"The Little Birds have been wiped out completely," Rosso answered with certainty.
Gendry stroked Orphan-Maker's hilt. "Well done!"
Joy filled Gendry's heart, leaving him at ease. He felt another breakthrough approaching, a stirring in the power of his bloodline-the Blood of the Storm, the blood of fire.
A burning sensation came from his finger. It was the ring on his hand, the one from Archon Malaquo. Forged from Valyrian steel, it was dark in color, with flame-like patterns and a red gemstone. Gendry wondered whether the ring had supernatural powers too.
Stannis nodded as well. "With the birds gone, all that remains is Varys's trial."
King's Landing had been turned upside down, its shifts in power churning like waves. Littlefinger Petyr was dead, Renly had been banished to the North, Varys was not far from death, and Pycelle was writing books to atone for his crimes. The Small Council Robert had left behind was truly a shambles.
With matters in King's Landing settled for the time being, Gendry rubbed the ring on his finger in his cabin aboard a ship bound for Dragonstone.
"Fire!"
"Flames!"
Gendry felt the flow of fire, its pulse. The world was filled with flame at every moment. He opened his palm, and the flames in the brazier gathered into sparks, slowly drawing together without any sensation of burning heat.
"My blood of fire has grown stronger, giving me the beginnings of this ability, and the ring has enhanced it."
The ring seemed to possess a magic that granted affinity with flame. It was only because Gendry's bloodline had grown stronger that the red gemstone on it shone so brightly.
"There's a line of tiny writing too." Gendry took off the ring and discovered the tiny inscription on its inner surface.
"I am Firebinder. Only