Liska snorted. ‘Didn’t you hear them laughing at us back there? My own mother forbade me to ever mention other trees again. I’m not even supposed to talk to you. Besides, they’re going to be too busy fighting off Noxis. He’s bound to attack again. No. We’re the ones who need to get Nammu’s heart. We’re the ones who are going to save the city. Again.’

‘Absolutely not.’ Lug began to stagger backwards, shaking his head. ‘No way. Never. We’re just children. I’m just a vermispex. We can’t leave Arborven! We won’t last five minutes out there! Do you have any idea how many allergies I have?’

‘Lug.’ Liska took him by the shoulders. ‘Don’t you remember telling me how you wanted vermispexes to be recognised? To have the other mages realise you were just as powerful?’

‘Yes, but . . .’ Lug squirmed, looking like he was about to cry. ‘Not like this. I just wanted to show them . . . to make them see . . .’

‘This is your chance!’ Liska gave him a shake. A very gentle one but, even so, his teeth rattled and his head wobbled like a stricken tadpole. ‘What better way is there to make them notice you than saving them from Bitterblight? Just imagine the glory! Imagine how proud your parents will be! The vermispexes will probably be given their own tree circle! We’ll be heroes forever!’

‘Well,’ said Lug. He swallowed several times and blinked his big eyes. ‘Well . . . well . . .’

‘That’s good enough,’ said Liska, grabbing his hand. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

‘Where . . . where to?’ Lug asked, his voice shaking.

‘The Cryptwood, of course! We need to speak to this Elowen, right away!’

Liska was just about to drag the reluctant Lug after her when they both heard a loud rustle from a nearby ivy bush. They stopped and stared at each other.

‘Was that . . .?’ said Lug.

‘. . . a spy?’ Liska finished. They ran over to the bush.

Whoever had been eavesdropping was long gone. Liska knelt to examine the ground and saw, pressed into the loamy soil, the trace of a footprint.

‘Quite a large foot,’ she said. ‘Not an adult, but big for a child. If I shapewalk, I’ll be able to smell them out.’

‘Don’t bother,’ said Lug. ‘I think I know who it was. I saw him skulking around outside the hall before we went in.’

‘Who?’ Liska asked.

‘Odis,’ said Lug. ‘The son of Noxis. The one who bullied you. If he heard us, maybe he’ll go and tell his father.’

‘How can he?’ Liska said. ‘Noxis is on the other side of the Shield Mountains with all the rot. Whatever Odis heard, there’s nothing he can do about it.’