But they had, and there was no help for it. The landing platform and their airships lay between the Outer and Inner walls, and the Federation had seized possession of both almost immediately. It didn’t give them access to the Keep, but it kept the Druids from being able to escape by air. If they wanted out, they would have to walk.

They could do that, of course. There were tunnels that ran from the depths of the Keep to the world outside. But escaping would mean abandoning Paranor to an enemy, and no Druid would ever consider doing that. Surrendering the Keep to Drust Chazhul and his Federation minions was unthinkable.

Cymrian appeared, white-blond hair streaked with dirt, Elven features intense. Wherever he’d been while she had been fighting her way clear of the Federation advance force and the blowgun assailant hadn’t been any less dangerous.

“Are you all right?” she asked, giving him a long look.

He nodded, shrugged. “I almost had him.”

Bombax looked over. “The boy?”

“I spotted him when I was coming back around the north wall to the east side of the Keep. I knew right away what he was doing. He had already gotten the gate open most of the way, but the Federation soldiers hadn’t reached it yet. I went after him, thinking I could get to him before he did any more damage. But he heard me or maybe just sensed me and fled through the gate, screaming for help. It came too quickly for me to close the gate again in time.”

“At least you tried.” Bombax held out his hand, and Cymrian gripped it tightly. “We’ll get another chance at him.”

“There he is now,” Aphenglow said suddenly.

The men looked where she was pointing. Deek Trink stood atop the Outer Wall perhaps three hundred yards away from where they watched, part of a small group of men studying the Keep from afar. Aphenglow recognized the blowgun assailant as one of them.

“That’s Drust Chazhul standing with him.” Bombax hissed out the Federation Prime Minister’s name as if it were poison on his tongue. “This must have been his plan all along. Get the boy inside the Keep to open the gates for his soldiers after faking an attack to justify doing so. It was the boy who fired on the Arishaig, a ruse for prompting a Federation response.” He glanced over at Aphenglow. “Just as you said.”

They watched as Deek Trink pointed this way and that, clearly describing the defenses of the Keep, revealing what he knew about its strengths and weaknesses, sharing information he had collected with their enemies. Aphenglow felt a red-hot flush surface, climbing from her neck into her cheeks.

“I’ll be right back,” Cymrian said suddenly.