“Are you sure you came down this far?” asked Alec. “I don’t see any footprints here and the ground is soft.”

“Yes. Maybe the river washed them away?”

Alec wondered again if Mika had dreamed the mysterious strangers. There was simply no sign of anyone having come this way.

After that they climbed the rise where the assailant had appeared and gazed out across the rolling, boulder-strewn grassland. There were no houses visible, but there was a flock of sheep a mile or so away, and beyond that the low grassy hills rose like waves above the plain. Alec stood for a moment with one arm around Mika’s thin shoulders, his other hand resting on his sword hilt, willing the bully to show himself.

“Those boys you encountered were probably shepherds from over there,” Alec said. “The younger one must have snuck away to play, and the other one came after him.”

“Maybe that’s why he was so angry.”

They returned to the tent to find Seregil had come back from Menosi alone.

“Thero and Micum are questioning more of the guards about recent ghostly activity and disappearances,” he told them. “I don’t remember Thero saying you could get out of bed, Mika.”

“I’m fine, really,” the boy assured him. “I just took Alec down to the river. He said it would be all right.”

“I did,” said Alec. “And I wouldn’t have taken him if I didn’t think he was well enough. Children heal faster than adults. I always did.”

“I don’t doubt it,” said Seregil. “What did you find?”

“Mika showed me where he thought he’d gone, but there were no footprints much beyond the rock where Thero found him. We did see some sheep off in the distance, though, which would explain where the strangers came from. It might be worth a look.”

Seregil glanced out the tent flap. “There’s daylight enough left. Mika, you’d better stay here in the tent, until we get back. I mean it, no wandering off or Master Thero will be upset with all of us.”

“I promise, Seregil.”

“Good.”

“Now, tell us all you can remember about what the boy and the man looked like.”

“The boy is about my size, with brown eyes and hair and he’s brown from the sun. The man—” Mika’s brows drew together in concentration. “I don’t remember as much about him, except he was really angry and had a cudgel. I guess he sort of looked like the boy but grown up. You’ll know my friend though; he can’t talk.”

“That will help,” Seregil replied with a smile. “Behave yourself. If you need anything, ask someone to bring it to you.”