The NRS Orion docked at the Northveil pier as the sun began to set, seven days after that night in the Sea of Mist. The ship's port side hull was still heavily dented, and the crew moved sluggishly, clearly exhausted.
Anastasia stood on the forecastle deck, draped in her wolf-fur mantle. Her black hair remained pinned in an immaculate bun, but no amount of perfect posture could hide the dark circles under her eyes. Nine Iron Empire guards stood in a row behind her, and one of them had kept his head bowed ever since the mooring lines were cast onto the pier.
Roland stood beside her in a crumpled dark blue overcoat. Rianor stood slightly behind them, adjusting his cracked glasses, while Riven leaned against the railing at the far end of the deck, sporting a fresh set of bandages on his left arm.
