Konrad paused at the bottom, wishing desperately that he could see into the hut balanced so far above him. What does Eetapi see? he enquired of his familiar.
She is not there, Ootapi replied. She is gone.
GONE? Konrad stood still, thunderstruck. What do you mean?
I do not know where she is, said Ootapi, his agitation seeping into Konrad’s brain. She followed him, but something happened and I can sense nothing of her now.
Spirits above. Konrad swallowed his burgeoning alarm, pausing only to make a brief explanation to Nanda. ‘I can’t forbid you to follow me,’ he finished. ‘You must do as you choose, but please, Nan, take some care. I couldn’t live with it if you came to any harm.’
Nanda merely nodded once, and gestured ahead. ‘In consideration for which, I will allow you to go first.’
