Analivia had wanted to sit vigil by Dragon but, displaced now, she stood uncertainly looking down at the odd trio. I bade her join us by the fire for a meal but she answered tersely that she was tired and would rather sleep than eat. She would not meet my eyes and in a short while she wrapped herself in her blanket and lay down with her back to us.

Ahmedri went off for a time as Swallow prepared his meal, and arrived back at the camp dragging several surprisingly large branches from a dead tree that he had noticed growing from the cliff below, where the Beforetime road ran. He had found in its roots a handful of dry-looking tubers. The latter were added to the stew while Ahmedri broke up the wood and fed it to the fire. The firenuts Gavyn had collected put out more heat, but there was something pleasing about the loud crack and hiss and the pungent scent of burning wood.

I looked across the fire at Dameon, in whose lap Maruman sat contentedly asleep. The empath was gazing into the fire, his expression very serious, and I wondered what he was thinking about. I had told him what had transpired with Moss and Analivia when I farsought him but none of us had talked about what had happened. Perhaps we had been constrained by the dead Moss, whose body Swallow and Ahmedri had dragged out of sight of his sister, or by the things he had revealed about his relationship with Analivia. Now, she lay still, but I did not think anyone believed she was sleeping.

The horses were grazing while they had the chance. It was Faraf who had told me that Rheagor had come with two other wolves to get us, but after talking with Rasial, they had departed again, bidding us come as soon as we were able to do so. They had promised to leave a trail that could be followed even by a dog. Faraf had said diffidently that she supposed that was meant to be an insult, but that Rasial had merely acknowledged the wolf’s words.

When I had told the others what had been said, they all sobered at the news that we would soon be crossing tainted ground, though I assured them, as Rheagor had assured Rasial, that he would lead us where the taint was lightest.

‘She sleeps,’ Dameon said softly, and I realised that what I had taken for preoccupation had been the empath sending calmness and tranquillity and serenity to Analivia. No wonder Maruman was sitting on his lap. Indeed, now that Dameon had ceased to empathise, Maruman opened his yellow eye and glared at the empath before shifting from his lap to my knee, kneading and clawing me painfully until he had made me comfortable for himself.

‘You should get some sleep,’ Dameon suggested. ‘I can feel you worrying about Dragon, but that won’t help her.’