She does look like a cat, but I wonder if she's like Arryl's people? She probably wouldnae like tae be called cat anymore than I'd like tae be called monkey, Arryl bird, or Erin lizard.

'Bolstering the cat? Sounds more like your power than anything else Erin. I ken that mages and priests used some different kind o' magic. Everyone says the priest's magic comes from their gods, and the mage's from....somewhere else... I'd just about understood that yer's was something different again Erin, and now it seems there is someone else with another kind o' power...'

Kieran thinks for a second.

I dinnae ken the magicians' ways. When I was a lad that were a thing for stories, or for serious scholarly folk in dust'

'Aye, it is a terrible thing to have power thrust upon ye by destiny. It must be hard fer one so young tae bear. I wonder...if she - Melanie - is what the Oracle meant fer us tae find out here. It would be just like the Oracle and her patrons from what I've seen of her...'

'Well we'll find out - about them all'.

'I'm glad ye think the engineer can be trusted. If ye think that the craft can be repaired that's good. When ye're healed up, I'd like ye and Master Stoneforge tae look at repairin' it. I have a plan'.

Kieran turns to Arryl.

'Briefly Arryl, we've arrived at the place the Oracle told me about. Ye remember we were looking up about the land o' the Black sands in the King's library? Well we found it. It is as desolate as I imagined.

I sent Erin and Maia tae scout. They ran intae some trouble. I didnae get a good look at the beasts, but they looked like giants with great talons, horns, and skins like armour.

They jumped Erin and Maia, but a party of strange folk gave them aid. E'en so, one of the beasts got away. Now we've taken these strangers aboard. They say they were shipwrecked out here, but I fear that at least one o' them may be a spy for the Destroyer'.

'I'm just going tae interview 'em. If ye feel able Arryl, I'd appreciate it if ye could join me in my cabin, so ye can give me yer counsel on them'.