:Good. Jayim will be glad to see you.

Leiard opened his eyes. He rose and led the arem on to a place where he could see the road ahead, then sat down again. His stomach rumbled with hunger, but he was too tired to get up and see if the arem was carrying any food.

How long has passed since I let you take control? he asked Mirar.

A day and a half.

What did you do in all that time?

You don’t want to know—though in truth I mostly searched for Jayim.

Leiard sighed. You’re right. I don’t want to know.

He let the arem’s lead-rope go. It took the opportunity to graze. Carrying a rider was easier for the beasts than hauling a well-laden tarn. So long as they had plenty of water and a bit of grass to eat by the side of the road each night they could be ridden for days at a steady pace. Leiard examined the beast critically. She wasn’t ill or injured. Mirar had not abused her.

Though all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep, Leiard stood up and tended to his mount.

The sun had climbed higher in the sky by the time the Dreamweavers appeared. Arleej, as always, was driving the lead tarn. Leiard mounted the arem and waited.

“Dreamweaver Leiard,” Arleej said as she drew close. “I’m glad you have returned to us. It saves us the trouble of finding you later.”

“It is good to see you again, Dreamweaver Elder,” he replied. “Surely you would not have come looking for me?”

As the tarn reached him he directed the arem to walk beside it. Arleej looked at him critically.

“After what Jayim told me? Definitely.” She frowned. “You look tired. Have you slept? Eaten?”

He grimaced. “Not for a while, I think. I do not recall anything of the last day and a half.”

“Then Jayim was right. Mirar did take control of you.”

“He worked that out?”

“Yes. He was afraid it might be permanent and came back to us for help. Which put me in a difficult situation. Should I search for you or fulfil my duty as a healer?”

“You made the right choice.”

“Jayim did not think so.” She glanced at him. “The Circlian army is racing down the road behind us. We must get out of their way and still manage to remain close enough to be of help. I would never have thought anyone could find their way under the mountains.”

Leiard shrugged. “It has been done before. The way is not all underground. Mines lead to limestone caves, which lead to hidden valleys used for grazing by gowt-herders. There is another old mine on this side of the mountains, though last I heard the entrance had caved in. Nothing a powerful sorcerer couldn’t unblock, however.”