"You're sending Snowcloud away?" Arran looked at Brightblade in astonishment.
"Just for a year," Brightblade replied, her voice calm. "And while she gathers herbs in the borderlands, you can finally learn some magic."
Arran sighed. He had merely closed his eyes and a year had passed unnoticed. Now, he was beginning to understand just how much had happened in that time.
While he felt like he had only just arrived in the small valley, Snowcloud had already reclaimed her position as a novice, and would soon depart for the borderlands.
And that was just the start of it. He had made some connections during his first month in the House of Swords, but he had disappeared before any of those had the chance to grow. When he returned, he expected that he would have to start all over again.
Still, his biggest concern was Snowcloud. Even if she had made great progress, the thought of her facing the borderlands alone made him uncomfortable.
