Elani are aware the Lamya are fond of a drink or two and know well enough that there are many taverns now in the Kingdom of Malinas. Still, Leif could not help but feel a little out of place as he sat at a small round table surrounded by rowdy Lamya, most of whom had a drink in their hand.

Mariko grinned at him, obviously enjoying his discomfort and knowing exactly how he felt as this was how she must have felt in the gorge. She grabbed Sloane's drink and took a big swig.

"Aah! This is what I've missed! Now Sloane, our proposition..."

Leif put his elbows up on the table and the three of them leaned in closer to talk in low voices.

"We want to put a stop to Slavemaster Noan for good. Put 'im out of action, as it were..."

"Yes," Leif continued, "Mariko's told me how much you hate him—"

"What he had done to the Lamya before!" Sloane cried, thumping the table. "I know they was only slaves but nobody has the right to die like that."

Mariko shifted about. "Yeah, uh—"

"We want to free the Elani," Leif said. "Every last one of them. From the fields, the towns, every one!"

Sloane seemed bemused. He looked at Mariko who offered an apologetic shrug. Then, he chuckled quietly and slapped Leif on the back. "Great plan! Get rid of Noan, release the Elani slaves and wind Corrinus right up." He picked up his tankard and a frown settled on his face. "And then get killed for disloyalty. No, Mariko, I'd like to help you but that's a mad idea even for you."

Mariko groaned but Leif was determined. "Corrinus won't kill you, because we plan on getting to him first," he said, looking hopefully at Sloane. "Me and my band want to free the entire Kingdom. Not just for the Elani but for the Lamya too!"

"What's with all this Elani nonsense?" Sloane said, as Leif suddenly realised he'd given too much away. "Mariko, who is this? Distant cousin, I don't think so."

Mariko sighed and waved a hand at Leif. "Show 'im," she said.

Leif lifted the corner of his scarf, revealing the three star marks under his eye that betrayed him to be Elani.

Sloane seemed about to explode. He looked first at Mariko and then back to Leif again. He stood and banged his fists down on the table. "You let me speak with an Elani, Mariko? An Elani?"

Mariko tried to calm him, noticing the other Lamya were staring at them now, and not wanting any trouble. Ignoring her dismay, Leif stood up and faced Sloane.

"I give you a proposition, Sloane. Fight with us and I will take you to a horde of Lamya gold! I'll make you Lord of the Castle when Corrinus is gone and I'll even make you some new clothes, because, well, you smell a bit," he finished lamely.

Mariko pulled the two men back to their chairs and smiled at Sloane. "Well?" she asked. "Not a bad offer, eh?"

Sloane continued staring at Leif as he answered Mariko. "Not bad," he said. "Not bad at all. You'll need to prove this gold exists though, I'll not be tricked."

Leif clenched his jaw. How could he prove that? "Come back with us and I can show you," he said. "Do we have a deal?"

Sloane stayed silent, tapping his fingers on the table. Then he turned to Mariko. "Let me gather my men, then I'm in. But I'm only doing it for the gold you understand. I don't want it known I help Elani."

"Of course," Mariko said, sitting back in her chair. "Of course. Who would?"

#

Sorrel was becoming increasingly impatient back at the rubbish site as it seemed to her that Leif was taking rather longer than she had expected.

She paced up and down and fiddled with the strap to her sword. Cloud watched her, looked to Gaeshi, and winked and stood up to join her.

"Sorrel, none of us can wait to get our families back but you're making some of us nervous with all this pacing. Leif'll be here soon."

She sighed, pushed her hair back from her face and sat down. She waited all of a moment before she was up again. "That's it! I'm going in now. Who's with me?"

The others just stared at her, unwilling to leave without Leif. Then suddenly Lachlan jumped up, pointed across the field with his staff and cried a warning. "It's the Lamya, look! They've got Leif! I knew we shouldn't have trusted Mariko..."

Mariko and a tattooed man were at the head of a band of about twenty–five rough-looking Lamya, between them walked Leif, his hands tied in front of him, and he no longer had the scarf covering his face.

Sorrel opened her mouth to give the command to go in and save her brother when Mariko turned and slashed Leif free from his bonds with her dagger.

The Lamya continued towards them and Leif jogged ahead to explain.

"Don't worry," he said, seeing the look on her face. "They had to tie me so it would look like they were returning a slave to the fields. It's the only way such a large group of Lamya could move freely through the Kingdom without looking suspicious. There's something going on at the castle, apparently one of Corrinus's aides is out looking for fighters."

Mariko and the band of Lamya reached them and the Elani stood up and said not a word as the men glared suspiciously back at them. Weapons bristled and teeth ground. Only the leadership of Leif and the man in charge of the Lamya prevented the two sides from attacking each other.

Sorrel eyed the tattooed man and spoke to Leif. "Why have you brought them to us?" The group of rough-looking Lamya made her nervous and she did not want to feel nervous when she was about to enter the Kingdom of Malinas.

Leif spoke to all of them. "Sloane has agreed to help us. He and his band are to be treated with respect, as we would wish to be treated in return. For his help I have agreed to lead him and his men to the Lamya gold hidden under Silence Gorge. Does everyone understand?"

The Elani nodded and gave each other knowing looks, the Lamya gold was ancient now and could only be reached by persons smaller than any of those in Sloane's band.

"Wait," Sloane said, taking hold of Leif's arm. "I need proof."

"Of the gold?" Sorrel asked. She wished she hadn't told everyone to leave it. She shook her head a little when Leif met her gaze.

"Here." Saoirse passed her and, with a quick apologetic glance in Sorrel's direction, pulled a gold coin from her pocket.

Sloane took the coin and bit down on it. He nodded in satisfaction and stashed it away inside his jacket.

Sorrel touched her sword. "Right then," she said, itching to get going before the knot in her stomach became more than just nerves. "What now?"

Leif winked at her. "Now," he said, "we go and get Mum!"

Her heart leapt and she turned to the group, tingling with excitement as she drew her sword and pointed it towards the slave fields. "Freedom!" she yelled.

The Elani knew this to be the signal to charge and together they all raced past her towards the row of slaver houses and on to surprise them at work in the fields.

Sloane nodded and drew his own sword. "Right men," he said, "it's time to go and visit Slavemaster Noan!"

Cloud grabbed Sorrel's hand as Sloane and his men thundered past them after the Elani. "Sorrel," he said, his face grim. "This is it!"

She nodded, squeezed her friend's hand for reassurance, gritted her teeth and charged towards the Kingdom of Malinas.