Oreg raised both hands from his sides and said simply, “I can’t find him. He was there when I went to sleep last night, but when I tried to find him this morning, he was gone. Their camp was pulled up and their tracks lead to the city. I checked out the Asylum and the king’s castle, but I couldn’t find him. I can feel him but I don’t know where he is. I always know where Ward is.”

“The king had his wizards build a place in the Asylum to contain mages. Could something like that keep you from finding Ward?” asked Tisala.

Oreg stared at her for a moment. “It might.”

“The king said he was taking Ward to the Asylum,” she said. “We have no real reason to doubt that. When we get to Estian, I know people who can get me in so I can look for him.”

“He’s frightened,” said Oreg, his eyes almost blank. “I can feel his fear. He doesn’t scare easily.”

“All the more reason to believe he’s at the Asylum. We’ll find him,” she promised. She glanced at Tosten and Beckram. “Let’s get going. The sooner we get to Estian, the sooner we get Ward.”

“YOUALL HAVE THE WRONG IDEA,” SAIDTISALA TOTosten, who had taken up a post by her side for the day.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“I am not now, nor ever will be Ward’s woman.” It was baldly put, but Tisala didn’t know any other way to fight the assumptions that Ward’s people were making. Riding Ward’s mare was only adding to the problem.

“Hmm,” replied Tosten gravely, though a faint smile tilted the corner of his mouth up. “You don’t like my brother?”

She didn’t know how to answer that without lying or giving the wrong impression, so she closed her calves against Feather’s sides and the big mare increased her pace and left Tosten behind.

He waited the better part of an hour before approaching her again.

“I don’t know how much you’ve heard about my father,” he said when they were close enough for conversation. “But, being an Oranstonian, you’ve probably heard the worst of it. Ward, when he speaks of him, will tell you that he was mad. But I’ve always believed he was evil.”