‘I must speak. It is becoming more and more dangerous for you here. It is stronger, the closer we get.’
‘Right.’
‘It is the ruins.’
‘Oh. That again.’ Teya lay back in the grass and pressed her hand across her eyes. She could see slivers of blue sky between her fingers.
‘I know it is difficult for you to believe.’ He paused, seeming to struggle. ‘There are things you don’t know. About me. My grandfather was a great shaman. He was the last of a powerful line of spirit men, of noble birth. I, I seem to have something of his gift.’
‘Uh-huh.’
He went silent and seemed to be staring at an ant struggling through the dust.
‘You are frightened of me now,’ he said.
‘You think?’
He fell silent again, his expression dark. He kicked at the dirt and chewed his full bottom lip.
‘Your Dad,’ he s
