Chandni had imagined this moment many times, and had expected to feel grief, pride, perhaps sadness. In her darker moments she wondered if she’d be relieved. But there were none of those emotions. None at all. She was as numb as her arm.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

When Sa-at returned to the oak, Eyesore’s body had vanished. Whatever was responsible had left no sign of its passing. This did not surprise Sa-at. He wondered if Crunch had come back for his brother and then wondered if Crunch would come back for him.

His right hand still felt itchy. Ever since he had taken the woman with the golden lips to the Godroad, it had started to complain. In the end it had got so bad he’d just dumped her against the crystal wall, pausing only to tuck her cloak around her with his left hand, leave a feather, and run away. It was easing now, slowly, but it niggled him that he hadn’t had the chance to talk to her.

He went and crouched by the oak’s exposed roots, rubbing three more daubs of his blood into them, before getting Crowflies to seal the cut. Grudgingly, the roots began to move, parting just enough to allow Tal and Rochant to climb out, but not enough to make it easy.

He glared up at the tree, which seemed to do its best to ignore him, and then began the difficult business of dragging Rochant out of the hollow. They were all out of breath by the time it was done.

Tal followed on his hands and knees. ‘I thought we were going to die in there! What took you so long? Are you okay?’

Sa-at thought about the Red Brothers, and the woman with the golden lips, and the fight. He was very aware that Rochant was watching him. ‘Yes.’

‘Did something happen?’

He was wary of answering the question. If he did, they would want to know details, and if Rochant found out he had helped an enemy, it could make him angry. Sa-at did not want to upset his new friend. ‘We should go.’

‘Okay,’ said Tal. ‘Where are my boots?’

‘Oh,’ with a rush of guilt, he realized he’d forgotten all about them. ‘I don’t know.’

‘But I need those boots! You promised you’d bring them back! You promised! Where are they?’

‘Calm down,’ said Rochant. ‘I’m sure that …’ he paused ‘… You never did tell me your name.’

‘My name is Sa-at.’

‘Interesting. I’ve not heard a name like that before in all my lifecycles. Who gave it to you?’

‘Crowflies did.’

‘Who’s Crowflies?’