18 As we trudged along-well, as the two men trudged along with me in tow, I looked over Asher’s shoulder. The thick fog covered our tracks, but I caught one last glimpse of the hilltop and the hulking figure of the harpy before they both vanished into the mist. “What rules do the harpies have?” I asked Asher as I looked back to him. “They are an ancient species, and many of their kind are so long-lived that civilizations rise and fall during their lifetimes,” Asher told me as he skirted one of the many roots. “The knowledge they accumulate over so many years is vast and, often, dangerous. For that reason, they have sworn an oath not to meddle in the affairs of men.” A thought struck me and my face fell. “That sounds kind of lonely. . .” “That sounds rather exciting to me,” Roger s