When she came back, Bel’s eyes were open, but blearily, and he had his cloak pulled up to his nose. He pulled it down just enough to expose his mouth and said, ‘Good morning. I say that, though I have had better mornings.’

‘We’re alive, and out of Belisaere,’ said Clariel shortly. She sat down and investigated the muslin bundle, which proved to contain a loaf of bread, gone stale on one side and slightly mushy on the other, and a small wheel of hard cheese, protected in red wax. She broke the bread in half, and took out her knife to slice the cheese open. ‘Breakfast? I could go and find some berries and such, but it would take some time.’

‘No, we’d better get aloft as soon as we can,’ said Bel, taking a proffered piece of bread in his right hand and a triangle of cheese in his left, though he grimaced as the movement made his shoulder twitch. ‘We can have a proper meal at Hillfair. The Abhorsen doesn’t stint anyone at his table.’

‘What about his prisoners?’ asked Clariel. ‘As I am like to be.’

‘What!’ exclaimed Bel, almost choking on his bread. ‘You’re the Abhorsen’s granddaughter! You won’t be a prisoner!’

‘I hope not,’ said Clariel. ‘But if he thinks Mother is alive, and has agreed to be Queen with Kilp as temporary regent or whatever … it won’t look good for me.’

‘I’m … I’m sure he wouldn’t be so … stupid …’ said Bel, but his words lacked conviction. Clearly he did think the Abhorsen could be that stupid.

‘You know how I said I couldn’t tell you about why my mother fell out with Tyriel,’ said Clariel.

‘Yes?’

‘He thinks my mother killed her brother.’

Bel choked again, this time quite seriously, so Clariel had to clap him on the back, dislodging the bread and jarring his wound.

‘Ow! No! What?’

‘I wondered if you were just pretending not to know the other day, and whether the … um … rank-and-file Abhorsens knew,’ said Clariel. ‘I guess not. I only found out myself recently. She told me that he was already dead, inhabited by a Free Magic creature, or something Dead. So mother only killed the body. But her father … my grandfather … he didn’t believe her, and banished her as a kinslayer.’

‘I’m sure most of the family have no idea!’ exclaimed Bel. ‘I never even heard a whisper of it, and there are always enough rumours and gossip going round about everything else! Whenever Jaciel was mentioned, which wasn’t often, people just said she’d had a falling-out with the old bastard … I mean the Abhorsen. Which is easy to do. I fell out with him too. But I’m sure you’ll be all right …’

‘Maybe,’ said Clariel. ‘Let’s get it over with, anyway. You think we can reach Hillfair by early afternoon?’