It was clear enough that Atthis had manipulated Moss to bring Dragon to me. No doubt the dying bird had been unable to break through the fierce shield about Dragon’s mind. But Moss’s mind would have been easy to penetrate, especially if the rebel had got hold of a demonband before escaping the Councilfarm, for his sickness would have been advanced enough that he would have risen to the dreamtrails in an unconscious spirit-form.

Eventually, Atthis had to have given Dragon directions for Moss, else he would have deemed her useless, but when had she managed it, for surely she was dead before Moss brought Dragon to the mountains? The only answer seemed to be that she had communed with Dragon after her death. It chilled me to think that Atthis might have counted on her being mistreated and terrorised and starved by Moss to make her accessible. Yet in the end, despite the efforts of Maruman and the merged spirit-form of Gavyn and Rasial, and all of the Agyllian Elder’s manipulations, Dragon had fallen unconscious and it had taken an accident to wake her. Or had Atthis foreseen that as well? It was a cold thought, and yet no matter what else she had been, Atthis had been an animal with all the ruthless pragmatism of Rheagor. Dragon had said nothing of Atthis or of guiding Moss yet, but it was the only thing that made sense. And how was I to disagree with Atthis’s methods when here was Dragon, awake and with her memory restored?

The crucial thing, of course, was whether she remembered the Red Land and her mother, but Dameon was right in saying that she needed rest before I could interrogate her. We would have plenty of time to talk in the days ahead. The trouble was, Dragon was much depleted by her mistreatment and our journey into the desert was not going to be a healing stroll in a garden.

Dragon was still sleeping when the sun began westering, but Analivia had refused to rouse her, saying that, paradoxical as it sounded, she needed sleep more than food. Natural sleep, she added, seeing my face.

We were able to light a fire after Gavyn had returned with Rasial carrying a hempen sack full of a smaller version of the firenuts he had found in the valley of the Skylake. Unfortunately he had not found any food, but Ahmedri cooked a thin but nourishing gruel for Dragon.

I questioned Rasial about Dragon, but the ridgeback only reiterated that she and Gavyn had flown with Dragon on the dreamtrails. When I asked about Maruman, who slept still, Darga sent that Marumanyelloweyes flew seliga.

That chilled me, yet there was nothing to be done about it unless I would seek him out in spirit-form. Even if I were willing, I had no idea where or what seliga was.