There came a sound, different from the wind, a kind of juddering beat in the air, like great wings flapping. Hermia knew where to look, of course, because she could sense where the pilot was, but she feigned a search until she could see the dot of the approaching helicopter. Gerd, who was more practiced at spotting her own air force, was already guiding Sorian, Lus, and Genoesswess to look at the right spot in the southern sky.

“It’s either very small or very far,” said Lus.

“From the noise, it must be very loud,” said the queen.

“It’s larger than any horse,” said Gerd, “though many ships are larger. And yes, it’s quite noisy, so that when it’s near you, you have to shout to be heard.”

Hermia knew that the pilot had already received his change of orders from Gerd, who had mastered the art of causing the onboard computer to respond to her course corrections. The pilot could override her, because he was the one who understood what wind or birds or updrafts might do to the chopper, and Gerd was not interested in losing a chopper because it was stupidly obedient to her. But he understood his target and was now flying the chopper toward the targeted butte.

That was when Hermia felt the making of a gate, and knew that another human being had just arrived on the terrace. There was only one gatemage left in either world who had the power to make gates in the old way, so she was not surprised to see Loki standing against the wall of the castle, far out of earshot.

She excused herself and walked to where he stood. “Came to see what Danny North’s mummy and dad have been doing?”

“I know what they’ve been doing,” said Loki. “I’m here to decide whether to allow this demonstration to take place or not.”

Hermia chose not to roll her eyes, though he deserved it. “They’ll fire a rocket and it’ll hit the bluff and spray a bit of rock around and make a lot of noise.”

“And then the king and queen will decide that now is a good time to avenge their ancient injuries. Which neighbor will it be? Suffyrd? Nefyryd? Or poor little Badys?”

“I don’t know what Gerd has in mind. I don’t think she knows. Westilian politics is still beyond her.”

“But you’re an expert?”

“They’re not my helicopters and tanks and submarines,” said Hermia.

“When you brought them here, you became responsible for them.”

“It really wouldn’t be sporting of you to take them away,” said Hermia. “And I’ll only bring more.”

“Once I’ve moved them, you won’t know where they are, and the supply isn’t infinite,” said Loki.