“Anyway,” Mika went on, “when I was in the oracle’s caves on this plane I was really, really tired so I sat on a little stool in the cave with the light and I had a dream. I saw Menosi the way it was when people lived here. It was a festival day and Rhazat and an Aurënfaie man were coming out of the palace and people were cheering. I don’t know why, since she’s a bad person, but the people seemed to love her. She and the Aurënfaie man rode away on white horses and Rhazat said that word to me again—‘Eshrlee.’ ”

“Did you hear anyone say the name Khazireen?” asked Thero.

“No, Master. I couldn’t understand what anyone was saying. It was just a lot of yelling.”

“May I touch your mind?”

“Of course, Master.” Mika closed his eyes.

Thero gently touched the boy’s brow and his face lit up. “It’s him. You saw Khazireen and the dyrmagnos. Well done, Mika! You’ve brought us very important information. It’s going to help us save Klia. Did she say what the dyrmagnos really looks like?”

“Just that she’s very ugly.”

“That pretty much defines a dyrmagnos,” said Micum. “Is there anything else, Mika?”

“I don’t think so.”

Micum patted the boy’s knee through the blanket. “Well done, indeed. You’re a nightrunner now, the youngest one ever.”

“We’ll see about that later,” said Thero. “One last thing, Mika. You said the amulets didn’t work, but your magic did?”

“Sort of, Master. I tried to do a few spells to show the dyrmagnos when she told me to, but I couldn’t. It was just the red that came out at the end, and you know I can’t make that happen. It just does.”

“I know, and that’s also very important information. You may well have done something that I can’t. And it may be how you got back here. Are you hungry?”

Mika nodded.

“I’ll send for some food. Micum, come out with me?”

Micum gave Mika a parting smile and followed the wizard outside.

“We have to tell Seregil about Zella quickly,” said Micum. “Are you going to contact him?”

“Yes.” Thero summoned a tiny blue message sphere on the tip of his index finger and spoke to it. “Seregil, Mika is back with information. Have you found what I sent you for? Beware of Lady Zella. She’s possessed by a dra’gorgos.” He flicked his finger and the light whizzed away. A moment later it reappeared, floating in front of Thero’s face. He touched it and listened to something Micum couldn’t hear.

“He has the arm ring, and Zella’s dead,” said Thero, looking grim. “He says he needs you to meet him at the governor’s house as soon as you can.”