Touched, I reached out to take his hands. To my surprise the empath stiffened and drew back. I pretended not to notice, for it shamed me that, even in a moment of calmness, Dameon would feel the need to protect himself from the clumsy overflow of my emotions. As if he felt my embarrassment, the empath began to ask me questions about dreamtravelling. I felt no need to restrain myself in answering him, given that none of my companions possessed the deep-probe ability that would enable them to acquire a spirit-shape and dreamtravel.

Then Analivia was calling Swallow and Ahmedri to help her lift Dragon from the water. My arm would not allow me to help them with her, but I waded up to that end of the pool to watch as Swallow leaned over the stone bowl and effortlessly scooped up Dragon’s limp, dripping form. But when he straightened his foot slipped on the wet earth and he slipped sideways, jolting his arm on another of the stone bowls. To my horror, Dragon slipped from his grasp and slithered towards the water, insensible as a rag doll. Analivia screamed but I surged forward just in time to catch Dragon’s head and shoulders in my good arm and prevent her being submerged. The force of her landing against my chest made me gasp with pain but I held onto her. Then I looked down and my heart stopped beating, for Dragon gave a soft moan and opened her eyes.

For one long second I stared down into her face, frozen with apprehension.

‘Elspeth?’ she rasped at last, then her eyes widened, filling with fear. My heart sank, but she said, ‘Elspeth! The man … He caught me and he hit me. He tied me up!’ She was near a grown woman and yet she spoke in the terrified voice of a child.

‘He is dead so you never need fear him again,’ Analivia told her, slipping into the pool and pushing forward to take her from me. Though it had pained me to hold her slight weight, it was harder by far to let her go. But even as Ahmedri came into the water to help Analivia lift her out, Dragon’s lovely blue eyes sought me out, full of pleading.

‘I am coming, dear one,’ I said, tears of relief and joy spilling down my face as I waded to the edge and climbed out with Swallow’s help. I saw the brightness of blood on his teeth. ‘You are hurt.’

‘I merely bit my tongue,’ he told me drily. ‘I would curse my clumsiness except it seems to have been of some use.’