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west?” said Ridmark. 
    “I do not believe so,” said Morigna. “One would assume that any prisoner escaping from the Tower would make for Coldinium. Easier to vanish into the vast crowds there.”
    Ridmark snorted. “Coldinium is not vast.” 
    “It is the largest city I have ever seen,” said Morigna. She realized that how provincial that made her sound, and decided to change the subject. “More to the point, it is the logical destination for a fugitive. Shelter and supplies can be found there. In every other direction is the Wilderland, and only a fool would flee there.”
    “Why not?” said Ridmark. “I wandered the Wilderland for five years, and you lived there for half your life.”
    “That is because we are stronger than most,” said Morigna. “I have magic, and you have your skill at tracking and at arms. Some half-starved prisoner would likely not last long.” 
    “No,” said Ridmark. “I suppose not. Are the others in any danger?”
    “Not yet,” said Morigna. They had left their camp three miles north of the Tower, hidden in a ravine. “None of Paul’s patrols have gone in that direction. So unless an urvaalg comes across Kharlacht and Jager and the others, they should be safe.”
    Ridmark made a dismissive gesture. “If an urvaalg finds them, Calliande’s magic can kill it.”
    He rubbed his jaw again, his eyes distant.
    Morigna frowned. She did not want to hear about Calliande. 
    “The Iron Tower is rather an obvious name, is it not?” said Morigna.
    Ridmark nodded, still thinking.
    “Who built it?” said Morigna. “It seems rather ineffective as a fortification.” 
    “The dark elves, I think,” said Ridmark. “There was a dark elven ruin here, destroyed before Malahan Pendragon came to Tarlion a thousand years past. After the Frostborn were defeated and Andomhaim recovered from the war, the High King built a castra over the ruins as the northwestern boundary of the realm, and gave it to the Dux of Caerdracon as a benefice. Ever since, the Duxi of Caerdracon have appointed the Constables of the Iron Tower.”
    “Were your High Kings mad fools?” said Morigna. “To build over a dark elven ruin? Do they not know the creatures that lurk in such places?”
    Ridmark shrugged. “Perhaps. In the south the dark elven ruins were made safe long ago. The Swordbearers and the Magistri destroyed the creatures that dwelled within. The ruins still have an evil reputation, but sometimes freeholders will use them to store crops and tools and even cattle.” He shook his head, eyes growing distant with memory. “Gothalinzur. The first urdmordar I killed, the one that first warned me the Frostborn were returning. She was preying upon the village of Victrix, and I thought she had laired within the dark elven ruin near the village. Instead the villagers used it to store seed.”
    “Where was the urdmordar, then?” said Morigna. She had never seen one of the creatures, but Ridmark had faced and killed two of them.
    “Disguised as an elderly woman among the villagers,” said Ridmark. “But we face no urdmordar here, thankfully. As to your question, I suspect the High King chose the ruin because it commands a strong view of the Lake of Battles. Doubtless the Magistri and the Swordbearers declared the ruin safe, and so the Iron Tower was built over it.”
    She stepped closer to him. “The same Magistri who have the Enlightened of Incariel among their number?” 
    He frowned. “I had not considered that. If the Enlightened had already infiltrated the Magistri at that time, perhaps they had another use for the fortress. Or the Eternalists, for that matter.” 
    “Maybe that explains why Shadowbearer had Tarrabus send the soulstone here,” said Morigna. “Some property of the Iron Tower.” 
    “Perhaps,” said Ridmark. “Or it was simply a convenient location.” He looked at her. “That tower of iron. Is it magical?”
    “I cannot tell from here,” said Morigna. “But I will say