The following morning, Artemian checks in with me about the town Captain Belayn hopes to put into.
“He wants a town with enough distance from Lirelei that no one will know to take notice of us, as well as big enough to allow him to recruit a few more sailors and pick up some supplies,” Artemian explains. “He’s asked to keep going upriver. It will take until tomorrow night, if not a bit longer. As long as you think the children will be safe, Bren will agree.”
He means safe from the Darkness. Anxiety roils in my stomach. The ward will hold; after all, the snatchers have no use for children taken by the Darkness. Morrel would have gotten a new one if this one couldn’t hold two more days. “They’ll be fine,” I say steadily. “Do me a favor, though: see if you can find anything set aside specif
