‘I WISH WE HAD DONE THE SAME AS YOU,’ it said. ‘BUT OUR MAGES WERE SO SURE OF THEMSELVES. THEY ORDERED US TO USE LYSALM’S HEART AND SWORE THAT THE CITY WOULD STILL STAND AFTER. WAS IT TRUE? DID MY HOME SURVIVE?’

‘No.’ Elowen’s voice was quiet when she answered. ‘Almberg is gone. I’m so sorry.’

The giant turned away and stared silently at the fire for a long time. Liska thought she could see glints in its eyes, as if tears were forming there. Could treekeepers cry? She’d never even thought about it.

‘But there is good news,’ she said, hoping to cheer it up. ‘Some of the mages left and founded a new city to the south. It has a tree just like Lysalm. And it is full of life and magic, as Almberg must once have been.’

‘THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR.’

The giant continued to stare at the fire, poking the embers with a long finger. Liska thought of the forest people and how her offer of a new home had given them a second chance. Might it work with the giant too?

‘I’m sure, if you wanted, they would welcome you there. It’s just a few days’ journey away, across the Blasted Waste . . .’

‘WELCOME ME? TO ANOTHER CITY?’

‘Yes!’ Elowen jumped up, clapping her hands together. ‘That is a fantastic idea! You might even meet people you once knew in Almberg . . . my parents, some of the treekeepers there . . .’

‘And they will need you more than ever now,’ Liska added. ‘To help fight against the shadow tree.’

‘FIGHT.’ The giant frowned, then rose up to its full height, stretching out arms that almost touched either side of the hollow stump. ‘YES. I SHALL FIGHT. AND THIS TIME I WILL NOT FALL. BUT FIRST, I WILL HELP YOU ON YOUR QUEST.’

‘Help? How?’ Liska started to ask, but the giant was already moving, scooping them all up from the floor with both hands and striding out of the stump with them clutched against his chest.

‘It’s taking us out of the forest!’ Elowen shouted, peering between the colossal fingers that cupped them. Liska looked too and saw the dense branches of pine trees whipping past as the giant strode northwards, cradling them like four tiny babies. Its steps ate up the path much faster than they could ever have run. Thresher would be hard pressed to keep up with them, not to mention being terrified of getting anywhere near the giant.

‘We’ll be out of the trees in no time,’ Liska said. ‘Then it’s just across the tundra, and we’ll be there!’

‘Of course,’ said Lug, ‘there’s still a chance it might eat us.’ But even he was smiling for once.

Chapter 12