‘Less important than the mossherders, eh?’ Liska laughed and gave Lug a friendly punch on the shoulder that almost knocked him over. ‘Don’t worry. My people are as far away from the tree as you can get. It doesn’t bother me where you live or what your powers are.’

‘That’s just as well. Or you’d have to ignore me like the others all do.’ Lug gave her a half smile. ‘Did you really see Odis’s father argue with the treekeepers?’

Liska nodded and proceeded to tell Lug all about her fateful flight around the tree, and the row she had overheard. He listened with eyes gleaming, then gave a low whistle as she finished.

‘It’s been the talk of the city,’ he explained. ‘Everyone knows Noxis – that’s Odis’s father, by the way – has been dabbling with dark magic. We heard that he had fallen out with the treekeepers and then, just a day ago, he disappeared. That’s why Odis is so touchy – he thinks people are talking about his family behind his back. Saying they are traitors, poisoned by the rot.’

‘What about the hunter lady?’ Liska asked. ‘Who was she?’

‘That must have been Thresher,’ said Lug with a shiver. ‘She’s a scout who actually ventures out of the city into the Blasted Waste and beyond. She reports to the treekeepers sometimes about how far the rot has spread. Most people are afraid of her. They say she got her scars from a wyvern that she killed. Her throat was almost torn out and now she can hardly speak.’

‘And she’s working with this Noxis? Trying to find a way to control the rot?’

‘Could be,’ said Lug. ‘She comes and goes, so nobody would notice if she was missing too.’

Liska thought for a moment, playing the scene under the tree through her mind for the hundredth time. ‘I don’t understand why the treekeepers would be so cross with them. At least they’re trying to defeat Bitterblight somehow. I can’t see anyone else doing much to help.’

Lug gaped at her, as if she’d said something terrible. ‘Are you joking? Even thinking about using the rot is forbidden,’ he whispered. ‘It’s against every law in Arborven! Noxis wanted to control it, to bring it inside the city. He could have destroyed us all! Just thinking about it makes me want to faint . . .’

‘Keep your robes on,’ said Liska. ‘I was just thinking aloud. I’m as worried about the rot as you are. But what else is there to do? Are you mages just going to sit around waiting until you have to take the Undrentree’s heart and destroy Bitterblight with it? Is that the great plan?’