The White Werewolf || Season One: Ties That Bind

Chapter Eighty-One

Cintra, 1263

Though she was worried about her husband and brother, Robin made her way out of the city as fast as she could. She left the horses for them, as they'd planned, and set off on foot for Sodden Hill, where Yennefer was going to cast her spell.

She was hoping that Nilfgaard's presence might give Yennefer pause, even though it didn't have anything to do with her, but she didn't really think she was going to get that lucky.

As she walked, the amulet Triss had given her vibrated. She paused and pulled it out, seeing the hazy image of her mentor in the stone.

"Do you have good news for me?" she asked.

Triss sighed and shook her head. "I don't, I'm afraid."

Robin's shoulders slumped. "Damn."

"I know. I'm sorry," Triss apologized. "The Brotherhood does not believe Yennefer can cast a spell like the one she's crafted. They see no reason to intervene when they think she's doomed to fail."

"Of course they don't," Robin replied tersely.

"She's broken many of their rules since leaving them behind," Triss reminded her. "They don't care what happens to her."

"Well, I do, so I'm sticking to the original plan," Robin informed her. "Is the Brotherhood doing something about Nilfgaard, at least? They're in Cintra."

"We know," Triss said heavily. "A former mage of theirs is involved in that as well. That's another reason I wanted to speak to you. We're coming to Cintra. Soon."

"So I need to avoid their notice," Robin realized. "I'll try, but that may not be possible if I have to counter her spell."

"I'll do what I can, but..."

"But if they find out you knew of me and didn't report me, you'll be in trouble. I know. If they find me, you won't come up."

She couldn't make any guarantees against their mind-reading magic, of course, but Triss already knew that, just like Robin knew that the Brotherhood was already aware of her. Everyone was aware of her, thanks to Geralt's exploits and Jaskier's songs. But her cloak meant they couldn't find her easily, and since she'd never done anything particularly worth punishment, she was sure she wasn't on the top of their priority list.

But if they ran into her, they weren't going to give her up, either. And the thought of a dimeritium prison was hardly appealing.

But she'd worry about that when she had to. Sodden Hill was quite a distance away, and she was determined to get there before Yennefer.

She wasn't surprised to be thwarted, though, as she felt the rush of a portal behind her and Yennefer fell into step beside her.

"We could take a portal the rest of the way, you know," the other mage informed her. "Make things simpler."

"Or we could not go at all," Robin suggested. "Cintra's coming. Haven't you heard? The Brotherhood will be descending on this place shortly."

"Yes, I heard. They tried to convince me to come back and help them, but I refused. I've got bigger fish to fry, as it were."

Robin grimaced. "You are going to kill yourself if you do this, Yennefer. And you're going to take a lot of people with you. Including my husband, since he's a mutant," she clarified, making sure not to betray Geralt's secret.

"I heard you two got married," Yennefer chimed in. "Congratulations."

"Thank you. I would like to not be a widow," she reiterated, glaring at Yennefer.