She taught him about the Volken people and other peoples that came before them, their beliefs and folklore – stories of the gods and the heroes that fought for and against them. And she taught him about the darker side of the world: how monstrous creatures had gained access to this world from their own, a place called the Void. These last lessons were always delivered in a low voice, as though she believed merely speaking of them might lead to these creatures appearing again. Whenever she did so, he would remember the man who had been transformed into a wolf on that fateful day when he’d lost his sight.

The dull thump of the book being closed indicated the end of the lessons. It was usually the signal that they should also go to sleep; but one night Lann took the opportunity to ask Fleya about her own childhood. It was not the first time he had done so, but in the past the witch had always found some excuse not to answer, telling him she was tired or had too much to do to talk about such matters.

Tonight, however, was different. ‘What would you have me tell you?’ she asked.

‘Anything.’

She gave a small laugh. It was the laughter of a girl much younger than he guessed the witch’s age to be. Then she took a deep breath and began to tell him how her mother had encouraged both Fleya and her sister to take up majik under the tutelage of a local woman. She spoke haltingly at first, as though the memories were hard for her to recount. She told him how they had both had to leave home in order to do so, and how reluctant they’d been to leave their mother, despite knowing what a great honour had been bestowed on them both by being chosen to learn the Art. ‘If we had known it was to be the last time we’d ever see our family or the village again, we would not have gone.’

‘What happened?’

‘The place was attacked by raiders the very next day – the invaders destroyed the settlement.’

Lann felt his chest grow tight with sadness when he realised Fleya had lost a family too. ‘If you had not gone, you and your sister would have died with the others.’

‘Yes. But at the time I found it hard to accept. We both did. Family is precious, and we should do everything we can to protect it. Even if that means making hard decisions sometimes.’

He was aware of her eyes on him. Sitting up in his chair, he summoned the courage to ask the question he’d kept to himself since the day the witch had come to get him from the farm. A question that had been brewing inside of him since Gord Fetlanger had told him he was a foundling.