Instead of answering, Maruman turned to look pointedly out the window and down. After a slight hesitation, I leaned on the sill beside him and looked out, too. The sky was clear and dark with a few stars still glimmering overhead but there was a lightness along the horizon that heralded the dawn, although within the walls of Obernewtyn, a thick, low-lying mist blanketed the grounds, enveloping the lawns, flower beds and paths. It moved in slow eddies that made it seem as if everything fixed was floating.

‘What …’ I began and then stopped, for a gap had opened in the mist through which I could see the path directly below the window. On it sat a great, astoundingly ugly dog of the kind bred by Herders. Its muzzle and eyes turned up to me as if it felt my gaze, and I drew in a breath of stunned recognition.

‘Darga,’ I whispered, and swayed back, all the strength seeming to drain from my legs and arms with shock.

For here at last was the long-awaited sign that I must leave Obernewtyn at once and forever.

PART TWO: THE HIGH ROAD

PART TWO

THE HIGH ROAD

Chapter 16

16

‘No one must see you go / leave, ElspethInnle,’ Maruman warned.

I nodded, dazedly, trying to gather my wits.

Atthis had promised that when the time came for me to set off on the final part of my quest to find Sentinel, she would answer all my questions, and appoint companions to help me. It seemed as if I had been waiting for this moment for years, and now that it had come, I felt utterly unprepared. My mind shied away from it, grasping at some other reason for the appearance of Darga.

But a cooler part of my mind told me that Atthis must have contacted Maruman to ensure that he arrived at Obernewtyn at the same time as Darga. It shamed me to think that the ancient bird might have anticipated my reluctance and seen the need to send Maruman to chivvy me into doing what I had sworn to do. Yet it made no sense that I would be summoned to the mountains a sevenday before I was to set off for the Red Land. I could barely travel to the ken and back in that time, and there could be no delay in the departure of the ships if I was detained.

Then it came to me that Atthis meant to have fliers bring me to the ken. It was a long way, but the last time they had come all the way to the White Valley to get me.

‘Make your preparations,’ Maruman sent tersely.