Pilgrim let Gentle think about that, as Master Able had once given him time to work up answers to questions or logic puzzles. They were standing at the prow of the trim, white-hulled windjammer. It had been built by the Sweetwater Collective to a design reverse engineered from fossil remnants of an ogre craft, and loaned to the Invisible College by a wealthy patron. The windjammer’s bow was slicing waves into foaming folds, its triangular mainsail bellying in the north-westerly wind, and the sun was shaping itself from a simmer of primeval light above the rugged coast. Gentle wore a borrowed black oilcoat; Pilgrim was wrapped in the snug embrace of his fur coat. He and the women had talked out the night, making plans and speculating about the visitors, he had eaten a good breakfast and he had put a useful distance between himself and the traps of Stonehaven. He was tired but wide awake. The cold salt air was exhilarating. It tasted of freedom. Of hope.

Gentle said, ‘Is this about that map of yours?’

‘Exactly so. If Landwalker really is in touch with the visitors, he should know if they made contact with bears before the fall, and what happened when they did.’

‘Even if you catch him out, it most likely won’t make any difference,’ Gentle said. ‘I’ve known a few folk who can’t help but tell tall tales about everything, and they never admit to stretching the truth. You can show them that what they claimed to be black was really white, put it right in front of their eyes, and they’ll just make up some even taller tale to excuse it.’

‘I don’t expect him to recant,’ Pilgrim said. ‘But I hope it will satisfy our new friends.’

‘If he’s in deep with these Night Riders, this plan might put you at hazard. Me too, since I can’t allow you to walk into his camp on your own.’

‘If you think it too hazardous, you can put off at the next port. You’ve already done enough and don’t need to follow me any further.’

‘I’m not sure I’m ready to go back to the roving life. And I admit to being somewhat curious about what happens next.’

‘You might change your mind when your seasickness takes hold.’

‘So far that tincture Teal gave me seems to be tamping it down.’

‘And the injection?’

‘That seems to be working too. Is this what it’s like for you? Thinking about it, but not feeling the need?’

‘I don’t think about it very much,’ Pilgrim said. ‘Although I sometimes think about not thinking about it.’

‘About being different. I know that feeling,’ Gentle said.

There was a short silence as they watched the sun rising above the limitless ocean. At last, Pilgrim said, ‘There’s another reason why I want to visit with Foeless Landwalker.’

‘Are you going to make me guess again?’