Olvan sighed. “One can only speculate. Perhaps some of the Great Beasts felt it best to protect their own territory, or their talismans.”

Conor looked at Lenori, a question in his eyes.

“Each of the Great Beasts protects a unique talisman,” Lenori inserted. “A totem that houses great power.”

“Except for Kovo, Gerathon, and the Fallen Beasts,” Meilin said. “Their talismans vanished after the war. Some suspect that Tellun asked Halawir the Eagle to hide them.”

“Very good,” Olvan said. “You’ve studied your history. The events surrounding the Great Beasts are often dismissed as legend. I am glad that some in Zhong have considered those deeds worth remembering outside of children’s tales.”

Meilin reddened slightly. “I heard about that from my nanny, not my instructors.”

Olvan frowned. “The Great Beasts have been out of sight for a long time. We honor the Fallen on our flags, we paint pictures, we build statues, we tell stories, but for most people, the Great Beasts belong to a time long past. Some doubt whether they ever even existed.”

“I was one of those,” Rollan said. “Until Essix came along.”

Olvan nodded. “You’re not to be blamed. It’s a prevalent opinion, shared in varying measures by the Prime Minister of Amaya, the Queen of Eura, the Emperor of Zhong, and the High Chieftain of Nilo. And yet, during the most critical crossroads in history, the Great Beasts have always played a major role. We are now rushing toward a crisis where the Great Beasts may prove more important than ever.”

“You think the Devourer is back?” Meilin asked, her whole body quivering with agitation. “You think that is who attacked Zhong? Why weren’t we warned?”

“We had only our suspicions,” Olvan said sadly. “My voice has been raised in warning to the leaders of all the nations. But I cannot force them to heed me.”

“And we still don’t know the whole story,” Lenori explained.

Olvan nodded. “We get new information every day. Whether we’re up against the same Devourer who leveled much of Erdas long ago, or some inheritor of his legacy, we’re still not sure. What is sure is this — the Devourer can raise vast, powerful armies in a short time. He can be patient and subtle, or ruthless and brash, depending on the need. He inspires manic devotion in his followers. And he would gladly destroy the civilized world to rule over its ashes.”

“What do we need to do?” Conor asked.

Olvan glanced at Conor, Meilin, and Rollan in turn. “Our spies have learned that the Devourer has once again made collecting the talismans a top priority. Each talisman has different powers that can be used by one of the Marked. Our enemy wishes to employ those powers against us. So we’re going to recover the talismans before he can.”

“Wait,” Rollan said as the color drained from his face. “You want us to go after the talismans of the Great Beasts?”

“You won’t go alone,” Olvan said. “The Greencloaks have no finer warrior than Tarik. He will serve as your guide and protector. I lament that you’re all so young, but your connections to the Fallen will be critical in finding and retrieving the talismans. These talismans could change the course of the war. All of Erdas needs you.”

As the full enormity of the task hit him, Conor felt light-headed. How was he supposed to go up against a Great Beast? This was beyond dangerous. Olvan had basically handed them a death sentence.

He reached out a hand to Briggan. The wolf nuzzled his palm. Without Briggan, they wouldn’t know where to find Arax. Conor tried to steel himself. Olvan was right: If the Devourer wanted these talismans, the Greencloaks had to get to them first. Conor wasn’t sure how they would, but they needed to try. “We’ll do our part,” Conor pledged, though his voice broke on the words.

“Speak for yourself,” Rollan said.

“I meant me and Briggan,” Conor explained, flushing.

“Oh, right,” Rollan replied. He faced Olvan. “Well, I see why you need us. My question is what do we get out of it? Besides risking our lives to do something we’re not ready for.”

“As a Greencloak, this is your duty,” Lenori said calmly. “Your reward would be the same as ours — the satisfaction of defending what is right, defending Erdas.”

“I’m not a Greencloak,” Rollan said. “I may never join.”

“We’ll do it,” Meilin said, giving Rollan a disgusted glance. “Jhi and I. This is what I hoped for — a chance to make a difference. I’ve seen what’s coming. Zhong has the best armies in the world, and these new Conquerors are tearing us apart. We mustn’t let them get more power. They must be stopped. It would be my honor to join your ranks and defend Zhong as you describe.”

Conor studied Meilin with admiration and a little bit of fear. He could scarcely imagine what hardships awaited, but at least he and Briggan wouldn’t face them alone. Who did Rollan think he was? What reward did he expect?

Rollan sighed. “And if I don’t want to become a Greencloak?”

“How selfish can you be?” Meilin seethed. “Zhong is under attack. The rest of Erdas will be soon. What other big offers do you expect the world to give a coward during wartime?”

“I never had any offers until Essix showed up,” Rollan snapped. “The Greencloaks only cared about me once I got my bird. There’s a city full of orphans just like me who Olvan was all too happy to pass by until he found Essix. Maybe I wonder why the Greencloaks only include Marked people. Maybe I wonder who put them in charge of the Great Beasts and the talismans. And maybe, unlike you, I don’t love getting pushed into situations I don’t understand! I want to know exactly who I’m working for and why.”

Olvan glanced at Tarik and Lenori. Slowly he stood and walked to where Rollan was seated, until he stood right before him, staring down. Conor wondered if he was trying to intimidate Rollan, but when the large man spoke, his voice was controlled. “I can understand wanting to take your time with a decision this big. I believe that time spent among the Greencloaks will relieve your doubts as to our sincerity. We don’t believe we’re in charge of the Great Beasts. We do our jobs because we know that, along with the Great Beasts, we’re the last line of defense.”

“What about the governments?” Rollan asked. “The prime minister and all of them.”