The Seeker - Isobelle Carmody [161]
“I want to talk to you alone,” he said in a low, serious voice. “I think you should consider coming back to Sutrium with me, all of you, and especially Domick. Very few people have managed to work their way into such a position as he has attained on the Council. He will be valuable to both our causes.” He nodded toward Pavo. “He is certainly not up to a hard, long trip to the high mountains. And he needs Kella with him. I can organize a safe journey for you all to Obernewtyn after winter.”
I shook my head. “It would be too dangerous to have Jik in Sutrium after what happened in Aborium. Especially if there are as many Herder priests about as Domick said. And Dragon could not be confronted with a city. I would be grateful if you would take Kella and Pavo for the time. But one of us must try to reach Obernewtyn before the pass freezes. I will go and take Dragon and Jik with me.”
“Why can’t you speak to this Rushton with your mind?” Brydda asked.
“The mountains between the high country and Obernewtyn are badly tainted and thick enough besides to form a barrier that my mind cannot broach,” I explained.
“But is it wise or sensible for you to go, Elspeth? What about your feet?” Brydda protested.
“My feet will take me where I need to go, and I am better equipped to deal with trouble than any of the others.”
To my surprise, Brydda grinned. “If you are so determined, I might have a way to shorten your road back to Obernewtyn. Let’s get some wood and go back to camp. I have an idea I want to put to you all.”
It was after midnight by the time we had eaten and Brydda laid his plan out. Pavo, Kella, and Domick were to go to Sutrium under Brydda’s protection. In exchange for shelter and the setting up of the safe house Rushton wanted, Domick would share all he learned with Brydda, unless the coercer believed it would jeopardize Obernewtyn. “Elspeth, Dragon, Darga, and Jik will travel to the highlands, through the Olden way, and go straight across the White Valley to the mountain pass, being careful to avoid the Druid’s encampment,” Brydda said.
“The Olden way is poisonous,” Domick objected.
In answer, Brydda pointed to Darga. “I grew up in this district, and I know of this pass. It is badly tainted in some parts, but there are parts that are tainted so little as to be harmless. And that is where Darga comes in. I have seen with my own eyes that he can tell poisoned substances from clean ones. Therefore, he will be your guide. Only you have to go on foot. The Older way is passable only on foot.”
“If you are right about this pass, it is a good plan, and it may be our only opportunity to reach Obernewtyn in time to warn Rushton before snow closes the pass.”
“I’ll go,” Domick said.
I shook my head. “You have an important job to do. Find out as much as you can of the Council’s intensions, but keep out of Ariel’s way. If you remember him, you can be sure he’ll remember you.”
“What about the Druid?” Kella asked.
I grinned. “We know that the settlement is some distance away from the encampment. I will farsense to make sure we do not encounter anyone. And if we find our way blocked, I’ll have Dragon frighten anyone away.”
The others laughed, including Dragon, who, though she did not understand what we were saying, seemed to find laughter itself funny.
“Rushton will never forgive me for letting you go into danger,” Domick groaned.
Ignoring this, I suggested we set off at first light. Brydda would take us to the start of the Olden way, and then he would return to the others and wait until the soldierguards had searched Katlyn and Grufyyd’s farmstead before going to Sutrium. Brydda gave me careful instructions about how to contact him in Sutrium, and then we parted in the cold, gray light of the very early morning. It was painful to say goodbye to Pavo, knowing it might be the last time I would see him. I could not hug him, because any sort of pressure was unbearable for him. He was delirious most of the time now, and he blinked at me in a puzzled way, as if his memory were disintegrating.