"And yet here you are," you reply.
"We had to flee the Tribe of the Black Wolf," says Vanya. "Of course we came north, but this stone circle we're standing on—this marks a crossroads, both in the paths that run through this land and in our own destiny. I'm taking the tribe to Coldharbor. There we'll sell what we can and charter a ship to take us to the Dragon Islands, and from there across the Stone Sea."
"To the swamps and jungles and sickness of the uncharted lands that lie across that sea, you mean? That fate is worse than the one I offer—at least I offer a chance of survival."
"Say what you will, Basileios. The decision is made. If I had to be creative with the truth of your demise, what of it? I am a better leader than you ever were. You should have stayed away."