“We’re going on a long journey with Grimalkin,” I told her. “We need to study the Kobalos so that we can discover how to defeat them. So we’re going to cross the Northern Sea and travel to the edge of their territory.”

“How long will we be away?” she said, looking far from happy.

“We’ll be back before winter really bites.”

She nodded but didn’t seem convinced.

“Can you ride?” I asked.

She looked puzzled. “I’ve ridden a horse at one of the farms where my foster dad works, but not recently. It was when I was little.”

“If it makes you feel better, I’m not much of a rider myself. Spooks prefer to journey on foot, but we’re traveling a long way, so we’ll be on horseback.”

Jenny was silent.

“I’ll tell you the truth,” I said eventually. “It will be dangerous. I feel that I must go, but you could stay here. You’d be safe enough, with the boggart to guard you. You could continue to develop your practical skills and work your way through the library, making notes. I might also be able to find someone else to train you for a while.”

Jenny didn’t appear too happy at the prospect.

“I’ll take you to meet another spook north of Caster, and then you can decide. I’m going to ask him to keep an eye on Chipenden while we’re away. It would mean extra work for him, but I’m sure he could deal with the most important spook’s business in both areas. Once you’ve met him, you might agree to him training you.”

Jenny’s face fell further at this.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Nothing . . . well, it’s just the thought of leaving Chipenden to travel to the far north. I like to travel—I’ve seen most of the County on my wanderings—but to sail overseas and see foreign lands is something I’ve only dreamed about. I’m not sure what to think, but I reckon I’d rather stay here. And I don’t want to be trained by anyone but you.”

“I’d rather stay here too, Jenny!” I told her. “I feel exactly the same, but I don’t really have much choice.”

So I spent another ten minutes spelling out the threat from the Kobalos and what their intention was: to kill all human males, boys and men, and then enslave all females. Then I reminded her about the varteki we’d faced and how those would be used against us.

“So you see, Jenny, I have to go. Anyway, keep an open mind until after you’ve met Judd.”

Jenny frowned again, but now that I’d made up my mind to help Grimalkin, I had no time to dawdle.

We traveled north over the fells, passing east of Caster and then continuing along the bank of the canal, which ran northward. I set a fast pace, for there was a real nip in the air now. Long before we reached Kendal, I headed west, leading Jenny along a path by a stream until we came to the edge of the shallow moat that surrounded the water mill.