I crouched low on the deck, listening for the echo of the night watch’s footsteps on the wood. Somehow, I doubted it would be a good time to run into Sol. I remembered my nightmare and shivered. At least the sea was black now instead of blood red.
I reached out mentally for the heest, more cautiously this time, and found their fearfulness was replaced by a simple trust. In me. They were at their most terrifying when they relied on me so completely.
I stuck out my tongue at my own fears. There was nothing wrong with happy monsters. Even Patchy was verging on confident. At least, his circles around the mountain were intended as much to irritate the other two heest as to release his tension. I sighed, then stiffened as I heard Sol’s deep voice in the darkness.
‘It stunk, not of raw meat—as
