Just as they roll into the stream and wade out dripping wet and laughing, the four Guardians of the Past reappear. Moridan Tamadil is censorious, which annoys Tarkyn who says that, beset on all sides with criticism, he can only follow his own path. He asks to speak privately with them then raises the issue of the Lost Forest and gains their agreement to reduce the maximum time trapped in the forest to two full moons. Nightwind applauds his ability to rule and, at the same time, maintain friendships with the woodfolk. When he leaves them, Tarkyn discovers that he has been sitting trance-like in the midst of the home guard who had not been able to see the guardians nor hear their conversation and had become anxious, especially Midnight, at Tarkyn’s immobility.
As the Lost begin to leave the
