It was deep twilight on the trail now, but Giselle did something she had only just learned how to do: she gathered Air Magic, made it visibly glow like a lantern, and set it to float above Rosa’s head. She did the same for herself and Cody, and was rewarded by their nods of thanks. With the help of those lights, it was possible to see the trail quite clearly.

“Well, whatcha think happened?” Cody asked shrewdly. “Miz Rosa, I been around you long enough t’know there’s likely one good notion, and prolly three or four buzzin’ round that head of your’n.”

Rosa laughed. “You are right, and I do have an idea,” she said. “I think that when he was a very young troll, he must have encountered a proper Earth Master before he got a chance to learn to prey on people. I think that Earth Master found him this gorge, protected him, taught him how to be a shepherd, and got him his first flock. By treating him well, and respectfully, Pieter became a friend, which is how Giselle and I treat our Elementals.”

“A’course, that there Earth Master got hisself some mighty fine protection thataway,” Cody pointed out.

“Of course,” Rosa agreed. “Nothing is ever one-sided. I think that long-ago Earth Master recognized what a good bargain it would be for both of them. But trolls do not generally understand the concept of bargains, so he made the arrangements without mentioning anything of the sort, and only when Pieter grew in understanding did he introduce such things to him. Now, of course, Pieter understands such things very well; he bargains with us for the few things that he needs, and considers himself well paid for his protection with what we bring him. He recognizes us at once, even if he doesn’t quite grasp how time passes for the rest of us. He’s shown great sorrow and some confusion when we’ve told him someone he knew long ago is dead.”

“He understands death?” Giselle asked, then shook her head. “Of course he does, if he has a flock of goats and eats some, and sees dead bodies in the stream.”

“He has quite a sophisticated concept of death,” Rosa replied. “I have been down in that gorge, and near his cave he has . . . well I would call it a memorial garden, made with stones with the names of people he has learned are dead on them, all planted with ferns and mosses. Sometimes he just sits there and contemplates them.”

“Really!” Giselle found herself touched. She would never, ever have expected that sort of behavior out of a troll, of all things.

The encampment was in sight now, and just as well, because twilight had truly fallen, and the lights and campfires were welcome sights ahead.