"When the Lord comes over the river," said Billy, "Greenhaven gets a new lord. Guess whose name."
"And you two get a tent."
"We get whatever we want," Whiff said softly. "That was the deal. Lords' sons. We get to keep anything in this field."
"Then where's the rest? There's six hundred here. The Academy's bigger than that."
Billy shrugged. He was getting a bit of his colour back. He had always liked knowing things that other people didn't.
"The special ones went on. The Lord's man had a list. Anyone who could do a trick. The girl with the blue hair was on it, he said the castle wanted that one most of all." He grinned. "And the Guild Master's pet. The red-haired one. He went up the road on the first cart. He DROVE it."
Something cold went down Alex's back. He kept his face still. He had got better at that.
'Lena's at the castle. Arthur drove the cart. Okay. Okay. They're alive, they're ahead, and I know where the road goes.'
'Lexie,' said Luna, very softly. 'Breathe.'
