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Oszlár’s side over ours? Manipulated Aaron’s mind when he was trying to save us?” He pointed his fork at Munro. “Trying to save us from Ewain, I might add. The very guy you want me to go look for.”
     
    “He’s sworn not to hurt any member of the Hall and, in fact, he’s helped us.” He indicated the runic flute hanging around his neck.
     
    “He’s helped you . None of the rest of us got much of a crack at the thing. You puff on it constantly but don’t share what it’s taught you.”
     
    Munro froze, and the room went still. What Rory was saying wasn’t true. He’d given them all the opportunity to try out the flute, but none got as much out of it as he had. “Are you saying you won’t go?” Munro asked quietly.
     
    “I never said that,” Rory muttered.
     
    “Take Flùranach with you,” Munro said. “She can help you track him.”
     
    “Like I’d dare leave her behind.”
     
    “What do you think she’s going to do? You can’t keep her under your thumb every minute of the night and day.” He suspected Flùranach’s betrayal wasn’t really what Rory was mad about. He’d never gotten over what she did to him when she stole his bond. Munro had found her holding Rory down, his clothes ripped off, his will locked up by her substantial astral powers. She’d been fierce and brutal. If only Munro had arrived a mere five minutes earlier, he might have stopped her before it was too late. Rory had tried so hard to get past the trauma, over time even convincing himself he’d fallen for her. But that house of cards had come tumbling down, making Munro suspect that Flùranach had manipulated Rory’s emotions, trying to force him to forgive her, maybe even to love her. Magically influencing people came so naturally to her, she likely didn’t realise she was doing so half the time.
     
    “Where should I start?” Rory asked.
     
    “Once you get to Danastai, follow the flows. There’s no reason to think Ewain is hiding. When he escaped the shadow realm, he just wanted to go home. I’d guess the rune he set on the Mistgate wasn’t too far from his ultimate destination.” He paused, sensing Rory’s discomfort. “You could ask Sheng if he wants to go. He hasn’t seen the kingdoms much, and he might come up with some ideas.” The new air druid had proven capable, although Munro had to admit that with his focus on finding Huck and Demi, he hadn’t spent much time with the Aussie.
     
    “Fine,” Rory said, finally relenting.
     
    Munro stood and dusted a few crumbs off his jacket. “I have to go. Eilidh’s going to skin me alive as it is.”
     
    “You’re a druid lord, mate,” Aaron said. “You don’t have to explain yourself.”
     
    “Yeah, like you don’t explain yourself to Joy?” Munro shot back with a chuckle.
     
    “I’m staying out of this,” Douglas said. “I know better.” He gave Aaron a pointed look.
     
    Munro clapped his hand on Rory’s shoulder as he was leaving. The other druid was overwhelmed with Flùranach and didn’t mean the things he’d said. “Just do your best. Find Ewain, describe to him what I found, and ask what he knows about other types of gates. This isn’t a priority. The gate is ancient, and it’s not going anywhere. Consider it more a side project, a point of curiosity. I don’t expect what you learn about the site will necessarily help me find Huck and Demi, which is my main concern. But anything that adds to our understanding of druid lore is important. Ewain swore he’d help us increase our knowledge. He won’t refuse.” Munro wasn’t entirely sure on the last point, but Rory needed to dig himself out of his rut, and having an assignment to take his mind off things seemed as good a way as any.
     

Chapter 3
     
    Caledonia was one of five kingdoms that had permanent gates to the Halls of Mist, created by the druids after the reunification of the Otherworld. Eventually, every kingdom would have one, both for people to pass to