I reached down to push a lock of heavy black hair away from his forehead and Rushton caught my hand and kissed it before moving to sit by me. ‘My love, you know by now, I think, that the ships must leave for the Red Land five days after darkmoon. I meant to arrive before the others to tell you, but it occurred to me I had better collect Garth on the way since we would need to hold a guildmerge as soon as it could be arranged.’

‘Zarak had just told me when you came in. He thought you were already here and that I knew,’ I said.

‘No doubt the change in timing was as much of a shock to you as it was to Dardelan and the rest of us. The minute we learned what was in the message Powyrs had brought, Gwynedd sent some of his riders off to the west to let his chieftains know so that they can amass their tithes in time. He did not go himself because he means to travel across to Herder Isle with the Stormdancer so he can speak with his kinehelt before we leave. I also sent word to Dameon to return in all haste for he will be needed here once I am gone.’

‘It will be good to see him again,’ I said, thinking of Miky and Angina, but also of myself, for it would grieve me not to be able to say a proper goodbye to the empath who was truly my dearest friend.

‘What is it, my love?’ said Rushton. ‘You look so sad.’

I shook my head. ‘What exactly did the message from the overguardian say?’

‘Simply that the Sadorian ships that will travel to the Red Land must depart Sutrium five days after darkmoon. It is fortunate that Gwynedd was in Sutrium when the news came, for the two high chieftains had only to concur that the Norse and Land ships should be readied to sail with the Sadorian ships. We were able to send Powyrs straight back with that message to Jakoby.’

‘You still intend to make the journey,’ I said.

‘I will, as will you, along with the next Red Queen.’

I gaped at him. ‘You know about Dragon?’

He grinned at my astonishment. ‘Do you not remember that you told Merret Dragon’s true identity when you were on the west coast seeking Domick? Merret spoke of it to me when I came to Sutrium weeks ago. She thought I knew.’

‘I only learned the truth when I was inside Dragon’s mind,’ I said, realising that I had told Merret about Dragon. ‘I wanted to tell you but the moment never seemed to come up and when I got back from Sador and found out that she had disappeared, I thought it would be better to wait until you returned to Obernewtyn to tell you. You guessed that I would want to go with her?’