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so.
    â€œYou’d think the Clayr would have Seen anything serious coming up, too,” continued Ellimere. “I mean, the aged parents only agreed to go on holiday because it’s been so quiet and the Clayr said they hadn’t Seen anything nasty on the horizon.”
    â€œThe visions aren’t always clear,” said Lirael, who, though she lacked the Sight to see the future, had grown up among the clan of female seers in their fortress under the Glacier. “I mean, they See many possible futures, and have to look for patterns or recurring visions. And sometimes their Sight is clouded by other magic.”
    â€œThey normally See the big stuff, though,” said Ellimere. She paused and then added, “Eventually . . .”
    â€œAlmost too late sometimes,” said Lirael, with feeling. The Clayr had been very late in Seeing exactly what Orannis was, and what it planned. “Besides, they can’t See what happens in Ancelstierre, atleast not much beyond the Wall. What if there really is a Free Magic creature loose over there? They have few—or maybe no—mages apart from the Crossing Point Scouts on the Perimeter.”
    â€œBut there can’t be a Free Magic creature that far south,” said Ellimere. “It just isn’t possible.”
    It was Lirael’s turn to be silent for a moment. She was thinking.
    â€œIt may be significant that the telegram came from Nick,” she said slowly.
    â€œWhy?” asked Ellimere.
    â€œHe bore the fragment of Orannis inside his heart for a long time,” said Lirael. “I could feel the Free Magic within him. Even after . . . after . . .”
    She paused to blink away an incipient tear. “Even after the Dog brought him back and gave him the Charter mark, the Free Magic was still there, inside him. Only contained by the Charter. In a way, he was like the Dog herself. Or Mogget when he had his collar on. Something of Free Magic, but also of the Charter.”
    â€œI didn’t know he still had Free Magic inside him!” exclaimed Ellimere. “Did Mother know? We should never have let him out of our sight. What if the Free Magic overcomes him? He’ll be incredibly dangerous!”
    â€œNo . . .” said Lirael, though she was far from certain herself that this was true, basing her answer very much on the belief that the Disreputable Dog would not have brought Nicholas Sayre back if he was going to be a threat. “I don’t think that will happen. And Sabriel did know about Nick, she wanted him to come back with us, but Nick didn’t . . . he didn’t want to come along, and what with his uncle being the Chief Minister and all, Sabriel said we couldn’t just take him with us. She thought he would be far enough south both the Free Magic and the Charter Magic would sleep within him—”
    â€œMaybe he is the Free Magic creature,” interrupted Ellimere, her frown deepening further. “Telegram could have been mixed up.”
    â€œWhatever is happening, I think I should go and investigate,” said Lirael.
    â€œYes,” said Ellimere. “Perhaps Sam should go with you—”
    Lirael shook her head. She’d just been in Sam’s workshop for the final adjustments to her hand, and he had been in a hurry himself. He was leaving to go and meet the leaders of the Southerling refugees, and take them to see the lands they were to be given by the crown. Sam had promised the Southerlings a place to settle, guaranteeing it with his word as a prince shortly before the final battle with Orannis, in order to make them get clear of the incipient destruction. Sorting out where they were to go, and attempting to overcome their cultural disbelief in magic, had become a big responsibility for Sam.
    â€œSam’s got the Southerling leaders here, trying to get them used to Charter Magic and everything before he takes them off to their new lands north of Roble’s Town.