The sergeant caught up with them. “Raneus, Yola, you wrap him in his cloak and get him onto his horse. Then we have to find some way to get poor Talan out of that hole without anyone else getting killed.” He turned to Seregil. “Begging your pardon, but I think we’ve seen enough of this place, my lords. We’re losing daylight fast.”

“Yes,” said Alec. “I’m sorry about your men.”

Oris spared him a grim look, then shouted his remaining riders into formation and they galloped for the camp.

They found Mika dozing on his cot. He woke as they came in, though, and looked relieved. “I was starting to worry about you.”

Alec smiled. “Thanks for your concern, but we just had a long ride and saw the countryside, nothing more.” This was not the time to mention deaths and snakes.

“Did you find my friend?” asked Mika.

“No, we saw no sign of him.”

Tears welled in Mika’s eyes. “I hope the older boy didn’t kill him. I wish I knew his name, at least. Then we could ask after him.”

“I hope he’s well, too.” Alec ruffled the boy’s hair gently. “I suppose it’s not very interesting here for you, with no one your own age.”

“When can I go exploring with you and Master Thero? The drysian tended my arm twice today and it feels much better!”

“That’s up to Thero.”

Mika nodded, but his lower lip began to quiver. A tear slid down his cheek and he hastily dashed it away with his hand. “I’m sorry I’ve been so much trouble.”

Seregil rested a hand on Mika’s shoulder. “That’s enough now. No need for tears. Rest some more, and I’ll put in a good word for you with Thero when he gets back.”

Chapter 16: Rhazat

KLIA had never been so disoriented in her life. Casting around, she could not find her way back to the river. The ground showed no hoofprints to indicate which direction she’d come from. The sky, which had been clear, was heavily veiled in grey clouds, making it impossible to say for certain where the sun was. The light had a strange dull glow, almost like a foggy day, but the air was clear—for all the good that did.

Standing among the dead horses again, she took stock of her situation. She had suffered nothing worse than a few bruises in the fall. She had her sword and dagger, and a full skin of water, together with a cloth-wrapped meat pasty and a couple of apples in her saddlebags. And something else.