Chapter 24: The Naming of Edric Vane

The fire had burned down to a width of orange light that reached perhaps six feet in any direction, beyond which the volcanic rock faded into the dark of the mountain. Above us, the Ashpeaks continued their indifferent ascent. The summit crater was, by my most recent calculation, fourteen hours from our current position, assuming conditions held and no one was murdered in the interval.

I considered this the appropriate moment to begin.

"I should like to present some cartographic findings," I said.