‘The demon bands were all collected just as all the barrels of black powder were disposed of,’ Linnet said. ‘Yet black powder was obviously used in that attack in Guanette a few nights back, which tells us that some of it slipped through the net. All we can say of the black powder and the demon bands is that most were turned in because we circulated the information that the black powder is unstable and likely to explode and the demon bands contained tainted matter that would eventually affect the wearer. But the renegade soldierguards and Malik’s men who were not captured in Saithwold would likely have dismissed our warnings as a trick to disarm them. And if there are still Hedra at large, as rumoured, they might have arranged to have caches of both stashed away by Malik before ever they came here. That could be one of the reasons they rigged his mind so that if anyone tried to probe him, he would die.’

‘I still don’t get how they did that unless they had coercive powers of their own,’ Catrin said.

‘Most likely they used a captive Misfit to do their dirty work,’ Linnet said.

I was too preoccupied with the approaching riders to pay much heed to what they were saying. ‘If this does come to a fight, there must be no killing. Our position in the Land is not so secure, even now, that killing unTalents will be a small matter, even if they are soldierguards and renegade rebels. Besides, they will be more useful to us alive if they do have a stash of black powder or demon bands, for we can use them to recover it.’

‘I dinna think ye need to worry yerself over the sensitivities of ordinary Landfolk. They are as afeared of these gangs as our people,’ Ceirwan said. ‘Ye mun rather ask yerself why a gang of ruffians would come here afore ye worry about their welfare. Th’ answer is that Obernewtyn would make the perfect stronghold for a band of robbers and renegades.’

I stared at him, startled by the idea that the riders might have come to stage a coup.

‘Do not fear,’ Linnet said grimly. ‘If it transpires that they did come with Beforetime weapons capable of doing substantial harm, I have instructed two of my knights to get you away up to the wintergarden. I have assigned similar escorts to the other guildmasters. It will not be a pleasant journey in this weather but if it must be done, it will be done.’

I wanted to object, but the escape plan had been devised by guildmerge and approved by Rushton, on the assumption that the master of Obernewtyn and the guild heads would be of more use plotting in exile than being held captive.