Ravensblood Forest The village school is cold and still.

Change was expected — the deaths of his nieces and nephew were less so. This pained him, and it pained him to hear Wintersbane say that he was the only one left. When he included his children — nameless and numerous as they might as well be — Dagfinn gave a firm shake of his head.

Ei — you are not the last. There are many still on the tundra. There is me, he pointed out, unsure what this might mean to the younger man. He hoped it would be of some comfort, and then hoped he didn't need comfort at all.

He was pleased to meet Umbra, and said so with a deep bow. Where do you stay? he asked the man, keen on knowing exactly where he could be found.