Once the town of Longfen was behind her, Irenya slowed her pace and dropped closer to the land. She circled farm holdings, small villages, and one large manor, but all seemed occupied by the expected mix of people; no large groups of men, nothing out of the ordinary. She stopped several times and on one occasion almost blundered into two hunters gutting game by a creek. If there were clandestine operations in the area, she could not see them.
Tysin reached the agreed meeting place shortly after her. His eyes were bright with news. ‘A large group. Perhaps four or five hundred men, excluding the camp followers … a small village of tents and bush shelters. Well-hidden in a forested valley. Only a fleetwalker would see it, unless poachers were to stumble on them. Jilali could be there, but it
