‘Grace looked from their terrified little faces to mine and back again. I could tell that she was worried about what I would say, but I also saw defiance in her eyes. In that moment I knew that she must have a reasonable explanation, so I decided to hear her story. She encouraged the two girls to sit by the fire, wrapped them in blankets, and gave them warm drinks to fight off the chill. They seemed exhausted and terrified by the entire situation. It was then that Grace explained what had happened.

‘She had been on her usual route, walking anti-clockwise around Kelseth, staying in the shadows, when she heard crying. She knew she should have ignored it and moved on, but for some reason the desperation in the sobs moved her and she decided to seek out the source of the crying. Crouched behind one of those horrible, crooked buildings were the two girls; one of them was crying and the other was trying to quieten her, to calm her down.

‘When they saw Grace approaching, they backed even further into the shadows and it took a lot of coaxing and persuading to get them to talk. Fortunately though, Grace w-was,’ he stuttered, ‘is one of those people who gives off an aura of calm. It’s so easy to trust her. The girls just about managed to whisper their names and explained that their mother had died and their stepfather was cruel and he had kicked them out into the cold to punish them. They each were covered in tiny little bruises and Grace put two and two together. She decided there and then that we would look after them, whatever the cost.

‘I was angry with her, for a while. But seeing those two tiny figures who were underfed, bruised, cold, but still somehow optimistic and bright-eyed, I couldn’t help but sympathise. With begrudging acceptance, I agreed, and they’ve been with us ever since.’

‘Maeve and Brenna?’ Lily asked.

Jem nodded slowly. ‘That’s right. Since then, Grace and I have always kept an eye out for children who needed our help. Most of them don’t stay longer than a month or two. Once they’ve eaten a few good meals and we’ve taught them a few skills for surviving out in the world, they willingly leave and go in search of their futures. Maeve and Brenna have been with us two years now.’

‘Surely people notice they go missing though?’

‘Of course, but their disappearances play into our hands quite nicely. Maeve and Brenna’s stepfather is convinced that they were murdered by the Shadow Sect. I couldn’t stand the thought of him taking them back so I used a few of the tricks I’ve picked up along the way and found a way to protect them.

‘Grace and I, we became obsessed with the purpose we had been given. We care for these lost souls, clothe them, feed them, teach them valuable skills; it’s good, wholesome work and it keeps us occupied so we barely notice the isolation of living out here…’ Jem tailed off, approaching a part of the story that seemed to cause him some distress.