‘As far as I can tell, dinrai means any human who can touch the mind of a beast,’ I told him. ‘Ariel was not a beastspeaker, but I think that, like Darius, his empathy – twisted as it is – could reach beasts and he used it instinctively to help capture them. Of course once he had them, his defective empathy made him slake his desire to cause pain by torturing them. I doubt he used his Talents consciously on the wolves, though. I think he had little knowledge or control over them when he was at Obernewtyn.’

Analivia opened her mouth but something in my expression made her close it without speaking and I went on, ‘It is time now for you to make up your minds whether you truly mean to go with me. You see, the pack leader told me that he saw us travelling over glowing Blacklands to reach this city on the white plain and it seems that it is guarded by a people called the efari, who captured the wolf that later escaped and found his way to the mountains where he founded the Brildane. Obviously that is how the wolves know the way there.’

‘Efari means bright ones,’ Darga sent, and I relayed this to the others.

‘Garth said Jacob scribed that he had dreamed of a city where shining people dwelt. But what can that mean?’ Analivia asked.

‘At the least it means that the city is inhabited,’ Dameon murmured. ‘But why capture a wolf?’

‘What I would like to know is how we are supposed to cross glowing Blacklands without dying of taint sickness,’ Swallow said.

‘That is why I am asking you to decide whether you will go on with me,’ I said sombrely. ‘You see the pack leader told me that many of his wolves will perish on this journey, and humans as well. On the other hand, the wolf that escaped survived crossing the Blacklands and established the Brildane so maybe there is some less tainted way that the wolves will lead us. Maybe they can actually smell where there is weak taint.’

‘That makes sense, for the wolf would not lead his whole pack out if they are going to perish,’ Swallow said.

‘The pack goes where its leader goes, maybe,’ Dameon suggested, ‘for he did say wolves would die.’

‘What happens after we get to this city?’ Analivia asked.

I looked at all of them, even silent Ahmedri hanging back a little, and Gavyn, who had come closer to the fire to sit on a rock and croon at the tiny owl perched on his knee. Rasial was crunching at a tough heel of bread Analivia had put down for her.

I said, ‘Rheagor told me that beyond the city is a great darkness.’

‘We can’t die there because you still have to deal with Sentinel,’ Analivia insisted.

‘Elspeth does,’ Dameon said with gentle pointedness.