They had been discussing options. Corban was listening to Gar as he suggested dismantling the transporters and rebuilding them beside the new river.

‘Have you ever built a ship before? Sailed one?’ Javed asked Gar.

‘No. I was born in a desert,’ Gar said.

‘Hah,’ Javed barked a laugh, throwing his arms in the air.

‘It will not work,’ Dath told Gar glumly. ‘Apart from not having the tools to do the job without punching holes in the hull, the timbers would have to be caulked – sealed – or the ship would sink as soon as it sat in the water.’

Voices spoke out at the same time, offering equally impossible solutions.

‘There is only one solution,’ Tukul spoke out, loud and commanding. ‘We must split up. One group takes the horses and rides through Isiltir to Gramm’s. The other group sails round the coast.’

Corban frowned. That was the one answer that his mind kept on returning to, but he did not like it.

‘It would be dangerous,’ Cywen said.

‘What isn’t in these Banished Lands?’ Tukul snorted. ‘Besides, we did it before. We rode from Gramm’s, through Isiltir into Ardan to Dun Carreg. Then all the way to Dun Vaner. We rode like the wind, and the Jehar are hard to stop once they are in the saddle.’

‘The ships would reach Gramm’s a long time before the riders,’ Meical said. He sounded as if he was thinking out loud, rather than posing problems.

‘Maybe, maybe not,’ Tukul said with a proud grin.

‘Two horses a rider,’ Coralen said. ‘Ride one horse, rest the other.’

‘That would speed things up.’

The conversation went on for a while, but eventually a silence fell and all heads turned to Corban.

‘It is the only workable answer,’ he said. ‘Though I don’t like the thought of us splitting up. All that is left is to decide who rides and who sails.’

‘The Jehar are the best riders,’ Brina said.

‘I will not leave Corban,’ Gar said automatically.

‘I will not ask you to,’ Tukul said, resting a hand upon his son’s shoulder. ‘But it should be mostly Jehar. Brina is right. We are the best riders, best equipped to get to Gramm’s quickly. I would ask that Coralen ride with us,’ Tukul said.

‘Why?’ Corban asked, not really liking that idea. Coralen frowned.

‘Because she is the best scout I’ve ever seen, and you won’t need that skill while you sail upon the northern sea.’

Corban could not fault the logic, and he also knew that it was an immense compliment to Coralen. But still, it would be dangerous . . .

He looked at Coralen. She was staring at him.

‘It makes sense,’ he said.

‘I shall go, then,’ Coralen snapped.

‘Only if you want to,’ Corban said.

‘I do. Why would I not?’

Because I want you to stay. Corban shrugged and looked away.