Lynn was in his room, studying the rolled map made of human skin.
The map's material was unusual. It was neither parchment nor paper, but human skin tanned exceptionally thin.
Its lines were rough and impressionistic, clearly drawn by someone with little talent for art.
Yet the blood-red eye symbol had been rendered with extraordinary clarity.
It seemed to possess some mysterious power that held his gaze captive.
"What kind of place could this be?"
Lynn gently rubbed his finger over the symbol.
A sacred site of the Old Gods?
Ruins left behind by the Children of the Forest?
Either possibility held a deadly allure.
He knew that Lord Commander Mormont's order to find this place was a test-and an enormous gamble.
If they won, the Night's Watch might grow stronger as a whole, a crucial advantage in the fight against the White Walkers.
If they lost, the expedition would vanish forever into the frozen wastes beyond the Wall.
Lynn enjoyed this sort of gamble, and clearly, he was not the only one.
Mormont, at least, felt the same.
Rather than fear, a fierce excitement surged through Lynn.
He carefully rolled up the map and tucked it securely against his body.
Then he picked up the Valyrian Steel Dagger.
The cold dragonbone grip fitted perfectly into his palm.
He slowly drew the dagger. The strange, flowing ripples along its blade shimmered with a mysterious luster in the dim room.
It was a perfect tool for killing.
Light, sharp, and deadly against White Walkers.
But it was too short.
On a real battlefield, facing enemies wielding long weapons, a dagger was far too limited.
I still need a proper primary weapon.
A longsword... one forged from Valyrian steel as well.
The image of Longclaw surfaced in Lynn's mind.
He knew the