‘I’m not the Ruby High Lord, just her voice while she’s away. My mother wants Yadavendra gone and as soon as my hands are untied, I intend to see her wishes met.’

‘Understood.’

‘You mentioned Quiverhive just now,’ said Anuja. ‘Why?’

‘I saw it on the way here.’ He relayed the events in as much detail as he could. ‘At first I thought it was simply using the Godroad as a means to kill the Murkers but it was more than that. It was experimenting.’

‘Experimenting? Testing the power of the Godroad is more likely. Looking for a way to cross and finding one. By the Thrice Blessed Suns! This changes everything. Our whole society rests on the sanctity of the Godroad.’ Anuja went to take another drink but her cup was empty. She set it down with an angry clink. ‘It must have come when I was hunting at Fourboards.’

‘You don’t think that’s a coincidence?’

‘No. It’s being tactical, Vasin. I don’t like this at all.’

‘Me neither.’

‘I think I’m going to bring mother back early. House Ruby needs her wisdom, now more than ever.’

‘If it fails, does your mother have a backup vessel?’

‘Yes, but it’s not the best match. A grandson. I’d have to play it safe and slow if it came to that. Eight years I’d say, maybe more to get him ready.’

Vasin wanted to rub his temples, but to do so would smear the paint. A headache was starting. His mother would know what to say. She always knew. But until he could restore her, he was on his own. ‘I think you should wait, I’ll stay as long as you need and support you. We could hunt together.’

He smiled at her but she didn’t respond in kind. ‘No, we can’t.’ She lifted her gown to reveal bandages and several splints, all conspiring to hold together a shattered leg. ‘The hunt at Fourboards was brutal. There were too many tributes. I and the Deathless from Opal and Peridot flew together, but their hunters were tired from travel, and mine weren’t ready for something on this scale.’ She sighed. ‘Six tributes was a mighty amount of bait and the Wild was hungry. It sent many mouths. More than our hunters could field. I …’

She fell silent and lowered her head, and the shadows grew darker under her eyes.

‘What is it? You can tell me.’

‘I haven’t mentioned this to anyone else, I didn’t want to appear weak or like I was making excuses. I’d told myself I was imagining it, but after what you’ve told me about Quiverhive I’m not so sure.’

‘Tell me.’

‘The thing is, my people got the worst of it.’

‘You fought the biggest demon? The biggest group?’