Right away, Redden didn’t like him. But he smiled anyway and nodded. “A fair amount.”

“But not to defend yourselves or other people, I don’t suppose?”

Railing was still looking out at the cliffs, as if none of this concerned him. But Redden could tell from his expression that he was irritated.

“No, nothing like that,” he acknowledged. “I suppose you have to defend people all the time, though.”

Carrick nodded. “Now and then. How old are you?”

Railing had had enough. “I don’t see why you need to know that,” he snapped. “Do you think age has anything to do with whether or not we should be here?”

“I do. You are young and inexperienced. This is dangerous business. I don’t think you realize how dangerous.”

“Does anybody?” Redden asked mildly. “This is new territory for everyone, isn’t it? Even the Ard Rhys thinks so.”

Carrick shrugged. “Less new for us than for you. I don’t pretend to think that your coming on this expedition is a good idea. You don’t seem seasoned enough. I worry that you will endanger us all with your inexperience. So try not to put yourselves in a place where that could happen. Do what you are told and stay out from underfoot.”

He turned and walked away.

Railing kept looking at the cliffs. “ ‘Stay out from underfoot’? I have some advice for him, too, but I know enough to keep it to myself.”

Redden nodded. “Maybe because you have better sense than he does.”

Railing gave him a look to see if he was kidding.

Khyber Elessedil climbed the steep pathway toward the cluster of caves that tunneled back into the cliff face, feeling the strain of the effort in her aching legs. The Druid Sleep might arrest aging, she thought, but it did nothing to help you stay fit and strong. She kept her silence as they advanced, following the Tracker Skint and Farshaun, Garroneck bringing up the rear. Their exposure on the open cliff face made her uneasy, but there was no choice in the matter if they were to reach whichever cave sheltered the Speakman. She needed to hear what this strange man had to say, to discover if he recognized any of the landmarks the dream had revealed. She found herself wishing—not for the first time since setting out—that she had possession of the seeking-Stones, making all of this unnecessary. If the seeking-Stones had worked for Aphenglow, even after all these centuries of revealing nothing, there was no reason to think they shouldn’t work for her.

But they didn’t have them, and they were very fortunate even to have been shown a vision of where the missing Elfstones might be found. She must settle for that.