“All my fault, I’m so wicked,” said Hermia. “And you lived in a cave for a year or so, weren’t you the silly one.”

“Not my choice,” said Eluik, “and so you’re claiming that your moving the Wild Gate wasn’t your fault. But I’m a child and had no choice, and you’re … older and definitely had choices.”

“Just tell me where you’re going,” said Hermia, “so I know whether you pose a threat to me or my Family. It will save me hours of spying, and if I believe what you tell me, it might make it possible for me to keep my Family from interfering.”

“Just don’t tell them where we are,” said Eluik. “But wait—I’m sure you’d have to tell them.”

“Or they’d kill my pet kitten,” said Hermia. “As you said, Enopp will be back soon.”

Eluik thought it through. Hermia’s actions were the reason that all the Families became aware of Silvermans’ farm. Maybe they knew about Eluik and Enopp and maybe they didn’t. But if word was out, and somebody made it to Mittlegard from Westil, then they might be in danger. How would it help to tell Hermia?

Then again, if she couldn’t be kept from gating into a moving airplane, she probably couldn’t be kept from spying on them wherever they were.

“There’s a farm near Danville, Kentucky,” said Eluik.

“Whose farm?”

“A retired Air Force officer. Not a mage of any kind, but he and Marion are friends.”

“So they don’t think you need any more protection or training,” said Hermia.

“Protection?” asked Eluik. “We can do what you do. We don’t need protection. We just need beds and a roof and some food and water.”

“So here’s the million-dollar question. Are you hiding from your enemies on Westil, or is somebody in Mittlegard looking for you?”

“None of the Families know we exist, unless you told them,” said Eluik.

“I didn’t,” said Hermia, “because you two were seriously troubled. All better now, I see.”

“So now you’ll tell?”

“If I told, word would spread, and some Family would get the crazy idea of kidnapping you and forcing one of you to gate them around or they’ll kill the other.”

“Wouldn’t work,” said Eluik. “We can both do it, so which of us would be the hostage?”

“This Air Force officer—”

“Retired.”

“Can he pilot a jet?”

“That was never his job. He was in theory and doctrine and history and intelligence.”

“Just wondering.”

“Because you need a pilot,” said Eluik.

“Because I wonder if Danny thinks he needs a pilot.”