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I could see. After a few minutes, however, she said, ‘I can walk now, Danyat. I’m a big girl.’ She ran to Thomas, and he slowed his steps so that she could keep up.
    Okay, so he might have a good gene or two in his make-up, but he still had a way to go before he could put my suspicions to rest.
    He led us out of the section of the city where our house was, across a wide swathe of grass and roadway, into the next group of houses and gardens.
    For something to say, I asked, ‘What do you call these things? Settlements? House groups?’
    ‘They’re enclaves, silly.’ Thomas swivelled around to show me the sneer on his face.
    Ivor rapped a finger on his head. ‘Silvern would growl, Thomas.
    It worked like magic. His face fell. ‘I’m sorry. I forgot. Things were different on Taris.’ He sent me a look that had a challenge in it. ‘My father told me all about it.’
    ‘Good,’ I said. ‘So I won’t have to keep explaining stuff to you.’
    ‘See what I mean about the power of Silvern?’ Ivor put an arm around my waist.
    I shied away. ‘Why did you do that? Why did you put your arm around me? Don’t! I don’t want you to.’
    He held up both hands in front of him. ‘Sorry! I was just being friendly.’
    I frowned, walking on without looking at him because I could almost feel the smile he was ready to pound me with. At last, I said, ‘Please don’t. You don’t understand. Things were different on Taris. I haven’t got used to Outside yet.’
    ‘Sorry.’ He sounded so contrite that I did look at him. His expression was both sorry and wickedly gleeful. I laughed. I couldn’t help it: he was utterly different from anyone I’d ever met. And Silvern was right – he was hot. I tried not to feel just a bit flattered that he seemed to like me. I was relieved, though, that he said goodbye when we reached Thomas’s house.
    Thomas was doing his usual bouncing. ‘We’re here!’ he shouted as he opened the gate. ‘Come in and meet my mum. She’s called Gilda.’
    She had been watching for us, and she ran towards us, her hands out. ‘Thank you for coming! From my heart, I thank you.’
    Mother took her hands, then embraced her. ‘You’re welcome, Gilda. It’s good to meet you.’
    I found that was true. Meeting her put to rest any idea that she was warped, mad like Hilto, and wanting to dominate others, to rule them and bend them to her will.
    Danyat took Gilda’s hands next. ‘I have good memories of Gavin Hilton from the early days of Taris. Before the crisis which changed us all.’
    Gilda wiped tears from her eyes. ‘Thank you. When you are more settled, could you come and tell them to Thomas and me?’
    ‘It’s a promise,’ Danyat said.
    I wouldn’t listen to such stories. I wasn’t ready to spend time with tales of Hilto, and I doubted I ever would be. He had wanted me dead.
    We spent over an hour with Gilda and Thomas, and when we left, Mother’s eyes were shining. Gilda too worked in the spinning and weaving factory, and they had found much else in common. ‘She’ll be a good friend,’ Mother said. ‘I really am beginning to feel at home here.’
    It was good that one of us was. I suspected that Danyat would never feel at home anywhere now that Grif was gone, and I was wishing myself back in Otaki, or Wellington. Dad might feel differently, though – there were plenty of gardens, so he’d fit right in.
    Ivor was nowhere in sight when we set off home, but Danyat said he was sure he could navigate us back. Hera was tired and didn’t complain when he picked her up.
    ‘Did you like Thomas and Gilda?’ I asked her.
    ‘Gilda’s nice,’ she said through a huge yawn. ‘Thomas is a silly boy.’
    Ha! I was right! He was dangerous – she’d said the people who wanted to take her away were silly.
    But then she said, ‘He’s nice, but he’s silly.’
    So what did that mean?
    ‘Did he make you cross, Hera?’ Danyat asked.
    ‘He tells me things. But I’m not silly. I know those