It was only as she was departing the following day, with black clouds shifting and emitting surly glimmers of lightning, that I had my first sight of the tribesman who was to guest with us. He had come up with the other tribesman from the farm to farewell his companions. He was taller than Straaka and more slender of build, less handsome in his features, I thought, but it might only have been the closed look to his face and the tightness of his mouth when he spoke, as if he resented having to offer any words. Bruna introduced him to me as Straaka’s brother.

‘Halfbrother.’ Ahmedri corrected her so sharply that I was taken aback but she seemed oblivious to his manner. No doubt she was preoccupied by thoughts of her coming reunion with Dardelan. Despite his unprepossessing manner, Ahmedri acceded willingly enough to my request that he keep the details of his errand to himself, in particular the fact that Straaka’s spirit was supposed to seek mine out. He even agreed to ride out often enough to preserve the fiction that he was seeking Straaka’s bones. But in reality, he added sternly, he would be waiting for me to learn the whereabouts of Miryum. He did not use Miryum’s name. He spoke of her as the woman. His lips curled in distaste when he said it, making me wonder if it was the fact that she was not Sadorian or something else that made him dislike a woman he had never met.

I had the urge to ask why Straaka’s spirit could not simply tell him where his bones were, leaving Miryum and me out of it, yet it seemed absurd to speak of Straaka as if he were not dead. I told myself the matter would be over as soon as I dreamed of what had become of Straaka and Miryum, but I could not help wondering what the tribesman would do if the dream did not come before the four ships departed for the Red Land.