He shrugged and said quietly, ‘It was less a summons than information, for it was Swallow who proposed to the elders that I be exempted from the portion of the ancient promises that requires us not to settle until they are fulfilled. But this matter of the D’rekta choosing a heartchild is important to my people and I wish to show my support for Swallow. It is a sad thing to know you will not leave a child to take your place in the world.’

The gravity of his expression made me wonder if the twisting of his body went so deep that he could father no children. Yet the likelihood of his bonding with a woman and having a child must be remote in any case. Suddenly I remembered the sickness that had stricken him in Saithwold, which had arisen partly from his secret yearning for Kella. He was clearly at ease with her now and must have found some way to get over what he felt. How strange that one could heal from love, as if it were a chill or some small sickness. I did not think I could ever be cured of love for Rushton, whether he returned my feelings or not, or whether I saw him again or not. Loving him was as much a part of me as my arm.

Darius was watching me still, and I said hastily, ‘Gahltha will be glad to see you, as will the other beasts you treated after the massacre in the White Valley.’

‘I have worked hard at learning Brydda’s signal speech and I am looking forward very much to speaking with them directly at last,’ Darius said. He hesitated and glanced over to where Kella stood talking with Gevan. Then he looked back at me and said softly, ‘Kella longed to come here, but she feared it too, I think, for she believes that you judge her because of what happened to Domick. Do you?’

I could not deny it outright or he would see the lie. I said slowly, ‘It is hard for me to think of him. He loved Kella and yet he rejected her and treated her ill. It was not her fault they parted. Nor was it her fault that he became ill in his mind or that Ariel infected him with plague.’

All I said was true, but in my heart I did blame her – not for what had happened to him, but for failing him at the end. Fortunately Sarn interrupted to say goodbye. I bade her travel well and safe and assured her again that I trusted Wila and Tomash to complete her work before we departed for the Red Land. Then Cinda and Elkar came to bid me a last farewell and there was the flurry of everyone who was to leave climbing into carriages or mounting up on horseback and they all departed with a great rattling of harness and a clattering of hoofs.