themselves. Luckily, the lessons of childhood were still embedded somewhere in Isak’s mind, and he was exhibiting a little more control than a baby. Mihn had resorted to treating white-eye and dog alike: after eating, the two of them were taken outside. It had taken some persistence to get Isak standing up so Mihn could lead him outside, but the alternative was much less palatable to contemplate.
This evening the lake was hushed and still, with few birds disturbing the silence. Mihn looked around as the puppy bounced forward, holding its nose high as it suddenly caught a scent. He felt a little disquieted; it was early for such quiet, but as he turned he caught sight of movement on the water’s surface.
With Isak in tow he walked down to the water’s edge and peered through the faint moonlit mist. As his eyes adjusted he saw two specks of pale light drifting just above the still surface, and as he watched, one suddenly darted across the other, causing it to hop up in the air. Eventually he realised they were not specks of light, but white creatures catching the moonlight.
‘Moondancers,’ he whispered to Isak.
The white-eye was standing very still and tense, looking out over the water with his arms wrapped about himself and his body stooped, as though he was cold — though his skin was hot to the touch, as though some part of him resided still in Ghenna and warmed him by it.
Moondancers were not ghosts or spirits, but a rare bird that lived on water. Mihn had found a nest once; they were tiny little things with large webbed feet that allowed them to move across the water’s surface as they hunted insects. He smiled as he recalled how, in the daylight, they had been an unimpressive dull grey, but here in the moonlight their feathers caught the light, shimmering weirdly —
Mihn’s moment of wonder was abruptly cut off as something black rose up from the surface and grabbed one of the moondancers, dragging it under the water with a loud splash. Mihn frowned. He hadn’t realised there was a pike in the lake, or any other sort of predator that would hunt like that. The remaining moondancer had already disappeared into the rushes and a heartbeat later the lake surface was once again as still as glass.
As he scanned the water to see if there was any further sign of movement a low growl came from beside him — not the puppy, it was too deep. When he turned, Isak was still hunched over, with one arm pulled into his chest, but he had lowered his right arm and his hand was balled into a fist. A second splash came from the lake, and the moonlight caught a ring of ripples out on the water, a little closer this time.
Isak gave another growl, his damaged throat giving it an unearthly quality, and Mihn jumped as a light suddenly shone from beside him: Eolis had appeared from thin air in Isak’s hand, as though they were still in Ghenna. The sword was shining alarmingly brightly in the moonlight, invitation as much as threat.
Isak did not appear to have noticed its appearance, but he was more alert, poised as though expecting to be attacked. The puppy at his feet was silent, looking at the lake with an air of expectation.
‘Time to go back inside,’ Mihn said firmly. ‘Isak, back into the house.’ He tried to push the white-eye in the right direction, and after a few moments Isak allowed himself to be shoved back inside the house, the puppy close beside him. Mihn stood at the threshold and looked back at the lake. There were more ripples on the surface now, and they were barely ten yards from the shore. Quickly he kicked off his boots and shrugged off his coat before picking up the steel-shod staff beside the door. Thus armed he shut the door behind him and stood on one side, keeping in the shadows.
Mihn watched as the ripples drifted closer. He checked the tattoos on his hands in the moonlight, to reassure himself the circles had not been broken by scratches, or anything else. When he turned his hands over the other way, the tips of the leaves tattooed from shoulder to wrist on each arm were revealed, hazel on the left and rowan on the right. A moment later and Mihn felt a slight change descend over him, a warmth that made him sigh with