Swift-growing saplings competed for height and light in a clearing where a huge pom had fallen, and the shaman paused there in the open, turning his face up to the breeze. Clouds of finches and flycatchers flittered between the trees and darted across the open space almost too fast to see. Just flashes of bright colour against the flint of the clouds, there and gone among the trees and the shadows.

‘Tayan?’

The voice was so unexpected that he screamed and fumbled for the sling and a stone, jerking around in a circle. There.

‘It’s me. It’s Dakto of the Xentib, from home. From the Sky City. It’s Dakto.’

And it was. Tayan squinted desperately to confirm it. The Xenti stood on the far side of the clearing, almost invisible. He was very still, examining Tayan and the trail he’d come along. His hatchet was in his hand and then he glanced casually back behind himself, just for a second.

‘What are you doing here? You’re … earlier than we expected.’

The stone fell out of the sling as Tayan clutched at his heart, trying to will it to slow, but it insisted on beating danger at him and he couldn’t gather his thoughts to answer. Half a day out from under the song and he was a mess. It’ll get better. I just need to adjust.

Dakto approached, softer than a shadow. He paused for a heartbeat of time, and then slipped his hatchet back through his belt. ‘No, wait, it doesn’t matter, you can tell me later.’ He pointed behind him. ‘About a stick, maybe two. There’s someone who’s going to want to see you.’ His smile faded at that and his lips thinned, but Tayan barely registered it. His heart was thudding again, just as hard, but for a different reason.

‘Lilla?’ he whispered, all other thoughts swept out of his head at the whisper of that promise. Here, now, not in another two weeks when he finally made it home. Here. Lilla was here.

‘Go on,’ Dakto said. ‘I’m going to check your backtrail. How long have you been out here alone?’ he added as Tayan began to step past him, a manic smile pulling at his mouth.

He paused and managed a wheezing laugh. ‘Half a day, so clearly Malel is smiling on me that I come across a friend so soon. My Chitenecah slave guards – I was seen by Enet, the Great Octave, herself, and the guards were hers – left me at the border of the song. But why are you all the way out here?’

‘Enet sent you?’ Dakto asked, his tone sharp. Tayan blinked, but then the Xenti was waving him away. ‘Never mind, go and find Lilla. Go on, go. He’ll kill me if he finds out I kept you here talking.’