He shrugged. ‘They are there now in Miky’s chamber; Rasial and Hannay as well as Gavyn and that little owl that sits on his shoulder at night when it is not hunting mice. I doubt the lad has much notion of what is going on but you know he will not be separated from Rasial. He is merely sitting quietly in the chamber petting the bird while she sits by the bed next to Darius.’ He came back to the bed and stroked my cheek. ‘This is a sad business, but I doubt you could have done anything to change what has happened, any more than I think Dameon would have been able to save Angina, even had he got here in time.’

I said nothing, heartsick at the thought that I might have severed the precious spirit-bond between brother and sister to no avail, if Miky now died. Perhaps what I had done was evil and had actually doomed them both when they might otherwise have lingered until Dameon came to save them. But no, I had seen Angina’s body die. And Darius knew what had happened though it seemed he had said nothing of what he had seen. And what had he seen? A spirit-form, which he had bidden save Miky, though I wondered if he had any idea of whose it had been and what I had done. And what if Miky now suffered hideously because of a wound no one could see?

Rushton brushed my tears away. ‘Angina was so ill for so long, my love,’ he said. ‘I think it must have been a relief for him to go and Miky might live yet. Remember how many beasts Darius saved after Malik’s betrayal in the White Valley.’

‘Darius’s healing skill is with beasts, not humans,’ I whispered.

‘Darius is a gifted healer and I do not think he would offer to help if he did not believe he could manage it. No doubt he has learned a good deal from working alongside Kella,’ Rushton said. ‘She is there too, but she is leaving this to him, which tells us something.’ He kissed me lightly and without either of us intending it, the kiss deepened. Despite grief and guilt and anxiety, or maybe because of them, I found myself winding my arms about his neck and pressing myself tightly to him. He held me very close for a long sweet moment, then he gently laid me back and leaned down to press a chaste kiss on my forehead. ‘I hate leaving you,’ he said softly.