‘Straight after he came to greet me in the foyer after my arrival at Obernewtyn, Rushton went to see Maryon to ask about you, for by now he knew from Swallow that you had not gone to the White Valley and no one had seen you in the lowlands. Because there was no sign of Radost or Moss among those taken prisoner in Sawlney, Rushton was worried that you might have been taken prisoner by them or by someone else. Linnet had mentioned what you had told her about the possibility that Miryum was being held prisoner and no doubt that put it into his mind.’

‘What did Maryon tell him?’ I asked, my heartbeat sounding loud in my ears.

‘He came to me later the same day to tell me that Maryon told him that you had left Obernewtyn because there was something vital you needed to do, concerning the welfare of Obernewtyn and the Land, which no one else could do. She said you would not travel with him to the Red Land but that I was to go after you along with Rasial and Gavyn, for you would have need of us. He said he did not know where you had gone or why, but that Maryon had said I was to ride out towards the high mountains the very next day. He said he had already made arrangements for provisions for our journey and he begged my pardon for doing so without first speaking to me, but there was little time. I was flabbergasted as you can imagine, for here he was apologising to me for sending me after you, when I had planned to leave exactly as Maryon had communicated. Rushton saw my confusion, but I had just been with Miky in the Healing Hall and he said that I must not worry about the empaths for Maryon had said Miky would make a fine guildmistress when she had recovered her strength. Then he asked me only to arrange a team to lead the guild for the time being. I had been trying to think how to do exactly that without speaking of what I had been commanded to keep secret, when he found me.’ He shook his head, his expression full of remorse.