73
She was woken several hours later, but long before dawn, by an insistent tapping on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and by the light of the banked fire, saw a pair of pale eyes peering down at her. They really could be quite spooky at times, she thought.
“Jayhan! What on earth are you doing here?” she demanded in a harsh whisper. “No men. Remember?”
Jayhan grinned. “I’m not a man. I’m a boy.” He shrugged. “Anyway, my honour would be more betrayed if I weren’t here to help you. That’s what I always promised you. You need me to make your amulet stronger. Remember?”
“How did you get past our lookout?”
“Sparrow saw me and let me through. She knew she couldn’t send me away to go back down the mountainside on my own in the dark.”
“Jayhan. You’re incorrigible.”
“Really? Is that good?”
