It was getting towards the end of the third day on the river when a whistle came from the bow of the boat.
Loesie stood at the bar handling the leather straps of the harnesses. The sloop had stopped and drifted into a bed of reeds, where the sea cows were busily tearing up stems by the roots.
“Why have we stopped here?”
“Ghghghghgh.” Loesie pointed at the horizon. Her eyes were wide.
Johanna looked.
At first she saw nothing unusual. Just an undulating field surrounded by a hedge, then a path and another field and—smoke. Jagged ruins. Her heart jumped.
“Is that Aroden?”
Loesie nodded.
The castle and the surrounding town, where her mother grew up. “Have you seen any people?”
She shook her head.
Nellie had come up behind them. “Why are we stopping here—oh!” She raised her hand to he
