across his lips as he lowered his gaze to the ground. “Besides, Emily’s soldiers are everywhere. In order to avoid them, I needed to take a circuitous route, which delayed my arrival slightly. However, I’m not exceedingly late.”

“I would have rather you had gotten here earlier than you did.”

“That’s a detail we can bicker about later.” Ramas reached out, grasping his informant’s shirt as his head bobbed. “For now, let’s focus on the actual issue, Emily’s soldiers. Is their presence here an abnormality? Or does she truly enjoy the support she’s apparently receiving in this section of the continent?”

“We cannot talk out here,” Jandar said, grabbing Ramas’s arm. With a gentle tug, he retreated down the side path, dragging the wanderer behind him. Every time Ramas pressed about their destination, Jandar would raise a finger, forestalling the discussion. After the third silent rebuke, Ramas resigned himself to following his informant on their own circuitous path through the city. After what felt like hours, Jandar pulled up beside a secluded and unkempt building. His head whipped about as he reached for the door’s handle. “Once we’re inside, we’ll have ample privacy for our inflammatory discussion.”

Ramas tugged his hood as he stared at the establishment’s wall. With his altered sight, the solid structure was nothing more than lightly packed sand suspended in glass, letting him make out the collections of stars just beyond the barrier. His fists clenched as he silently ground his teeth. When his gaze shifted back to Jandar, the similar cluster beside him confirmed the ambush. With a groan, Ramas freed himself from Jandar’s grasp. “Why did we have to come here?”

“Emily has many spies,” Jandar said, opening the building’s door and ushering Ramas inside. “Inside, we won’t have to worry about them. We can have candid conversations.”

Ramas released a pent-up breath as he sauntered into the doorway. He lingered in the opening for a couple of heartbeats before he thumped the frame. “Jandar, you’ve worked with me for many seasons. Must we talk inside?”

“You need to come inside so we can talk.”

“No,” Ramas said, unclenching his fists...