Elkar began talking of the shadows well enough to live outside the Healing Centre. Surprisingly, most had chosen to remain within the city, where they dwelt in the same cottages that had once housed the inner cadre of the Faction.

‘No one would deny them the right to live in the best houses the city has; they have suffered so. But you would not believe what they have done with what they claimed,’ Elkar said. ‘Once it was agreed they might stay there, they asked Sabatien to have the Hedra tear down the enclosing wall and day by day the greenness and fruitfulness that was once kept only for the inner cadre flows out into the rest of the city.’

‘It must be wondrous, for I heard High Chieftain Gwynedd say that he is thinking of changing the name from Hevon City to Greenheart,’ said a familiar voice.

Chapter 7

7

I turned in surprise to see the Farseeker ward, Zarak, who had been in the lowlands since my return to Obernewtyn. His father, Khuria, had recently become the first Misfit chieftain of a region, following the sudden death of the old chieftain of Saithwold, Noviny, whom Khuria had served and counted a friend.

‘Zarak! Did you come up with the others?’

‘I did, Guildmistress. I was in Sutrium delivering a message from my father to High Chieftain Dardelan about the supplies Saithwold province will tithe to the Red Land expedition. When I realised a party was setting out for Obernewtyn that very day, I decided to come with them. I meant to be here in time fer th’ moon fair anyway, and it is safer to be one of many with the gangs seeming to know when any Misfit is on the road.’

He switched his gaze to Cinda and Elkar and asked if he might bring them porridge when he fetched his own. Watching him, it suddenly struck me that I was seeing him as a man for the first time. Before, I had regarded him as the troublesome youth whom I had reluctantly allowed to join the Farseekers guild, after he had been some time a beastspeaker. He had made his first choosing out of love and loyalty to his father, who was also a beastspeaker, but his Talents had been equally matched by his propensity for getting himself into trouble. I had sometimes wondered if it would not have been better to leave him in the Beastspeaking guild under the guidance of his father, but Ceirwan had convinced me that giving him responsibilities instead of treating him like a child would force him to grow up.

‘Guildmistress?’ Zarak asked, and I shook my head and laughed.

‘I was just thinking that you have grown much since those days when you and Lina were in trouble every other minute.’

Surprisingly, the farseeker flushed. ‘I am afraid I have to tell you that parting me from Lina did not work. I mean to bond with her as soon as may be. My father has promised to perform th’ ceremony during th’ moon fair, for now he is chieftain he has the power to bond us.’