Chapter 25

The villagers met in the deepest part of the groves, No Man's Land to the villagers and Haunted Forest to outsiders. They came carrying little save their ceremonial devices. Herbs, cauldrons, swords, and staffs. They left behind everything of world value in homes that were, as they spoke, being set afire to conceal all evidence of who had lived there.

Cate felt a heaviness in her chest as everyone gathered around.

All told, there were fifty-eight Druids from Fennel and the two surrounding villages of Gaston and Maubrey. They had come seeking refuge and advice. The Romans had moved from the north where they had already killed, tortured, and run off many of the northern Druids. The last message the Druids had received was that the Romans were headed toward the people of the rock. They were safe for the time being, but no one knew for how long.