He didn’t add how much he could have done with Dakto’s input as well as hers; Ilandeh knew it, and she blamed herself even though they’d been separated when the man had apparently made his own decision to wander all the way back to the Singing City to escort a few lines of slaves. Still, he could have been back by now, if he was coming. Pilos had sent a message to Elaq and Yana both to look out for the Whisper if he was still in the Singing City. He needed to know what he was up to.

The High Feather was glad Ilandeh blamed herself for his absence. It showed leadership, and out here, with time running out and Sarn disgraced, he needed warriors he could count on. Even half-blood macaws. ‘How do we do this?’ he asked.

‘Pushing through Tokoban so far hasn’t been easy, but I’m afraid it’s going to get worse: the ground rises in hill ranges from here, plus their major settlements are all at the base of Malel, and of course the Sky City itself is high up on the mountain. We need to cross the ranges and then take these villages and towns at the base before we even start to climb.’ Ilandeh pointed along the game trail they were using. ‘The towns are spread around the base like a necklace. Five of them, plus the usual scattered settlements. It’s five days to the towns and takes two to climb Malel to the Sky City. So with a ten-day deadline, that gives us three days to take the towns.’

She paused and puffed out her cheeks, then began to scrape a rough map in the mud with a stick. ‘There are four game trails I know of that lead onto Malel and to the Sky City. Three are used heavily and lead past these three settlements. This trail heads straight uphill to the Sky City. But all four trails will be watched, and as soon as the first of these towns falls, word will reach the Sky City we’re coming.’

‘Clever bastards,’ he muttered. ‘And there’s no way round?’

‘No, and they’ll be alert because of any forces we’ve driven ahead of us. I doubt even the Whispers could sneak past in any great number …’ She trailed off and Feather Calan went to speak, but Pilos hushed her.

‘But they don’t need to be in great numbers, do they?’ Ilandeh muttered and then coughed and winced, holding her chest. The blow she’d taken during the ambush had made her breathy, but she’d kept up with the march. Pilos knew it would take more than a club to the lungs to slow her down. It was one of the reasons he valued her so highly. That, and she was clever. ‘May I?’ she asked.

Pilos nodded. ‘Please.’