The rustling sound became louder. Tom suddenly felt as if a thousand insects were crawling all over his skin, and he pushed down the urge to scratch himself. This was a test. He had to pass it.

‘You would try to order Rohenga, the Wildlord?’

‘I’m not trying to order anybody. I don’t want you to kill Tanenwod.’

‘Do you love her? We know of love. Love is part of the Holding Together. Not all of it, but a small part of it.’

Tom felt his face burn. Was that how he thought of Tanenwod? She stared at him, and he saw nothing human in her eyes, but instead something brutal and dark.

‘We will kill her. We will kill her tonight, and we will swarm into your stronghold, and we will kill you and James Swinton.’

Tom threw himself at the Samdhya holding Tanenwod. They were so strong, the tall dark-haired one lifted him up with one arm. He heard the sound of a sword being drawn out of a sheath.

‘I love them all. Zita. Kit. Tanenwod. I love them all.’ Tears sprang from his eyes and wet his cheeks. ‘I love them all!’

Chapter 17

Song in trees, light on water. These are the least and the greatest of things.

— From the Sayings of the Samdhya, transcribed by Margaret Ravenswood

Hundreds of eyes and spears, all glittering in the early evening light around Tom. Tom prepared himself. He thought of his parents and how much he loved them. He thought of love, and that gave him a peace he had not felt for a long time, and he closed his eyes and focused on it; it seemed to come from somewhere further than his own mind and to fill everything around him.

‘I’m ready.’ He paused and opened his eyes. ‘Do what you want.’

Grunts and murmurings from the crowd. ‘Do you mean that, Thomas Swinton? Do you mean that, whelp of a monster?’

‘He’s nothing to me! Nothing! You don’t understand.’

Steeling himself, Tom forced himself not to cry, staring at the Samdhya as they gathered around him, their eyes shining, their weapons threatening. He prepared himself, not caring now, not caring if they killed him.

A change came over Rohenga. The dark scowl left his brow and a smile creased over his face, and he laughed, deeply. Its sound was incongruous in the wood. The tattooed leopard on his cheek seemed to dance.

‘Put him down.’ Rohenga’s voice was unexpectedly gentle. The tall dark-haired Samdhya placed Tom gently onto the grass. He gasped in relief. Leana came to him, flowing through the legs of the Samdhya like smoke, and licked his hand. He let his fingers brush against her whiskers.

‘I see that you are true. You are nothing like him. Then, Thomas, we need you.’

Tom was astonished. ‘You need me? But I … I don’t know anything.’