A holystone post marked the split in the path. A tiny shelter housing a bronze bell stood at the top of wooden stair steps laid into the hillside. The steps ran far down into a ragged slot of a narrow valley. Deep in the trees below, lights winked into existence. It would be darker down there than up here.

The haunt’s lips moved but no sound came out. What he was saying, she did not know, nor to whom he was speaking. No one interrupted his contemplation. They would stand here all night, if he wished it, and it was never safe to be out at night, but wardens knew that better than most. Elen stood back from the others and scanned the rocky ridge and its slopes, but saw no lynxes, no pale wisps that marked an irruption of Spore, nothing but birds winging past, headed for their night’s roost and, once, a curious pika quivering its nose at them, as if they smelled funny, and probably they did.

The haunt opened his eyes and, with a sadly wry smile, removed his hand. “Safe journeys, old friend,” he murmured before surveying his companions.

They watched him with what Elen hoped was puzzlement rather than suspicion.

He said, “We have too far to walk for these restrictions on speech to impede us. I will speak to anyone in our party and those we meet as I feel the need. This is in no way intended to criticize your work, Worthy Interlocutor. But it takes too much time and we have a long way to go. Do you all understand?”

Simo stiffened, but tapped his chest in obedience. Ipis scratched her head, looking puzzled, and nudged Kem with an elbow as if to warn him to keep quiet. Xilsi tilted her head to one side, gaze narrowing with a kind of skeptical curiosity. Luviara frowned. Jirvy turned away and scanned the sky for threat. Fulmo had no reaction, simply waiting.

The haunt nodded decisively. “Very good. Deputy Courier, lead on.”

Elen rang the bell twice. As its bright resonance faded, they started down into the valley.

32 WISHFUL THINKING

The long descent by stair led them into dense tree cover, the sky barely visible. Soon, Elen could smell the incense of the temple and hear the tinkle of wind chimes and the thump of a waterwheel. They reached the first stone lantern, where a custodian waited by its flickering flame. He bowed in silence and indicated a plank bridge that spanned the outer ditch and its flowing water.